The signs of addiction are obvious. Addiction starts with drug abuse, when a person makes the choice to use drugs, but addiction is not just “a lot of drug use.” Recent scientific research shows that not only do “drugs interfere with normal brain functioning creating powerful feelings of pleasure, but they also have long-term effects on brain metabolism and activity.” (Henderson 15). At a certain point, changes occur in the brain that can turn drug abuse into addiction, a relapsing illness. Those addicted to drugs suffer from compulsive drug and usage and cannot stop by themselves. Treatment is necessary to end this addiction (http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/understand.html). Another sign is the compulsive use of drugs or alcohol regardless of negative consequences.

Addiction can be caused by numerous factors. People can be genetically predisposed, which means

“Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse. Once having tried cocaine, an individual cannot predict or control the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug.” (http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/cocaine.html). Cocaine directly stimulates the brain cells and releases dopamine that gives the body a pleasurable high but also decreases the amount of dopamine in the brain (Henderson 57). This highly addictive drug sets up a strong habituation effect that leads to cravings. Within a short amount of time the user is caught between the strong cravings and the depression caused by not using it. Irritability, severe depression, hallucinations are effects from continual use of cocaine (Henderson 57). The use of this drug is on the rise. For example, the proportion of high school seniors who have used cocaine at least once in their lifetimes has increased from a low of 5.9 percent in 1994 to 9.8 percent in 1999 (http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/cocaine.html). This means that more teenagers are using this dangerous drug.

Another very dangerously addictive substance is alcohol. There are millions of alcoholics in the United States. It is becoming an epidemic in this country. Many people are alcoholics and don’t even know it. Alcohol does not interact directly with specific neurotransmitter systems (Henderson 51). It affects mood, motor skills, memory, reasoning, and judgment.

social problems. Uncontrolled stress can be a major factor as well. It also just may be that the substance is highly addictive and alters the brain’s biochemical structure (Bender 45). The substances do this using the brain’s reward system, also known as the mesolimbic reward system. The mesolimbic reward system raises the body’s dopamine level, which gives off the feeling of pleasure (Bender 46). Addicitve substances hijack this reward system and flood the brain with do

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