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Addiction. Substance use disorder. Whatever you call it, the cycle of addiction can seem impossible to break. Drugs and alcohol can destroy relationships with friends and family and lead to job loss and legal troubles. It is a well-known public health crisis in America, and Delaware is no exception. It is not a question of willpower; substance use disorders are a diagnosed disease.
Alcohol and drugs can alter brain chemistry and rewire the body’s natural processes to create a dependency that leads to physical, mental, and emotional health problems. For many, wanting to stop is not enough. They need the help of a professional addiction treatment center like Lotus Recovery in Wilmington, Delaware.
Substance use, at its most general, simply means a person is engaging with drugs and alcohol, often recreationally. This could be happy hour drinks with coworkers, recreational marijuana use with friends while playing video games, or doing cocaine or ecstasy before going to a club and partying all night.
During “recreational” substance use, a person still exercises control and doesn’t show signs of significant physical, mental, or emotional impairment.
However, it does not take very long for drugs and alcohol to begin altering a person’s mind and body. It is this impact on a person’s biochemistry that makes substance use disorder a diagnosable disease, and not a matter of willpower. For many, that transition from recreational use to substance use disorder happens quickly and quietly.
If substance use is engaging with drugs and alcohol, often for fun and relaxation, what is substance abuse, dependency, and addiction?
Put simply, if you are engaging with drugs or alcohol in a way that leads to problems with your health, family, or professional obligations, then you are abusing substances. Remember that it is possible to abuse substances that are legal or legally prescribed to you, too.
For example, if you are prescribed benzodiazepines for anxiety, and begin taking more than your prescribed dosage because “it’s been a tough day” or “I have to deal with my mother-in-law later,” then you are engaging in substance abuse.
Likewise, if you show up to work hungover two or three days a week, it will impact your professional life—your coworkers cannot rely on you, and you are not performing at your best.
In these two examples, both substances are legal: benzos are prescribed all the time, and alcohol can be easily purchased. Substance abuse is where the problems start. A person can still be mostly functional and reliable at this point, but there are signs that the substances are taking control: missed work deadlines, missed family events, etc.
Dependency happens when your body and brain begin to expect the presence of drugs or alcohol to feel “normal.” Over time, repeated use changes the way the brain’s reward system works. Normally, your brain releases dopamine—a chemical that makes you feel pleasure—when you do something rewarding, like eating good food, exercising, or spending time with loved ones.
With frequent substance use, the brain starts relying on drugs or alcohol to release large amounts of dopamine. Daily activities stop feeling as satisfying, and without the substance, a person may feel flat, anxious, or irritable. This is where cravings begin to grow stronger.
Common effects of dependency include:
Dependency is the point where use shifts from choice to need. Without help, it can become the gateway that leads to full addiction.
Addiction is the point where substance use is no longer a choice. It is a chronic disease that alters both the brain and the body. The brain’s reward system becomes rewired, prioritizing drugs or alcohol above everything else—family, work, health, and even personal safety. The powerful surges of dopamine from substances “teach” the brain that nothing else matters as much as using again.
This creates a cycle where the person feels driven to keep using, even when they know it is harmful.
Common effects of addiction include:
In short, addiction is more than just frequent use. It is a condition where the brain and body have been reshaped to depend on the substance, and breaking free requires more than willpower; it often takes professional treatment, support, and ongoing care.
At Lotus Recovery, we understand the cycle of addiction and the disruptive effects it has on individuals, families, and communities. We offer specialized treatment programs that treat each person as an individual, not a diagnosis. Our experienced addiction treatment professionals meet you where you are in your treatment and recovery journey. The admissions team can help determine whether an intensive outpatient program (IOP) or an outpatient program (OP) would best suit your needs and goals.
Through medication assisted treatment (MAT), individual counseling sessions, group therapy, and abstinence-based treatment, we can help you or a loved one break the cycle of addiction and discover a life of sobriety.
Our treatment programs include:
For Delaware residents in Wilmington, New Castle County, or surrounding communities, Lotus Recovery offers comprehensive substance use disorder treatment.
(833) 922-1615 or reach out online today to begin your journey toward recovery with Lotus Recovery. You can find us at: 1812 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, DE 19808.