Drug and Alcohol Abuse
One of the biggest problems in our society today is the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol have been around for a very long time. Drug abuse is common amongst everyone from young kids to parents today. Many people start using drugs when they are curious about the drug. Others try drugs because it fulfills a person’s needs and problems, and others use it because of the environment around them such as the people they hang out with, and others try it out. Drug and alcohol abuse have negative consequences for both individuals and society. Drug and alcohol abuse is the leading killer to teens right now than any other crime. Drug and alcohol abuse affects everyone around you, and drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers is a very serious problem in the United States today. The abuse of drugs and alcohol affect the individual’s body in many ways. Abusing drugs and alcohol can also come from genetics. There are many dangers associated with substance abuse physically and mentally. Many people abuse drugs as well because it gives them a sensation that their mind and body want. Once abused it is very hard for a person’s mind to reach back to a normal level without the drug. The purpose of this paper is to inform the readers about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.
Drug abuse is the excess and irresponsible use of legal and illegal drugs. Drug abuse can be as simple chain smoking cigarettes to the use heroin. Drug abuse can cause short term and long term consequences to a person’s mind and body. Some short term consequences of drug abuse may include: sudden weight gain, weight loss, unexplained change in attitude or personality. For example tobacco can cause irritability and short temper to a person. Marijuana can cause lack of motivation, reduce reaction time, and impaired judgement (How to spot drugs…pg.1) Some long terms effects of drug abuse includes permanent neurological damage, depression, paranoia, and anxiety.
While alcohol is a drug, alcohol abuse is a very specific and prominent form of abuse. Alcohol abuse is the habitual misuse of alcohol. The short term effect of alcohol abuse are: impaired judgment, slurring of words, reduced motor functions and loss of coordination, and distorted vision and hearing. Long term effects of alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, liver disease, nerve damage, and permanent damage to the brain. Drug and alcohol abuse causes intense cravings for your drug of choice. These addictions can be physical or mental. When addicted to the drug your mind or body or both is unable to control of your urges despite the harm it can cause and known consequences. While there are drugs that are psychologically addictive such as marijuana and caffeine, harder drugs are usually physical addictive. For example heroin and crystal meth create physical irresistible urges that cannot be controlled and lack of the drug can cause negative reactions of the body like intense sweating, vomiting, and change in demeanor.
The abuse of drug and alcohol have very different symptoms based on the abuse of drug of choice. There are many types of symptoms including internal, behavioral, and psychological struggle. Different drugs have different levels of severity of symptoms and can be a combination of one or all of these. Marijuana symptoms can be glassy eyes, red eyes, inappropriate laughter, and even loss of motivation. Symptoms of depressants can be contracted pupils, being in a drunk like state such as slurring and poor coordination and even having difficulty concentrating. Symptoms of stimulants can include: dilated pupils, euphoria, anxiety, and irritability. Symptoms of abuse of hallucinogen include: bizarre and irrational behavior, paranoia, and hallucinating. (How Drugs… Pg.1) all of these drugs from cigarettes to heroin cause all 3 internal, behavioral, and psychological struggles.
Some drugs have a higher risk and cause dependency more quickly than others such as tobacco all the way to heroin and crystal methamphetamine. It is way easier for someone to get addicted to heroin compared to a cigarette, but never the less can be that easy to get addicted to cigarettes as well. When a person uses more of the substance, the person finds it more difficult to go without the drug. They depend more and more of that drug to help them feel a normal state. When a person is abusing drugs and alcohol they slowly realize internally what their problem is when they are not on the drug and don’t have a supply of it. For example the abuser focusing more and more time and energy to get and use the drug is an internal struggle. Also having intense urges for the substance and making certain that they maintain a supply of the drug is another symptom of drug abuse. Failing in attempt to stop using the drug is also an internal symptom that most people do not even realize as a problem. Many people don’t realize their problem until others tell them about it.
When a person is abusing the substance, people realize that the person that is abusing the drugs through their behavior. For example their attendance and performance at work or school drastically decreasing is a major symptom of the start of drug abuse. Sudden change in their friends are and hobbies is also a sign of drug use, and the start of really abusing the drug. Abusing drugs makes the person less interested in doing activities and worry more and using the drug again to get the same feeling. Unexplained need for money and having out of know where financial problems is a serious symptom because in this stage they are doing whatever it takes to get the drug.
