What draws a person to drugs?

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For many who have maintained a clean slate and remained unblemished by any form of drug use in their lifetime, it is not uncommon to wonder what draws a person to drugs. Maybe that puts them in a position to help out rather than pass judgment on another. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe, understanding drug users is one of the biggest keys to helping them get out of the bad habit permanently.

A common trend in individuals who get into drugs is that they want to change something about their lives. Research has shown that people first get into drugs for the following reasons:

• To fit in and find a sense of belongingness
• To exercise independence and claim maturity
• To experiment out of curiosity
• To escape from a source of stress
• To rebel or protest against something

The first instance that a drug dependent takes drugs is not always seriously motivated, shares Dr. Curtis Cripe. However, the problem with drugs is that it gets addictive. This goes on to the point that taking drugs brings a sense of comfort to the person who gets into it.

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Through frequent use of drugs, the individual digs a deeper hole. They no longer need any stimulus or external factor to draw them to their particular choice of drug. As their own body gets poisoned by the chemicals they take in, so does their mind.

At some point, the person does not think rationally anymore. They are only motivated by one thing alone: the craving for the high that drugs bring to them, which leads them to the darkest moment along their path to drug use.

Dr. Curtis Cripe encourages anyone related to a drug addict, in any way at all, to be mindful of these facts if they truly want to help the person out.

Curtis Cripe, Ph.D., hails from a multidisciplinary academic and professional background that includes addiction and psychophysiology. He is the director of research and development at the NTL Group, a company specializing in neuroengineering programs to diagnose and treat a wide array of neurological dysfunctions. For more related articles, visit this page.

Common neurological ailments caused by heavy substance abuse

Prolonged substance abuse, regardless if it involves illegal or legal substances, can have harrowing effects on the human mind and body.

This is why rehabilitation is such a crucial step in weaning people from drugs. Their dependence on substances could go beyond cravings and cause neurological disorders, which are more difficult to reverse.

Sometimes, these changes are permanent. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe, a leading neurological expert, heavy substance abuse can easily cause damages to the human mind and body. Examples of such damages are:

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Seizures

Seizures are triggered in a variety of ways, and one of them is through substance abuse. Seizures usually result from erratic changes in the electrical activity produced by the brain. Taking substances like methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy in high doses can trigger this phenomenon. Likewise, withdrawal from substances like benzodiazepine can also have similar results.

Encephalopathy

Encephalopathy is associated with altered mental stages due to brain damage. It is often a complication brought about by liver damage or oxygen deprivation of the brain. While encephalopathy has a chance of being reduced through early treatments, extensive damage is often permanent.

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Dementia

Although dementia is often used as an umbrella term for various neurological conditions, dementia caused by substance abuse is often associated with decrease in intellect, as well as cognitive levels, memory loss, and cognitive functions like speech, concentration, and judgment. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe, heavy abuse of substances such as alcohol, marijuana, and benzodiazepines can cause dementia.

Dr. Curtis Cripe is a neuroengineer with a diverse multidisciplinary background that includes software development, bioengineering, addiction recovery, psychophysiology, psychology, brain injury, and child neurodevelopment. To read more about Dr. Cripe and his work, visit this website.

Drug Addiction And Recovery: Two Eye-Opening Facts

Any form of addiction can wreak havoc on a person’s life. Drug addiction is one of the worst addictions to have. It can bring all the aspects of a person’s life – personal, psychological, social, mental, emotional, and financial – to ruin. Here are two eye-opening facts about drug addiction.

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It can happen to anyone.
Some people believe, much to their peril, that if they consume drugs occasionally rather than frequently, they can somehow skirt addiction. They think that only weak people can become addicts, people who are unable to deal with their problems. But what they don’t consider is that dangerous drugs like cocaine and heroin can get a person hooked after one usage.

It can create and worsen a number of health disorders.

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Drug addiction is a disorder. It can lead to other illnesses, particularly mental ones. There are four major mental disorders. First are anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The second kind of mental disorders that arise from drug addiction are mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder. Then there are personality disorders. Paranoia is a common personality disorder. The last category and arguably the most serious disorder group are psychotic disorders. Schizophrenia is a terrible psychotic disorder, which can be caused by drug abuse.

NTL Group’s BrainRecoveryTM focusses on underlying cognitive brain functions allowing the individual to return to a normal productive life without encountering the same detrimental relapse cycles. It works to re-balance the brain and break relapse cycles. And overseeing this program and other NTL Group’s NeuroEngineered Services is Dr. Curtis Cripe, director of Research & Development. For more on drug addiction and recovery, follow this Twitter account.