What Is Addiction?

A night of heavy drinking does not make you an alcoholic, and a wild weekend in Las Vegas doesn’t mean you have a gambling problem. But if you can’t control the urge to consume alcohol, or place a bet, or engage in any other compulsive activity — even when it harms you — that’s addiction.

If you or a loved one is addicted to a substance or behavior, Dr. Latif Ziyar can help you reclaim control of your life and your health. He is certified by the American Association of Addiction Medicine, and he specializes in assessing, diagnosing, and treating your addictive behavior so you can get back to work, school, relationships, and life.

Recent research indicates that 40,000 people in USA dies of Opiates related complication.

Symptoms of addiction

The signs might look slightly different depending on the circumstances, but all addictive behavior carries the potential to harm you psychologically, socially, and physically. Here are some common red flags that may indicate addiction:

• Inability to stop participating in harmful behavior
• Inability to stop consuming drugs or alcohol
• Loss of interest in activities that don’t involve the substance or behavior
• Relationship problems
• Performance issues at work
• Hiding the addictive substance
• Radical changes in appearance and hygiene
• Increased risk-taking

Understanding the science behind addiction

You weren’t born to be an addict. Although there are some factors in your genetic and biological makeup that may make you more vulnerable to addictive behavior, many other variables come into play as well.

Your social background and other environmental issues influence how you handle anxiety, adversity, depression, anger, and other psychological stressors. Those who have difficulty dealing with these issues may resort to self-medicating with illicit drugs and substances, which leads to dependency.

Studies show that regardless of what you’re addicted to — whether it’s opioids, alcohol, nicotine, or gambling — they all have one thing in common: They involve dopamine, one of your brain’s neurotransmitters that regulates your feelings of motivation, reward, pleasure, and emotion.

Overuse of a harmful chemical or drug can change your brain’s wiring and, therefore, affect your judgment, your decision-making process, your memory, and your ability to control your behavior. It also causes your brain to become resistant to the effects of the addictive substance, which makes you want more of it more often to recapture what you felt when you began using it — addiction.

What are some of the most addictive substances?

When used occasionally, some drugs and substances can be tolerated without becoming addictive, but over time, they change your brain’s pathways and cause you to crave them. Here are some of the most addictive substances:

• Tranquilizers and sedatives
• Tobacco
• Marijuana
• Alcohol
• Inhaled fumes (glue and paint thinner)
• Methamphetamine, cocaine (stimulants)
• Hallucinogens (PCP,  LSD)
• Pain killers (opioids)

Opioid addiction

Painkillers, or opioids, work because they release endorphins, neurotransmitters in your brain that dull your sensitivity to pain and make you feel good. But as soon as the effects wear off, your brain wants that good feeling back again, so you take another pill. Soon, you crave it so badly you can’t stop. That’s opioid addiction.

Nearly 40,000 people die every year from their opioid addiction, which means it has become one of the worst epidemics in the country’s history. Dr. Ziyar specializes in the treatment of opioid addiction and helps you overcome your condition while maintaining your normal, everyday life, such as going to school and work and participating in family and social activities.

He begins by getting to know you and your unique set of circumstances. How did your addiction begin? How has it impacted your life? What other mental and physical illnesses are you facing? Once he has reached an accurate assessment and diagnosis, he treats you with a combination of effective counteractive measures to help you detoxify and return to your normal life.

One of the medications he has found to be most effective is Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone). It works gradually over time and allows you to detox slowly, so that the effects are more complete and long-lasting. Although you are an outpatient, you are constantly under Dr. Ziyar’s expert care.

If you or someone you love is dealing with any kind of addiction, call Dr. Ziyar today or click the “Request Appointment” button to schedule a consultation right away. The sooner you connect with Dr. Ziyar, the sooner you can reconnect with the people and life you love.