Drug Use & Abuse

What Really Happens

Why are drugs so dangerous? Because they may result in a chemical process that you can’t control.

Your brain produces a chemical, called dopamine, that helps you feel happy. Some drugs produce a “high” that is similar to dopamine, but it can be extreme. This makes a person want to experience it again and can make typical joy and happiness feel less adequate.

As you take more drugs, your brain takes over and encourages more use, to the point that using the drug and feeling the high can feel like the most important (if not only) thing in the world. This is addiction.

The Big Question

There’s no way to predict how drugs will affect you. It depends on your body’s unique chemistry, your family history, whether or not you have experienced any adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and who your social supports are.

According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, up to 75 percent of drug users become addicted. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?

Find out about drugs and more from the Drug Guide provided by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and the Center for Addiction.

Last reviewed: February 2020