When looking at drug use, drug abuse, drug dependency and drug addiction, one finds that there are many divergent opinions about these terms and how they identify the drug-using behaviors of the public. Dr. Alan Leshner, the Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse for the U.S. Government, states: “There is a unique disconnect between scientific facts and the public’s perception of drug addiction,”

From a lecture in March, 1998 at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Leshner explained how brain function is modified by drug use and how that change persists after an individual stops taking drugs. Addiction also has to be recognized as a result of many bio-behavioral factors.

Dr. Leshner said a user does not have control over the change when voluntary drug use becomes a compulsive addiction. He likens the change to a flip of a switch, although the change may be a result of opponent processes where changes have accumulated over time. Regardless, Dr. Leshner believes it is important that people understand that once addicted, a person is literally in a different brain state.

Anyone that has known and witnessed the changes in behavior and ethics in a person caught in the thralls of addiction can see the declining spiral of personal care and ethics, work ethics, emotional stability and generally, a feeling that one hardly recognizes the addicted person as being the same individual as they were before the drug use.

One very important point to know is that any drug use may set off these destructive behaviors in an individual and that using drugs “recreationally” is playing Russian Roulette with one’s life. The effects of these “poisons” on the brain and nervous system are always destructive, but the timeline of when the effects will be obvious varies from immediately to, sometimes, after years of “casual” use.

The scientist’s say that one of the tasks of treatment is to revert the brain to its original state or repairing the damage that these poisons can do. Some scientist believe that this can be done by introducing other drugs, then called medicines, into the delicate brain chemistry of someone suffering from drug addiction. That is what National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) is doing now as it begins to design new medications. “We have molecular targets,” Dr. Leshner said.” We don’t need serendipity.” Serendipity is defined as “a natural gift for making useful discoveries by accident.”

However, don’t be fooled by the scientist since they have yet to discover any medications that restore a person to full and, more importantly, enthusiastic living. These “medicines” are always a tradeoff in giving up some of the beauties of life to keep the addict from using a more destructive drug. For a total cure, one should pursue getting the original poisons out of the body and letting the body’s natural repair mechanism restore the person to his original, functional and loving self.

One of the hardest but most redemptive seasons of my life happened when I spent fourteen months in a drug rehabilitation center. In all my years of writing, I have never written about this experience that has so distinctly shaped my life.

Of course, I never would have dreamed that over a year of my life during my mid-twenties would be spent in drug rehabilitation, but it happened. I began doing drugs in junior high school, mostly I guess do to the typical amount of peer pressure that most teens get from their friends. I started using drugs with great hesitation, but party after party I got a little less afraid of using drugs and that became my biggest problem. Losing my fear of doing drugs was the single worst thing that happened to me in my struggle with drug use.

My drug use became a more serious problem throughout high school and into my years at university. I thought that I was doing a great job of hiding my problem until Christmas break happened one year and my parents saw all the signs. I had great parents, by the way, and I believe that they were in no way responsible for my drug use or for my eventual need for drug rehabilitation.

My drug problem got so bad shortly after that Christmas break that I ended up agreeing to go to drug rehabilitation without any fight. Most drug users, I am told, put up a fight for a while when someone first suggests that they enter drug rehabilitation. But not me. I knew how badly I needed help and I knew that if left alone I would probably allow drugs to kill me.

My fourteen months in the drug rehabilitation center taught me more about myself and about life than I ever expected them to. I learned about my value as a human being and as a man for the first time in that center. I learned in drug rehabilitation that drugs are a substitute for a hole that is empty in my life, just as food or exercise or alcohol or any other thing can be for people. I learned that I had a huge responsibility in taking care of my life and my health.

It has been healing for me as I have begun talking about my experience with drug rehabilitation with honesty. I have never felt more free than when I am looking back on the mistakes of my past with honestly and then when I am looking forward to my future with hope.

One of two life-long smokers suffer and die from ailments caused by smoking. So there is a continuous struggle to make people give up this bad habit, and increase their life expectancy with all the means modern medicine has available today. This is why pharmaceutical companies are making sustained efforts to come up with new quit smoking drugs that reduce or neutralize the withdrawal symptoms and accelerate post-quitting cravings.

Two of the most famous and well-reputed new quit smoking drugs are Chantix and Bupropion. Both are non-nicotine medicines, that require a certain period of treatment in order to be effective and which should be supported by professional counseling sessions. Before starting using new quit smoking drugs, it is best to have all your medical investigations made and to have the doctor analyze your record.

Chantix is a new quit smoking drug that comes in tablet form. Produced by Pfizer, this drug was conceived for pregnant women and teenagers under 18 who have to quit smoking. It is varenicline tartrate derived and it is considered to have a superior rating smoking cessation than Zyban. The usual Chantix treatment lasts for 12 weeks, but administration of this new quit smoking drug can be extended to a longer period depending on the case.

Bupropion is considered another revolutionizing new quit smoking drug that enjoys great result in nicotine addiction cessation. Initially Bupropion was made to combat depression, but studies and trials have proved that it helps smokers’ wishing to quit. It is as effective as nicotine-based drugs, but it also prevents gaining weight. The most common side effects associated with the use of this new quit smoking drug is dry mouth and sleeplessness.

Studies were conducted on large groups of smokers to test responsiveness and efficiency of this new quit smoking drug, and the results were compared to those obtained by administration of nicotine based drugs, placebo and shots. It resulted that treatment with Bupropion is superior to nicotine administered transdermally.

Smoking is a hard bad habit to break, it takes patience, strong will and motivation to ensure the effectiveness of new quit smoking drug therapies. This is the purpose of taking a quit smoking counseling course, because it offers the psychological support that you need to get rid of smoking and all its side effects. Just think that after quit smoking drug treatment, you will be over unpleasant breath smell, tiredness, low immunity, persistent cough and so on.