Life Altering Consequences of Drug Abuse
“One try won't hurt” is all that it takes. No one decides they want to be a victim of drug abuse, but they do take steps that may lead up to it. “Drug and alcohol abuse is considered California’s No. 1 premature killer. In California, 40,000 emergency room visits each year are drug-related” (Santa Cruz County). When thinking of a drug abuser in California, an image of a “junkie” comes to mind, when in fact that is usually not how it is. It is often that the people abusing drugs are living a normal life, with a job and family. Drug abuse does not affect people because of their social status, education level or amount of money they have. Often times the problem is unintentional and arises from prescription drugs or medical marijuana. “While Drug Addiction in California is a significant problem, recent surveys show that 9 million women throughout the US have used illegal drugs at some point during last year, and nearly 4 million women have taken prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in the past year” (Drug Abuse in California). Quickly but unfortunately, drugs change the way people think, act, and feel. People turn to drugs to help make better of bad situations, as drugs give euphoria and a feeling of relaxedness. Soon enough, those feelings become temporary and convert into a feeling of dependence on drugs and making that a new priority. While drug abuse is not a goal or desire for anyone, it is more than likely to become a problem even after one use of the drug. Drug abuse is a harmful and damaging problem that affects the everyday lives of abusers, and that of those around them, because it leaves victims with social, academic, and health consequences.
The act of abusing drugs negatively affects many social aspects of life. Many drug abusers lived normal lives before their involvement with drugs, but with drugs playing a role, these abusers’ lives alter quickly. One of the biggest problems that drug abuse causes is the change in behavior. As abusers start to use drugs, they will commonly have side effects and mood changes. It may even be obvious to peers that someone is using drugs, as they will seem unlike themselves and have questionable behavior. Abusers become dependent on drugs, making it hard to keep up with daily tasks such as going to work and school, doing homework and studying, and doing chores or simply running errands. Drugs change the way abusers think and act, as their main concern becomes retrieving that drug and prioritizing it instead of things they once were fond of. School and work performance declines, putting their future on the line and risking losing their job. Relationships with family, friends, and significant others diminish, leaving them isolated and focusing solely on their next high. Isolation due to ruined relationships may lead to thoughts of suicide, depression, hallucinations, and other mental health related problems. Because drugs alter the change in behavior, abusers are more likely to engage in sexual behaviors that can be risky as they may lead to sexually transmitted diseases and blood-borne infections. Reckless behavior is common in drug abuse, because the drugs affect the brain and the way abusers may think, causing them to do things they would never have while sober. Drug use can lead to crimes such as assault, battery, vandalism, and stealing or robbery. Drugs have become very common, therefore making it easier for minors to get their hands on. According to San Joaquin County Community Health Needs Assessment, “49% of 11th grade students in San Joaquin alone have reported that they've been "high" from using drugs, while it is 36% in all of California” (p. 2). This is extremely harmful for minors, especially those at such a young age, to be abusing drugs, as their brain and body are still developing and may lead to impairments. Parents of minors and family of adults should pay attention to signs of drug abuse. Elizabeth D'Amico, lead author of the study and senior behavioral scientist at RAND states, “One approach may be to increase protective factors such as parental support or the adolescent's ability to resist temptations to use these substances” (Alcohol and Marijuana Use). Those behaviors need to be acted on to make sure that loved ones do not fall into the downward spiral that is drug abuse.
Academic performance is altered because of the effects drugs cause to the brain. This impairment to the brain affects abusers’ mental state, making understanding, memory, concentration, and the ability to process information more complicated. Poor understanding and concentration makes it more difficult to pay attention in class, and makes studying or doing homework even harder. Memory can be affected, making studying almost useless, and past information can be forgotten as well, decreasing knowledge needed to do well in the class. While schoolwork may be difficult without any improper brain functions, imagine how difficult it can be for those who are under the influence of drugs, especially very strong ones. Academic performance shows how well one is doing in class as far as their understanding and performance on tests, but grades mean more than just a letter on a piece of paper. Teachers use students’ grades to check their understanding and base what they teach on what students are doing poorly on. Grades are also an important factor for passing classes, because getting an F will result in failing the class and having to retake it if it is mandatory. Students not only need to do well in their classes, but also on major tests such as SATs which are needed to get into college. For college students abusing drugs, it is potentially worse because college courses are more difficult and time consuming than high school classes, so they require more focus and understanding. College classes are expensive, and if a student abusing drugs is unable to keep up or understand the material, their grades will drop and they may have to drop the class or may end up failing the class, which results in a waste of money. If bad gets to worse, students may have to drop out of school completely, depending on how bad their drug abuse problem has become. If a drug abuser is not doing well because their academic performance is hindered, their test results and report cards will reflect that and they may potentially ruin their future by having to retake classes, be held back, or not get accepted into or graduate college.
