Psychological Characteristics of Individuals With Drug Addiction

Drug addiction, or substance use disorder, is one of the most serious medical, psychological and social problems in modern society. It is not limited only to the repeated use of psychoactive substances. It also changes a person’s thinking, emotional regulation, behavior, motivation, interpersonal relationships and social adaptation. Individuals with drug addiction often demonstrate impulsivity, emotional instability, low stress tolerance, anxiety, depressive symptoms, poor self-control, impaired decision-making, low self-esteem and difficulties in social functioning. Modern medicine considers addiction as a chronic, relapsing and multifactorial disorder. Biological, psychological and social factors interact in its development. Psychoactive substances affect the brain reward system, especially dopaminergic pathways, which leads to repeated substance-seeking behavior. Over time, the individual loses control over substance use, develops tolerance, withdrawal symptoms and psychological dependence. This article analyzes the main psychological characteristics of individuals with drug addiction, including emotional, cognitive, motivational, personality-related and social features. The importance of psychological assessment, psychotherapy, relapse prevention and social rehabilitation is also discussed.