Drug addiction is a complex and chronic brain disease. People who have a drug addiction experience compulsive, sometimes uncontrollable, craving for their drug of choice. Typically, they will continue to seek and use drugs in spite of experiencing extremely negative consequences as a result of using.

What best defines drug abuse?

The use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used, or in excessive amounts.

What defines a drug?

A drug can have two distinct definitions; a “chemical substance, especially one prescribed by a medical provider that is used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a condition or disease.

Is coffee a drug?

Caffeine (pronounced: ka-FEEN) is a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness. Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and improves mood. Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, many soft drinks, and pain relievers and other over-the-counter medicines and supplements.

Does caffeine Affect heart?

Caffeine can act on enzymes in the heart that stimulate the intensity of the hearts contractions. Caffeine can facilitate the release of natural hormones that act on the heart to release norepinephrine, which can produce a stimulated effect similar to that of adrenaline.

Is dark chocolate a drug?

Chocolate has a significant amount of sugar. In addition to sugar, chocolate also has two other neuroactive drugs, caffeine and theobromine. Chocolate not only stimulates the opiate receptors in our brains, it also causes a release of neurochemicals in the brains pleasure centers.

How long until caffeine is completely out of your system?

The level of caffeine in your blood peaks about one hour later and stays at this level for several hours for most people. Six hours after caffeine is consumed, half of it is still in your body. It can take up to 10 hours to completely clear caffeine from your bloodstream.

Does caffeine stress the heart?

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that caffeine actually exaggerates stress and its effect lasts throughout the day. Even more troubling, the researchers concluded that the equivalent of four cups of coffee raises blood pressure for many hours.