Drug Abuse / Addiction

Drug Abuse / Addiction

Drug abuse and addiction has steadily become a major problem in countries all around the world. Not only does this abuse of drugs lead to many deaths and diseases each year, but the addiction to drugs is also at the centre of many crimes. Many people die gruesome deaths through overdosing or contracting a disease whilst administering drugs, or even through a reaction to a dangerous drug. There are many dangers associated with drug abuse, and this does not refer to what most of think of as ‘drugs’ such as heroine, cocaine, speed etc. It also refers to addiction and abuse of prescription drugs, which can be as dangerous as the illegal drugs sold on the streets.

Some of the dangers and concerns associated with drugs abuse and addiction include:

Death

The death of a person that is addicted to or abusing drugs can stem from a variety of things. It could be an overdose than eventually takes the life of an addict, and this happens to many people each year. Some drugs can cause reactions such as heart attacks, and this can also result in death of someone taking drugs. Another common cause of death is the contraction of a disease such as AIDS through using infected needles when injecting drugs.

Crime

Illegal drugs are very expensive, but when someone has been exercising drug abuse and is addicted many will do anything to get that next hit. A great number of crimes are related to drugs, such as burglary, armed robbery, and car theft. However, the effects of drugs also result in many crimes, and drug induced behaviour has led to all sorts of crimes from robbery to rape or murder.

Drug abuse and addiction can not only affect the user, but can also tear apart the lives of the user’s family and loved ones. Drug addiction can result in a dramatic change, and in the case of illegal drugs takes the user into a whole other world of death, crime, and intense danger. However, there are many resources now available for those addicted to and abusing drugs. Although it is very difficult for those addicted to drugs to admit that there is a problem and to seek assistance for it, the resources available can prove very effective, and are usually open to the families of the addict as well as the addicts themselves.

Below you will find a list of some of the most commonly abused drugs. This is just a sample of the drugs that are commonly abused today, and you should remember that there are many other drugs to which people can easily become addicted – both illegal and prescription drugs.

Cannabis (e.g. hashish, marijuana): These drugs are swallowed or smoked, and can result in reduce reaction time, respiratory problems, confusion, reduced memory, impaired ability to learn, panic attacks and addiction.

Barbiturates (e.g. Phenobarbital, Seconal): These are injected or swallowed, and can result in confusion, co-ordination problems, memory impairment, respiratory arrest and addiction.

LSD: This drug is taken orally and is a hallucinogen. This can result in increased heart rate and blood pressure, altered perception, loss of appetite, numbness, tremors, and weakness.

Heroin: This drug is injected, snorted, or smoked. This can result in depression, loss of memory or consciousness, respiratory depressions, staggering gait, serious addiction.

Cocaine: This drug can be injected, smoked or snorted. It can result in nausea, respiratory failure, chest pains, strokes, seizures, malnutrition, chest pains, and addiction.

For those addicted to drugs, it is important to seek assistance as soon as possible in order to treat the addiction before it takes over, which can easily happen. In some cases, particularly where the abuser is addicted to illegal drugs such as heroine or cocaine, the addicted will be unwilling to seek assistance, so it can be very difficult to get the to seek help but it is vital.

Your doctor can normally recommend a local clinic that deals with drug abuse and addition, and the increase in these resources means that there are more facilities and better support now available for both the addicts and the family in order to help them get through the addiction and deal with the abuse.