Drugs are extremely damaging to the brain and body, especially to those of minors, and can cause life-altering changes. When one thinks of a drug abuser, it usually comes to mind that they are doing drugs by choice, but that is not always the case. Many times, people with actual health problems will unintentionally get addicted to prescription drugs that are supposed to be helping them, not causing more harm. This unfortunate event is common and leads to abusers buying prescription drugs from online pharmacies, which have made access to these medicines quite easy. Other times people may buy cheap marijuana and use it without doctor supervision to self-medicate for their own health problems, but it can result in dangerous problems and addiction. Victims of drug abuse tend to start using marijuana before any other drug because they see it as less impacting and safer to use. Whether short or long term, the effects are harmful to the brain and body. The short-term effects of marijuana include anxiety, depression, hallucinations, panic, increased appetite, increased heart rate, which may lead to a heart attack, as well as other symptoms. “The short-term effects of marijuana last approximately 1-4 hours, depending on potency of the marijuana, the route of administration, and the tolerance of the user” (The Adverse Effects). Long-term effects include impairments to brain functions such as bad coordination and memory loss, and the ability to develop schizophrenia, problems within the respiratory system, cancer, addiction and countless other frightening complications. These effects are also in common with other, more damaging drugs, such as Xanax, heroin, meth, and cocaine, which can lead to violence, seizures, damage to organs, addiction, coma, and even death. Drug abuse causes many health problems, and may even cause issues in the digestive system. Drugs bind with sites in the brain, but some of those sites also take place in the organs of the digestive system, and this causes food to pass through the intestines and stomach too quickly. Problems caused by poor digestion include diarrhea, cramping, gas, reduced gastric acids, breakdown of mucous lining, dehydration, and blocked enzymes. “These effects may be more difficult to notice, but disorders of the digestive system intensify from these disruptions. Over time, organ damage, such as stomach ulcers and cirrhosis of the liver, can develop, and these issues demand attention” (Digestive Issues). Drug abuse not only harms the abuser, but the people around them. Families and friends have to witness how abusers change for the worse, right in front of their eyes, and become unrecognizable and careless. Drugs also affect unborn babies if used by pregnant mothers, because compounds that drugs carry cross into the placenta and are digested by the innocent nursing infant, which can cause delay in development, abnormalities and addiction to a fetus. Marijuana affects the brain and body in harmful ways, makes daily life difficult, and not only affects the abuser, but the people who love and care about them too.
Affecting the everyday lives of abusers, drug abuse is harmful and damaging because it leaves victims with social, academic, and health consequences. Drugs’ being easily accessible in California is increasing the rate at which people are abusing them, and fast. Abusers do not realize how big of an effect drugs have on them and the people around them. Drugs can change abusers’ personalities, making them behave differently and unlike themselves. Because of this, it makes it hard for abusers to live their normal day-to-day lives. Interacting with others at work, school, and other social settings can take a turn for the worse. While under the influence, users will not be able to control themselves as well as they could if they were sober, therefore possibly putting their job and relationships on the line. Their academic success could also be affected as drug abuse worsens their performance in school, because of the way drugs can affect the brain. Drug affects to the brain can be short-term or long-term, but are nonetheless harmful and dangerous. In some cases, drug abuse can even cause addiction, lead to cancers, depression, schizophrenia, and other health problems, as well as harm to unborn babies when used by pregnant mothers. To decrease this troubling problem, family and friends who notice odd behavior and signs on drug abuse should get involved with the obvious problem. Involvement with someone who may be abusing drugs can help save them before it is too late. Never be afraid to intervene when something seems wrong, as it could be a life-saving situation. No one ever plans for drug abuse to happen, but just a simple “one try won't hurt” can turn into a quick downward spiral.