The psychological symptoms are caused by the abuse of that drug and affecting the mind in a harmful manner. Having an Unexplained change in personality and the attitude of the abuser is a clear psychological sign of abuse. Another psychological symptom of a person abusing the substance includes: the lack of motivation, neglecting responsibilities and also always appearing fearful like they did something wrong. (Drug abuse… paragraph 5) Also feeling paranoid all the time for no clear reason is a major psychological symptom that a person is abusing the substance. There are many symptoms that the person is abusing the drugs but usually cannot see the symptoms themselves until it is too late. Other symptoms may simply just be the drug that you are abusing is getting you in legal trouble such as driving while on the drug.
While many people suffer with drug addiction, there are many ways to help reduce drug abuse. A common way of treating drug abuse is treatment programs. Treatment programs help a person completely detoxify their body of any drugs. At treatment programs they have counselors who help the abuser create strategies to avoid drugs and relapse. Counselors help the abuser to develop a way to cope with the drug cravings, including family members coming to help and give support to the abuser. Depending on the severity of the drug abuse , treatment programs can range from a once a week session, a 30 day program and up to a 6 month or a year going away program. Family support plays a big role when helping the family member that is abusing to stop abusing the drug or alcohol.
That is an effective way of treatment but the most effective treatments are support groups like alcohol anonymous or narcotic anonymous. People go to supports groups because they feel more comfortable going there when there are others who are going through the same struggle, making them not feel like an outsider. They are around people who they can relate to better, making it easier to talk about their problems, knowing that the others are going through similar situations. They are completely anonymous support groups, giving the person some privacy and comfort. Support groups are the most available and affordable program to treat yourself. There are many ways of getting treatment but all starts with the abuser acknowledging their problem with drugs and alcohol.
The effects of drug and alcohol abuse are based on the severity of the drug that is being used. It effects the individual, family and friends around them, and society as well. Drug and alcohol abuse effects personal relationships in very different ways. Abusing drugs and alcohol directly affects the individual in the mind and the body. For example pregnant women who abuses drugs or alcohol effect the baby directly. If the mother is abusing heroin when the baby is in the womb, when it is born its born can be addicted to heroin as well, and can have a higher rate of low birth weight. Abusing drugs and alcohol can affect your work ethic as well as work relationships. It also can effect a family financially causing the family relationship deteriorate. Abusing drugs causes the body to want more and more of the substance, causing the person to go to great lengths to get the substance, such as stealing from family members. Stealing money and valuables to get the drug and use it is a direct effect of drug abuse. Drug and alcohol abuse can lead to domestic violence causing the relationship to decline and even leading to the end many relationships.
Many assume that the rate of drug use amongst teenagers is on the rise, however that is not the case. According to National institute of health “Use of any illicit drug has generally declined over the past two decades. Past-year use of illicit drugs for all grades combined was 27.2 percent in 2014, down from its peak at 34.1 percent in 1997”. Some factors of the decline of the rate of drug use can be different measures of awareness such as television, and also school health education courses. As well as the decline of drug abuse, alcohol abuse ratings having also declined. According to National institute of health “The 2014 survey showed continued declines in alcohol use by all grades. Nine percent of 8th graders, 23.5 percent of 10th graders, and 37.4 percent of 12th graders reported past-month use of alcohol, which was significantly lower than in 2009, when rates were 14.9 percent, 30.4 percent, and 43.5 percent”. Many teens start the use of drugs and alcohols during the high school years. They start due to social pressures such as high school parties, high school friends hanging out together.
Drug and alcohol abuse effects everyone in society. From young kids to older parents, it’s inevitable to completely stop the abuse of drugs and alcohol in society. The abuse of drugs and alcohol is caused from various reasons. The abuse of drugs and alcohol have only negative consequences to the body and others around. Many people cannot be treated once they start abusing so the best way to stop abusers before it is happening, is to completely prevent them for using the drug. Measures of awareness to drug and alcohol abuse are a great way to help reduce the rate of drug use among people. The effects of drug and alcohol abuse not only harm the body but mostly the brain. Abusing drugs and alcohol have short term and long term consequences to the body and mind.