Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences. Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases.

Anyone can develop a SUD, and no one thing can predict whether a person may develop one. You may be more prone to SUD due to:

• Biology: A person’s genetic makeup, family history of SUD and mental health issues may raise their risk for developing a SUD. Individuals with a mental health disorder may use drugs to self-treat symptoms.
• Environment: Surroundings can affect the likelihood of developing SUD. For example, trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), stress, peer pressure, physical or sexual abuse and early exposure to drugs can raise the risk.
• Age: The age someone starts using alcohol and other drugs is a significant risk factor. The earlier someone starts using substances, the greater their chances of developing a substance use disorder, and the more severe their illness is likely to be. Ninety percent of Americans with a substance use disorder began using substances before the age of 18.

Alcohol and other drugs affect the brain, especially the “reward center” of the brain. Humans are biologically motivated to seek rewards. Often, these rewards come from healthy behaviors. When you spend time with a loved one or eat a delicious meal, your body releases a chemical called dopamine, which makes you feel pleasure. It becomes a cycle: You seek out these experiences because they reward you with good feelings.

Drugs send massive surges of dopamine through the brain, too. But instead of feeling motivated to do the things you need to survive (eat, work, spend time with loved ones), such massive dopamine levels can lead to damaging changes that change thoughts, feelings and behavior. That can create an unhealthy drive to seek pleasure from the drug and less from more healthy pleasurable experiences. The cycle revolves around seeking and consuming drugs to get that pleasurable feeling.

Alcohol and other drugs affect a person’s decision-making ability. An individual may be aware there’s a problem but are unable to stop using drugs despite consequences. With addiction, stopping drug use can make a person sick and for some addictions requires medical intervention depending on the severity of the disorder.

People feel intoxicated after using alcohol and other drugs. As a person continues to use, the brain adapts by reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. They might take more of the drug to try and achieve the same high. 

In many cases, as a person consumes more, drugs start to take over the person’s life. One may stop enjoying other aspects of life. For many people, social, family and work obligations fall to the side. The person with SUD starts to feel like something’s wrong if they aren’t under the influence of the substance. They may become consumed with the need to recapture that original feeling.

One way to determine if a person may be experiencing signs or symptoms of a SUD is to take a free, online screening. The screening will ask a series of questions, provide results and recommendations for next steps. These screenings are anonymous and are not intended to be a diagnosis.

• The 24-hour Suicide Prevention, Mental Health/Addiction Crisis, Information and Diversion Center Referral Hotline: 988 or 216-623-6888

• treatmentconnection.com to search for state-vetted treatment providers near you.

A variety of treatment options are available for SUD and often a combination of these treatments is used:

• Detoxification (detox)/withdrawal management

• Residential treatment (inpatient)

• Outpatient treatment

  • Group and individual counseling

  • Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)

  • Assessment and case management

• Recovery supports

  • Housing

  • Peer support

  • Transportation assistance

  • Employment services

  • Art therapy

Information Sources

Addiction Policy Forum

American Society of Addiction Medicine

Cleveland Clinic

National Institute on Drug Abuse

Connection to SUD Treatment Campaign Materials

The ADAMHS Board is featuring messaging about connecting with SUD treatment on billboards, as well as bus, radio, television, streaming and social media ads. Click here for shareable social media posts.

You can watch the television commercial below.