Do recovered drug addicts think like the rest of us?

Question

My sister and her friends have always done drugs and most recently meth. They do not seem to be able to reason like a normal person though I believe they've been clean for some time now. Do drugs have a long term affect on a persons ability to make decisions and / or have relationships? and if so, will it always be like that?

Answer 1

Just like alcoholics, drug addicts never recover, but can be recovering one day at a time, for the rest of their lives.

People in 12-step programs are told not to get into a serious relationship for one year, until they have some sobriety and are more on their feet.

Some drugs can have long-term affects - and decision-making and relationships can be part of former users' problems.

Answer 2

Are you sure they are clean now, and what do you mean by they "do not seem to reason like a normal person"? Once an addict stops using drugs many things happen, the body does an excellent job of recovering but depending on how long they were addicts and what drugs they were abusing the brain can be affected for years, (I read because the brain is made up of fatty cells that hold on to toxins longer), but they may also have personality defects that were there all along that they were trying to self medicate which led t them to abuse drugs in the first place, many factors hee, you should do research if you want more info. But above all else, support your sister in her decision to stay sober, this is a good decision.

Answer 3

It's true that some drugs can cause a certain amount of brain damage, but are you sure they thought like a normal person before starting drugs? And what the heck does a normal person think and reason like anyway? Remember also that their emotional development probably ground to a screeching halt when they started serious drug use. It'll take time to catch up. There are a whole lot of variables involved in the answer to this question, so you are probably not going to get a concensus. Also, I would like to remind you that there is no such thing as a "recover-ed" addict or alcoholic, just addicts/alcoholics who are not using or drinking today. There is no permanent "cure". The addiction will always be waiting in the wings to become active.

Answer 4

It depends on how much the person does during their life. I was addicted the the horrible drug meth for about 2 years. I sobered up (thank goodness!) and moved on with my life. It's a horrible life destroying drug. I have been clean and sober from everything for a year now and I'm perfectly fine. I may have a few memory problems every now and then, but other than that I'm okay. I can make simple & important decisions and have great relationships with everyone (except other druggies). It's not bad for everyone, but for those who do huge doses of meth for long periods of time.....they suffer and have extensive brain damage.

Answer 5

I work with many drug addicts and I know from my classes and personal contacts with drug users and recovered drug users that drugs are chemicals that change the way your brain operates. Some people can recover all brain functions. It depends on what drugs ,how long they used drugs, and other factors. But the most important factors is the power of the human mind. With the right support(God,doctors , etc.), a lot of repairs to the body can be made if you believe it can.

Answer 6

Yes, drugs do change a person's cognitive learning and reasoning. Bear in mind that drugs kill brain cells and destroy brain tissue. Also remember that the drug world is not an easy way to live and can be harsh therefore the way they view the world will change. Overall, a person will change in many fashions, the good news is, no further damage to the brain will result since they have quit the addiction.

Answer 7

Part of the answer you are looking for is medical/physiological, and part of it is philosophical/psychological.

You should first ask yourself, "What is it that made my sister want to do drugs in the first place?" Her taking drugs repeatedly was a decision, and a conscious one at that. At some point in her life, her mental state was in such a state that she needed some kind of solution to her troubles. The solution can be to face and resolve traumatic issues, or it can be to evade them. Using drugs is choosing the latter, and the decision to do so is informed by one's philosophy.

Evidence suggests that some drugs, with enough repeated exposure can indeed cause permanent physiological damage to cognition, most notably memory.

The answer to whether or not your sister will have enduring problems with rational thought and relationships will depend on the extent to which she hurt herself physically with meth, and whether or not she has reformed her philosophy to be one that allows her to value herself and pursue her own happiness, or if it is just a changed version of the one that brought her to evade her troubles initially.

Answer 8

Methaphetamines are notorious for destroying, literally destroying an organic part of your brain. And that part and all its functions never return. Most old meth heads end up in psychiatric facilities with anxiety, depression and even mania. Unlike other drugs that only effect you with long term use, every hit of meth is a nail in your coffin.

Answer 9

It depends on whether or not they have learned a lesson from the use and how it only makes things better for a moment and worse for everyone they know at the same time. If they realize their curiosity was misfortunate and move on with their lives and so do their loved ones they can become like all of us again.

Answer 10

knowledge gained from recovering can definatley be a positive thing. in a lot of ways a brain will mostly recover in time...unless extensive damage. meth to me is a form of the devil, and if one has seen hell and survived and recovered, granted he/she will be somewhat wise. however meth is made from chemicals, sooooooo any meth user is contributing to their own chemical imbalance. your sister should become aware off depression and mental health. in her own way, she is volunteering herself to become a part of the population who currently require anti-depressants in order to accomplish daily tasks that were once automatically taken care of with out much thought and planning.

~problem solving skills? NOPE
~planning? NOPE
~short term memory? NOPE
~the ability to prioritize? NOPE
~the ability to give a sh*t about necessary thing? NOPE

hope it was helpful