One of the most common reasons Americans visit their doctors is to get help with pain relief. Pain causes distress and can even be debilitating. Doctors sometimes prescribe opioid pain relievers to their patients who are in pain. While these drugs can provide much-needed relief, they also have the potential for misuse and addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) notes that prescription opioid painkillers can lead to dependence and addiction even when taken as prescribed by a doctor.1 Opiate medications are habit-forming and can qu ...
Overview ; Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you're addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes. Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes m...
Learn more about the most addictive drugs and how to get help.
Highly processed foods resemble drugs of misuse in a number of disturbing ways
What Is Substance Abuse? ; What Is Alcohol Use Disorder? ; Painkillers and Opioid Use Disorder ; What Is Marijuana Abuse? ; What Is Prescription Drug Abuse?
But despite the fact that what's known as "breakthrough cancer pain" is uncommon, Insys Therapeutics — the Arizona-based company that sells what can be a highly addictive drug, and...
When they stop using, they may experience cravings and withdrawal symptoms that increase the potential for relapse. Meth is a highly addictive illegal drug, .... Methamphetamine is a powerful, high...
Sugar affects our brain pathways just like addictive drugs, and most of us don’t realize how much we’re eating. Learn more.
Introducing the Human Brain ; The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. This three-pound mass of gray and white matter sits at the center of all human activity—you need it to drive a car, to enjoy a meal, to breathe, to create an artistic masterpiece, and to enjoy everyday activities. The brain regulates your body's basic functions, enables you to interpret and respond to everything you experience, and shapes your behavior. In short, your brain is you—everything you think and fe...
The technical definition of a drug is "any chemical substance that affects the central nervous system." Determining the most addictive drugs has been a