I am writing this letter to address a major problem affecting people all over the United States, Drug abuse. Drug abuse “ is the inappropriate use of substances- including alcohol, prescription medication, or illegal drugs – for purposes such as pleasure, to feel or perform better in certain situations, or to change one’s perception of reality.” https://luxury.rehabs.com/drug-abuse/#abusevsaddiction With exploiting these substances your brain starts to behave differently. It actually begins trading the natural chemicals of your brain out for the new chemicals you are depositing into your body. Your brain relies on these new chemicals to replace your own natural chemicals. It releases signals telling your body it needs more of whatever substance you are using. This is what causes addition. Addiction is terrible. It makes it to where the person with addiction can’t t act or function like normal. They start closing off from friends and family. You can see a complete change in a person personality. Drug abuse can cause problems not just mentally but physically too. Drug abuse can cause; damage to all your major organs, strokes, cancer, and even death. Drug abuse is like playing with matches, one moment you are in control the next your world is burning up in flames. Just imagining …show more content…
Over 2.1 million people a year go to the ER with drug abuse related problems. (That's just all the people who did not have prescribed medication) The number of ER visits that are drug related are steadily increasing. From the year 2004 to 2009 the number actually went up 98%. You would think that the problem would be getting better but its not, its getting worse. We as a nation need to do a better job at informing the average person about drug abuse. People think that they will only take a substance once and then they will stop. They don't know what is happening to their brain when they take that
The chronic stress, disrupted routines, and unpredictable behavior associated with addiction can result in sleep disturbances, weakened immune systems, and increased vulnerability to illnesses. Example: A spouse constantly experiences high levels of stress and anxiety due to the erratic behavior of their partner with addiction, leading to disrupted sleep patterns and weakened immunity. 1.a Physical Consequences: Living with a loved one in active addiction can result in physical health problems for family members due to the stressful and unpredictable nature of addiction.
Addictive substances rewire the connections in your mind so that you have problems thinking, feeling happy or enjoying life when you quit using. When you stop using, your body basically panics as it loses access to the chemicals that it is used to. This is the main reason why individuals experience withdrawal symptoms
Children who group up seeing a parent addicted to drugs or alcohol are more likely to develop SUDs in their childhood. Addiction in teens can affect families also. Many teens that deal with addiction eventually end up running away from home, this puts other family members in emotional distress, they find it unable to focus when doing simple daily activities because they are worrying about them. Financially, drug abuse takes a toll on families. It cost a lot of money to get a family member into a rehab facility and cover the costs for medical needs and other
It causes people to develop an addiction, leads to overdose, and it causes them to loss of control. Addiction is an unfortunate side effect of using drugs. Many people become addicted to drugs over a course of time. Addiction isn’t something that happens instantly. Addiction does not only affect the person who’s
If anything, it has gotten worse. With the current state in which America’s government is handling this nationwide wide epidemic, conditions will only get worse. The unethical legislature encompassing the war on drugs targets minorities and poor inner city neighborhoods, and as a result there is no aid to the
It affects the lives of the families of the addict. It also leads to issues financially, physically, and emotionally. There is a decreases in inhibitions that could lead to transmitted diseases. There are many stages that the families experience. Some of the stages are denial, bargaining, and blaming.
Abuse of substances has ruined many lives, and many more to come
Most people will continue their drug abuse as they don’t want a way out of their getaway. Most people abuse easily accessible drugs like ones from doctors or friends who supply them drugs. Often people who want pain medications will go and get them prescribed to them. They use pain medications as a form of help for their struggles. With how easily these drugs are to get, people will take advantage of the drug.
“Addiction is a chronic and compulsive dependence on a substance such as alcohol, drugs, or nicotine” (“Addiction”). Addiction has become a significant issue across the nation and has become a very controversial topic among many. Addiction is a simple process that many don’t even see happening until it is too late. The way the human brain is structured it will do whatever it takes “to ensure that individuals will repeat behaviors necessary to survival and well-being” (“Addiction”). Addictive substances stimulate the brain to produce more dopamine and it tricks the brain to create feelings of well-being.
The long term effects are far more life threatening. The need for the drug increases the more you consume it, resulting in addiction. Cocaine affects the way the brain processes chemicals eventually losing sight of reality, they become psychotic and delusional. Negative Impact: There are many cons when it comes to cocaine, especially if the person is a heavy user. Behavioral Health System states, “As cocaine travels through the blood as well as the brain, the abuse of cocaine causes effects upon the whole body.
Drug Addiction Imagine a life where someone is controlled by something that doesn't have a pulse, controlled by a substance that they can see ruining their life but for some reason they can't control the outcome. Substance abuse costs the health care system about $11 billion, with overall costs reaching $193 billion. That $11 Billion dollars could go to treating the addiction rather than treating the outcome, and instead of locking up low level drug offenders, we as a society should help them through their difficult time. And according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 27 million Americans, or 10.2% of the American population over the age of 12 reported using illicit drugs in 2014. 10% of our society is
Prescription drugs (opiates only) have caused over 165,000 deaths within the last 15 years and is currently on the rise. Over 2 million Americans in 2014 were addicted to Opiate prescription narcotics. The most troubling fact is listed directly on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: “As many as 1 in 4
According to nida.nih.gov (July 2020), depending on how someone takes a drug, it increases their chance of getting certain diseases such as HIV if they use injections or dental problems and if they smoke. Additionally, some drugs can also damage or destroy a person’s nerve cells in the brain or outside the brain. These are some of the physical effects substance abuse can cause. All these can increase risk of death and organ damage. Substance abuse doesn’t only affect someone physically but it can also affect someone mentally too.
The effects of addiction on health can be devastating. Once addiction develops, the brain changes interfere with an individual’s ability to make voluntary decisions, leading to compulsive drug craving, seeking and use. 6 Drug abuse can suppress the body’s immune system and is related to risky behaviours, involving the sharing of contaminated syringe, needle or injection paraphernalia and unprotected sex. The combination greatly increases the likelihood of acquiring HIV, hepatitis and many other infectious diseases. 6 Drugs that lead to these diseases are heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Addiction is the reliance on a routine. There are many addictive stages. Addiction, as it comes along, becomes a way of life. The persistent use of the substance causes to the user serious physical or psychological problems and dysfunctions in major areas of his or her life. The drug user continues to use substances and the compulsive behavior despite the harmful consequences, and tries to systematically avoid responsibility and reality, while he or she tends to isolate himself/herself from others because of guilt and pain (Angres, & Bettinardi-Angres, 2008).