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The Effects of Addiction to Drugs

Drug craving is not something that just affects the person who is hooked. It has consequences beyond what one can expect. It affects the families of the addict, his employer, schools, friendships and societies at large. It also has a direct influence on the health of the immediate family of the drug user.

The effects of drugs cover a wide spectrum of experiences from the first high to the lows of when the outcome of the drug starts to wear out. For instance, taking cocaine, the former is exhilarating while the latter results in disquiet, exhaustion, downheartedness and a yearning for more drugs to get back to the high from the effects wearing out. Marijuana and alcohol influence the central nervous system and are the causes of many car accidents. Marijuana and other mood-altering drugs cause flash backs, much after the effects have worn out, even after a few weeks of usage.

Chances of HIV contagion caused by multiple uses of intravenous needles are high as is hepatitis. Increased sexual activity among addicts increases the risk of addicts contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Many addicts engage in illegal activities such as stealing and prostitution to raise money to feed their habits. Some substances like liquor bring on aggressive actions. Over 10,000 fatalities per year due to drug abuse are recorded in the USA. Substances most cited are cocaine, heroin and morphine rather often in combination with alcohol or other drugs.

The drug dependant's dependence on the substance, further to its consequence on emotions and physical reactions, often leads to conjugal discord and poor performance at work resulting in dismissal. Family life is often unbalanced and, out of love or fear or both, family members or the spouse enable the drug user in his dependency through destructive behaviors of codependency. They deny that there is a difficulty, or cover up for the drug dependant and supply him with funds to feed the obsession.

Babies born to drug takers tend to be much lower in weight than the average due to the mother being under fed or of a neglected constitution. Fetuses in the wombs of addicts get disturbed by the drugs used by the parent, by a process called crossing the placental wall, and suffer from taking out symptoms immediately after its birth. This is mainly so in the case of abusers of crack and heroin. The fetal liquor syndrome, due to the liquor consumed during pregnancy, affects offspring of alcohol dependant mothers. Infants obtain AIDS virus through the intravenous injections of drugs that the mothers take.

Society pays a very high penalty due to the frequency of addictions of any kind. Work- man-days are lost in the workplace, involving cost over runs. Drug takers are more inclined than non-abusers to cause accidents endangering themselves and their workmates. More than fifty percent of all road accidents in the United States are caused directly or secondarily by liquor abuse.

Turf wars and other sadistic crimes between drug dealers cause mayhem in neighborhoods. Residents are constantly under menace and there are crimes among the addicts themselves. Some areas state that young children are recruited to be lookouts and helpers as youthful offenders get lighter punishments. Teenagers as well as younger children armed with handguns have become rather common. Among the destitute, most ache from drug or liquor craving or mental disorder, and often from all three circumstances.

Since drug dependence has such a serious influence on the drug abuser, families and humanity as a whole, the need to take action is insistent and immediate. Otherwise, the effects of drug craving can have far-reaching consequences and the drug dependant may not get a opportunity to pick up from his syndrome.

By: David B Smith..

For more information on The Effects of Addiction to Drugs visit www.drug-abuse-and-treatment.com

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