Why would someone repeatedly do things that only yielded negative consequences? What could compel a person to do things that destroy relationships, costs vast sums of money and even leads to arrests and jail time? Well, if you are in the throes of drug addiction, you have likely asked yourself similar questions.
You look at your life and wonder why you keep letting your drug habit dictate your behavior. No matter how badly you want to shed the straitjacket of addiction, you can’t break free and you are stuck in a continuous cycle of self-destructive behavior; but why?
Well, the fact is, whenever you use your drug of choice, you alter your brain’s chemistry. You see, drugs stimulate the production of opioid peptide and dopamine, which are parts of your brain’s reward circuitry. And these sensations are so powerful that you will crave the drug when you don’t have it.
In turn, your ability to recognize problems with your interpersonal relationships and behavior is greatly diminished. And according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, an addiction can lead to pathological behavior. That is, you will continue to pursue the rewards offered by your brain’s chemistry, even if using a drug no longer provides pleasure or relief.
If your addiction has led you to make bad mistakes that resulted in your arrest for drug possession or even possession with intent to distribute, you could likely use the legal assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney.
An attorney can act as your advocate and help you pursue your best possible outcome. Based on your circumstances, this could include entering a drug rehab program rather than a prison cell.