Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Seattle
A person who continues to use drugs will adapt to the drug by reducing their reward circuit cell response. This will continue as long the individual continues to take drugs. This process, called tolerance, causes the individual's high to decrease compared with when they first took it. They might then try to recreate the same high with more of the chemical. Due to brain alterations, an individual may not be able to enjoy the same pleasures as they once did, such a eating, sexual activity or social interaction.
Other chemical systems and brain circuits are also altered over time, which can result in cognitive and behavioral changes such as learning and memory, judgement, decision-making and stress. Many drug users continue to use drugs even though they recognize the dangers of addiction.
Why is it that some people are able prevent drug dependence while others develop tolerance to it? There is no one trait that predicts whether someone will develop drug addiction. A person's likelihood of developing an addiction is dependent on many factors. The higher the probability of an addict developing from drug use, the more predisposing factors they have.