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short and long term effects of drug abuse
short and long term effects of drug abuse
consequences of drug misuse and abuse
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Negative Effects of Drug Abuse
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in America, it can be estimated that during the past thirty days, 20 million Americans above the age of 12, have used an illegal drug (Drug Abuse Symptoms, Facts, and Statistics). Perhaps the most significant issue concerning the use of drugs is the fact that it can easily lead to addiction. Drug abuse is a major problem in our society today, however many drug abusers are unaware of the physical, economic and emotional problems that come along with addiction.
Drugs are chemicals, and different types of drugs affect the body in many different ways. In fact, many drugs will change a person 's brain and body in ways that will last long after the user has stopped taking the drug, or can even leave permanent damage to the person abusing the drugs (Effects of Abuse and Addiction). People who become addicted to drugs cannot stop taking the drug on their own. They continuously want and need more of it to survive. A person addicted might try to stop taking the harmful drugs for good. However, after a short amount of time, the individual will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms and become very ill. The addict then will have to continue taking the drugs to feel normal again. Even though using the drug is causing terrible health, legal, or family problems, the drug abuser cannot stop taking it on their own. They need help to stop using drugs, however sometimes the addict is too ashamed to ask for assistance from anyone. Yet, other people who are addicted do not believe their addiction problems are out of control. They are unaware of the complications they are causing and refuse to stop taking the drug (Effects of Drug Abuse).
When a person becomes add...
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...ons and make your body very ill. It can also cause cardiovascular conditions such as abnormal heart rate or heart attacks. Injecting drugs can lead to infections of the blood vessels and heart valves or cause collapsed veins. Injecting can also lead to AIDS by the common use of sharing needles among a group of people. Constant drug abuse can also cause significant damage to the liver and possibly lead to liver failure. Drug abuse can also lead to nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, seizures, stroke and brain damage that can impact all aspects of daily life by causing problems with memory, troubles paying attention or decision-making, increased breast development in men, mental confusion and permanent brain damage, major fluctuations in appetite and increases in body temperature, which may lead to a variety of other health conditions (Effects of Abuse and Addiction).
They are in most cases driven by addiction from the surrounds in which they have grown up in. For some, they may not necessarily end up addicts but carry lifelong scars. Quitting an addiction does not fully rely on one 's willpower. The brain change in addicts makes them adapt to the drug and hence the difficulty to quit. Pressure from loved ones plays an important role in their lives turn around. Addiction is not necessarily a helpless situation as it may be seen by non-addicts. When an addict seems not to guarantee recovery from his first treatment, many may give up on him. However, it takes persistence and patience for one to fully recovery. (Volkow,
Almost everyone can say that they have had an experience with drugs, either it be with just witnessing it or using it. Throughout my life, I have had many bad experiences with drugs and it has taught me to stay away from them. Our society now somewhat looks up to the use of drug, with it being in the music industry or being in movies, it is in our culture and this could hurt us as a country down the road. Now, I’m not saying it is not okay to party once and awhile, but if a person is to party on a regular basis this could turn into an addiction to alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, and even caffeine. In all, there needs to be more facts and ads telling kids about these problems because they are our future and we have to set them up for success.
The current situation of drug control in the United States is imperfect and inadequate. Millions of men and women, both young and old, are affected by illicit drug use. It costs the United States about $6,123 every second because of drug use and its consequences (Office). Moreover, 90 percent of all adults with a substance use disorder started using under the age of 18 and half under the age of 15. Children who first smoke marijuana under the age of 14 are five times more likely to abuse drugs as adults than those who first use marijuana at age 18. Finally, the children of alcoholics are four times more likely to develop problems with alcohol (Prevent). Current legislation that has to do with the United States’ drug control policy is the Controlled Substances Act, which regulates the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances (Shannon). In 1966, Congress passed the Narcotic Addict Rehabilitation Act also known as the NARA. This legislati...
Furthermore, mental illness and drug addiction are conditions that often occur together. This is a person who has two brain disorders that influence one another, and which both need treatment. Some say that certain drugs may actually cause mental illness in individuals with a weak genetic profile (Genetic Science Learning Center, 2011).With that being said, symptoms may get worse, but drugs do not necessarily cause mental illness. Some people may begin using drugs of abuse as a form of self-medication. For instance, drugs of abuse may temporarily relieve some of the symptoms associated with stress, anxiety, or depression, but the problems will still exist. Therefore, the form of self-medicating when using drugs can lead to harmful effects in a person’s mental health. People who have been undiagnosed may also suffer from serious mental disorders. So they may take drugs to relieve their symptom which is known as self-me...
Most people do not understand how a person become addicted to drugs. We tend to assume that is more an individual problem rather than a social problem. However, teen substance abuse is indeed a social problem considered a priority for the USA department of public health due to 9 out of 10 Americans with addictions started using drugs before the age 18 (CASA Columbia University). Similarly, 1 in 4 Americans with addictions started using the substance during their teenage years, which show a significant different with 1 in 25 Americans with addiction who started using at 21 or older (CASA, 2011).
