Why are Drugs so Hard to Quit?

People can heal from an addiction-especially when they get the support they need to relieve withdrawal symptoms, navigate triggers, and make positive changes. This video explores why many people find it difficult to control or stop drug use and how research conducted and supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) can help people find prevention and treatment strategies that work for them.
Learn more about substance use treatment options in your area: www.FindTreatment.gov
Learn more about NIDA research: nida.nih.gov/research-topics
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Comments on this video are allowed in accordance with our comment policy: nida.nih.gov/comment-policy

[@ScottH.]

This is so spot on. People don't understand how the brain of an addict or alcoholic has literally changed and how it becomes our biggest enabler in a sense. You're fighting against your own programming, which makes it so incredibly hard to stop for some people. The constant battle going on inside yourself is exhausting and when your own mind is throwing up pictures and feelings that make you want to escape into your addiction time and time again, it can start feeling rather hopeless.

[@Amethyst_Friend]

I wish you all the best. From someone in recovery

[@mdb.24k]

Yes, but it’s indeed possible to escape and easy when you unprogramm your brain (which might be the hardest part but even then not so much when done by professionals)

[@liyunqichina]

I am an addiction rehabilitation counselor from Shanghai, China. I have been referring to your academic reports. The drug problem is a global problem and requires the cooperation and mutual assistance of various countries. I am Li Yunqi. I am willing to help every overseas Chinese who is facing drug troubles. I wish the world is drug-free.

[@skybirdtravelsandtours]

That's nice of you sir. How I wish it's in Nigeria because anytime I take alcoholic I overspend and behave so sick. I promise myself since 2020 to stop still yet I haven't. I need to help myself and put an end to alcoholic drinks.

[@Lafoochen]

How are you doing?

[@vickeytyson4260]

I found this to be clear, concise, and easy to understand.

[@paula3406]

I am going to get clean for my family if I can't do it for myself ❤😊the high is just not worth the pain drugs always cause.😢😊❤❤😇🙏

[@angelbulldog4934]

If you do it for them, it probably won't last. I know you love them, but do it for you. You're worthy of a better life. I got clean and sober 15 years ago. One of the best things ever. You can do it, too. I believe in you. 🌹

[@mandymacdonald5094]

You do whatever you need to do to quit. No matter who it's for

[@alexeykhalin4564]

Its hard to quit. I always control my emotions, im calm af. But i cant resist when my brain tricks me into snorting\smoking again... "Last time", "good reason", "just to relax" and all that kinda bullshit

[@Amethyst_Friend]

Wishing you well. Keep trying to figure things out- there will be a way that works for you

[@RUBENOTIENO-bh8yo]

thank you so much you teach many people💖💖💖💖💯💯💯 how drug is and its effect

[@DegrosWow]

substances never make me satisfied, but i still keep on taking them... so hard to understand why

[@Amethyst_Friend]

All very good and accurate info.

[@Jackie-ii8mb]

I have been an addict and on methadone. I was all set 2 stop.ibwas in a coma 2 years ago. My children have grown up my son talks 2 me when he sees me. Recently my daughter sent me a tx telling me she wants nothing 2 do with me. I have stopped taking Heroin but it seems 2 b other street drugs. Im 50 n my partner died 5 years ago. I c my mum on a Friday. A just put a face on. I sat alone on xmas day. Im cmfined 2 my bedroom. My house is freezing. I can't seem 2 cope. Im never out xcept for the 2 days i go 2 chemist

[@thatslife7139]

its ok bro

[@hermanllamas9775]

Great video!

