Drug Abuse and Dependence

People don't use drugs because they want to be addicted. Most of the time, drug abuse starts with casual use.

How does casual drug use turn into abuse or dependence?

Drug use changes your brain structure and how it works. If you continue to use the drug, you may develop strong cravings for the drug, and it may get harder to say "no” to further drug use. At the same time, you may begin to lose interest in activities you always enjoyed. This is because you may feel that they are not as enjoyable as using drugs. You may then become dependent on the drug.

Not everyone who uses drugs abuses them or becomes dependent. Other things that influence whether this happens include your genes, family, friends, and life situations. See the What Happens and What Increases Your Risk sections of this topic for more information.