In America there is are an estimated 12.8 million Americans who use drugs. Out of the 12.8 million 6 percent of the population are kids ranging from 12 years of age and older. This number shows the number for people who have used drugs in the last 30 days. Th...
Drug addiction is more complicated than medicine thought in previous years. It’s not because someone is weak or unable to control themselves. They are chemical such a dopamine in the human body that makes the process difficult. The brain works in a neuropath way and drug interrupt the normal process which stops the frontal lobe to work as it should. Treatment isn’t done right and patients tend to repeat their habit after they get out of rehab. Psychological treatment is not as effective as chemical injection for dopamine to reward the brain. However, even after the treatment is complete, it will be a life struggle to stay away from drugs since the brain will always look for a simpler way to reward itself.
Drug abuse has changed over the years due to the trends that Americans face from the encouragement of different cultures. The abuse of substances creates many health problems. The following will discuss the past and current trends of drug use and the effects these drugs have on the health of the individuals who abuse the drugs.
To begin with, the people who are addicted to drugs are hard to get rid of taking. Normally, a lot of people assumed that because of the lack of moral principles and willpower, the drug abusers cannot stop abusing through changing their behavior (NIH 2012). But in the real world, giving up abusing takes more than strongly will, because the ways of brain is changed by drugs that enhance the compulsive drug abuse. As a result, it is difficult of drug users to stop abusing the drugs.
Abuse can cause countless medical problems to the body. A person who is addicted will continue to stimulate themselves regardless if they are aware of the negative chain reactions. Once addicted, it becomes difficult to stop due to how the body has become dependent. Health will be harmed the more a stimulant is used. Health effects include: cardiovascular disease, strokes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, lung disease, mental disease, birth defects. Mental health is what keeps a person in the right mind to make better decisions and have better control in life. Drugs have the ability to change mood and behavior. If drugs have affected the brain already, the desire increases which changes mental health. Some may not realize that they have been affected their health negatively. “A person who abuses drugs may not realize they have a problem until pronounced effects of drug abuse are seen, often physically. While drug abuse effects on the body vary depending on the drug used, all drug abuse negatively impacts one 's health (Addictions Community). Since drugs create many health issues, treatment is not a simple task. Treatments are hard to obtain and addictions often go
It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.
Illegal drug use is one of the most common problems that affect Americans every day. Joyce B. Shannon (2010) found that, “More than 35 million individuals used illicit drugs or abused prescription drugs in 2007” (p. 11). The impact can be seen in communities of all types, and people with low and high income levels. Drug use is at the root of many problems with our society. Joyce B. Shannon (2010) referenced a survey from 2004 that states, “32% of state prisoners and 26% of federal prisoners” admitted that they were currently serving jail time for offences committed while they were, “under the influence of drugs” (p. 102). The reasoning behind this issue will be explained from a psychological, sociological, and an anthropological perspective including the benefit of an interdisciplinary perspective to grasp the cause of drug use and it’s affect on society.
Illegal drugs are used by people as a way out when feeling down about themselves. As the effects of the drugs may stay the same throughout, causes show that there are a large number of reasons for use. Being lonely, isolated, and frustrated in life help start off the drive to escape. In many cases, using drugs is a coping mechanism, especially in teens. Emotions become numb as people try to escape the pain of reality. This is seen in the youth of today as they deal with everyday pressures.. Drug abuse can make people think they are re-creating their former negative self image. This rebellious action gives the attention that is desired. From trying to fit in to hiding from problems, people will always have a choice. In the end, the reality of drug use is damaging to the user's body, mind and relationships.
Drug abuse and addiction not only has negative effects in the lives of the people involved, but also in the lives of their close relatives, friends and immediate society. It leads to disintegration, failure in school, loss of employment and violence. Although intake of drugs is a voluntary and conscious decision initially, continuous intake of drugs changes the brain and challenges the self-control of the “addicted person” and inhibits the ability to resist extreme desire for drug intake.
There are many addictions in the world, and drug addiction is the biggest. People may experiment with the drug for many reasons. “If your drug use is causing problems in your life, then you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem”.(Lawrence Robinson pg.1) Many people start out using drugs by peer pressure or out of their own curiosity. Stress, anxiety, lows self-esteem and depression could be another factor to start using drugs. The drug takes over your body and gives you a good feeling that many people tend to enjoy. The urge to use the drug can keep increasing rapidly after the first use. The urge can become so severe that your mind can find many other ways to deny the factor of addiction. Very few drug addicts can feel and realize when they have crossed the line with drugs. A drug addicts mind can build up a very large tolerance for the drug that they start to abandon the activities they used to do on a daily basis like showering, hobbies, socializing and even being associated with family members. The person with the addiction will continue to use the drug knowing that it is harming there body, but they don’t have any remorse. A drug addict will often try to hide their problem, so they can continue to use without anyone’s input. Family and friends may try to use preaching methods or tell the user that they need to stop using the drug. This method is not ...