[@user-xc8rk2sg8o]

Thks. Subscribing right now

[@josemartinezz9152]

Ive done coke in few waves bad but now i do it just once or twice a month if i even do and ive never had urges any time i stopped doing it for months after months almost every dad im 21 and ive drank since 17 to 18 almost everyday at least a tall can every day but when i feel like stopping for few weeks or a couple months like i did i never had urges and im happy for this because ive seen it first hand on how bad it is i hope everyone the middle to do good doesnt mean dont do drugs just find the middle🙏🏽

[@pabitragurung1603]

Man doing drugs for 4 years now .straight . I was a good student never failed even in a test but after drugs 1. I failed thrice in college . 2.Lost a DSLR camera worth 50000 . 3.Lost respect . 4.No body likes me in my family , neighborhood and in my society . 5.Nearly been to Jail for 5 times 6.Lost all of my good friends . 7.Lost all of my good friends . 8.Lost 2 phones . 9.Lost a beautiful relationship . 10 everything . Now m jus a cheap ass mf who begs money to everyone . Drugs dragged me from castle to streets .yet I still cannot stop doing it

[@skybirdtravelsandtours]

So sad you are passed through all these mentioned. We all need love becsuse no one will want to be a drug addicts over night. I hope you find true love and heal becsuse I really understand what you are passing through

[@Anyvideoscollection]

Let's quit today and now brother

[@No_one_is_there487]

Quit it brother ik I've never been on it But I also know even I've some of some of friends and their friends take cigars , weeds and opening up with me but I've never been Remember the next you take the line will kill ur hope of taking drugs and go to rehab also tell to ur father it will surely help u Take the name of ur family and say In the name of my family and health and wealth of mine I swear I will never ever do that stuff again Whenevr i meet with person with such addiction I say this line hope will help ❤❤

[@Amethyst_Friend]

Wishing you well and hope you can make a recovery.

[@SalvatoreEscoti]

Suppose you owned a black and white TV with a mere 3 channels, endlessly replaying the same shows. Then, you're gifted a state-of-the-art OLED TV boasting 10 million colors and 150 diverse channels. Who would ever willingly return to the limitations of a black and white set? Our daily lives often feel like that outdated television, confined to a repetitive cycle of just a few experiences

[@charlestaylor6816]

sional drug use, such as misusing an opioid to get high, can have similarly disastrous effects, including

[@randomrealityofficial]

It's not the the drugs....it's you!

[@imsobored1040]

Drugs alter your brain function even when you aren't currently under the influence. Drugs release more dopamine in the brain than any natural activities do, so your brain will, over time, only care about getting more of the drug, and stop caring about things like going to work, talking to friends, etc. At this point, if you don't use you can fall into a major depression, and/or experience severe withdrawal symptoms, making it very hard to quit. The initial decision to use a drug is your choice, yes. But once you're addicted, it isn't a choice anymore. It takes some real strength to decide to quit and ask for help.

[@kellymcdonnell9007]

Could this video also pertain to Nicotine Addiction?

[@robinberry4957]

