It is not unusual for individuals to question how they ended up in certain situations. In some cases, people may have made a poor decision that had a domino effect that resulted in their landing in serious predicaments. Unfortunately, in cases of drug addiction, it may only take using a substance one time for an individual to become addicted.
 
Once you suffer from an addiction, it may seem as if your every thought focuses on when and how you will get your next fix. As a result, you may end up going down roads you may not have considered before the addiction took control of your life. Although some people may simply want you to change your ways and get back on track, overcoming a drug addiction is no easy task.
 
Changes to your brain
 
Addiction is a complicated disease, which may surprise many people. Some individuals may consider addiction a choice, but in reality, drug use can change your brain in a number of ways. While you may have consciously made the choice to try the substance, you may have lost the choice of whether you continued using after addiction set in. As the substance changes your brain chemistry, your abilities become hampered, especially in relation to self-control and resistance to urges.
 
Changes to your brain also result in substances or the amount of the substance becoming less effective. This outcome may cause you to seek more of the same drug or to try different drugs in an attempt to regain that euphoric feeling that you crave due to addiction. Because the chemicals in your brain adjust to the reactions caused by the drugs, you may face negative impacts on your abilities to learn, make decisions, use good judgment and control your behavior.
 
Negative consequences
 
The changes to your brain chemistry can cause a number of physical and mental effects that can prove considerably detrimental. These impacts may also act as a contributing factor to other serious issues. For instance, as your addiction grows and your abilities to resist urges and control your behavior weaken, you may carry out actions that you would not have previously considered. In some cases, these actions may be illegal, but the drive to get your next fix may cloud your judgment.
 
Unfortunately, drug addiction could lead to actions that result in an arrest for drug crimes. Whether the allegations relate to possession, manufacturing, distribution or other acts, you could face a serious predicament. In order to effectively deal with such a situation, you may wish to learn more about your criminal defense options and options for obtaining rehabilitation assistance.