Absolutely Kelly! I can't believe that I smoked cigarettes as long as I did. On mother's Day I looked around it all of the dead people on the wall. Yes, they were in photographs. LOL. I asked God what the hell do you want me to do? Now this is after my mother had died of a tumor in her throat within a month and 9 months ago my son's father died of terrible lung disease. I literally watched him die with my son. I also looked at my Aunt who was an RN and burned herself and her house down because of cigarettes. She was a burn victim smoking cigarettes with only stumps of fingers. She ended up with cancer throughout her throat and trachea and lungs. They couldn't do radiation because of the burns. So, she OD'd on purpose. I looked at a picture of my son who is going to be 17. I thought about him. I thought about the pain and suffering that he went through all because of cigarettes. Cigarettes should not be legal! Isn't it funny that the two legal drugs are the worst. You can sit there and say that fentanyl is but that's only because it kills quickly. When you watch somebody die it doesn't take one day. It's a process. It's terrible. So, I got so freaking angry. I had an anatomy class that had a chapter about nicotine. Every single cell in our body has these things called nickatonic receptors! Every single cell! It's as if nicotine was meant to go in these cells. Do I think that nicotine is that bad? I don't even know! But I do know that smoking paper and whatever the hell chemicals they're putting in a cigarettes is causing cancer. You know how it is. You could go to the doctor with a broken limb suffering and crying in agony. The doctor would ask if you smoke before they treat you! I was the type of smoker that would be outside in the pouring rain looking for a snipe and crying if I was broke. I haven't had a cigarette I did it cold turkey I don't know how the hell I did it but it was just God it was God and God alone. I know I would not have been able to do it myself. If I make a promise to God usually I can't keep it. If it hasn't something to do with other things. But, I just said to myself this is insane. Everybody everybody is affected because they smoke cigarettes in my family. Do I feel more healthy? No. I really don't. I never coughed anything up. And I don't want to buy the excuse oh once you quit that's when your lungs end up screwing up. That was an excuse that I kept using in order to keep smoking. You honestly need to get lollipops tons and tons of mints and butterscotch candies doesn't matter if the sugar that is sugar-free too. You just have to do it and you have to get angry that the government screwed you over! You have to get so angry at this lie. And you have to realize that you can do it. And if anyone else around you is smoking it is absolutely ridiculously impossible. It's because my younger brother moved out. He smoked. It's about who you hang out with it sucks. It's also a social thing too. A lot of people I wouldn't have met if it weren't for smoking. But, think about being alone and suffering in a hospital when you're old. Think about the possibility of nobody being there for you. Realize the doctors are so afraid to get sued that the pain medication that they give you wouldn't get an an 🐜 feeling better. It's crazy! You could be 90 years old and they would worry about addiction. Cancer all throughout your body and then say we don't want to get you addicted though to any pain killers it's just absolutely ridiculous I know it is probably not as regulated in other countries. But, this is a better country than North Korea that's for sure. You just have to realize that you can do it. You really have to believe that something bigger than you loves you doesn't want you to end up suffering because it's the end of your life that will really suck if you keep smoking. You don't have to become some gym fanatic. I didn't gain any weight. So don't worry about that. When I was young I was like no way I'm definitely not quitting smoking cuz I'm not getting obese. That's another lie. Smoking is a lie remember that and you know who the father of lies is I don't need to tell you. Yes, this definitely has to do with nicotine. If anything they should have mentioned it. I wish you luck you can do it I swear. Even if you have to take a little vape for the hand to mouth thing at first I've seen people do that too. They say popcorn lung but that's for those huge huge Vapes! I know someone that got pneumonia all he did was suck on that huge monstrous vape continuously! Again God bless you and good luck you can't do it alone you have to do it with God you really do God doesn't want you to have to suffer on you during your last days

[@candacesturtevant7139]

Nicotine is addictive, but not so mood altering. It is the most difficult habit to break.

[@skrewu2]

I am realizing just turn your back on them they are beyond help I turn my back on my ex and I feel so much better she lives on the streets now and he's prostituting herself for drugs and I couldn't be happier in my own private life it's all about me not about them

[@Jindu7-h4w]

Soo what we can doo??? We need help really

[@Punz-WaLLaH]

We dooo😫😫😫

[@jacatuk008]

Don't start in the first place...

[@andydrew7280]

Understand that drugs are meant to be euphoric, and use them in moderation if u find them fun and not problematic. Personally i got addicted to fucking weed one of the least addictive things out there but I’m tryin to stop. So far so good. Remember it’d good in moderation and if u can control urself with it, but it can destroy your life.

[@danielgarcia-es1yp]

@@andydrew7280 drugs are really strong and they are hard to quit but they have to be replaced with something positive and we as people are really prone to cause our selfs pain if all you know you need to start your life all over again from the start by hanging around with good people and don't look back ever it's too easy to just stay the same. But it's worth it your worth it love your self never give up on you,,.,..

[@jessiefrank]

@@andydrew7280its crazy, I would tell friends I had a weed problem and they tried to minimize it. Then I would turn it around by asking they spent $500 or more per month on weed? They always said, no. So yea, most people do not have a problem with weed but I did. I did lots of other drugs as well. Been drug free for a few years now. I did have a 3 month relapse about a year ago after a divorce. I put a few videos on my channel about how I overcame. Check it out, you may find it helpful! Take care and good luck!