Drug Abuse and its Effects
By Dr.fourkan Ali
The word addiction is
familiar to everyone, but do we know the full extent of what drug addictioncan do to a person, their family and the
society around them? When someone develops an addiction to drugs they tend to
become caught up in a downward spiral that they feel has no end until they take
their next fix.
Studies have shown that when a person starts
taking a drug the sudden rush of energy and the feeling of being in a
different, problem free, world, is amazing. However, this effect soon
disappears and they are left feeling much worse. They therefore take ever more
drugs to see if they can recapture this ‘high’, which is when the addiction is
born.
A drug addiction can have devastating effect
on your body, including problems with breathing, an increased heart rate and
higher blood pressure.Extended use of drugs can cause serious brain damage,
psychological problems and lung disease. In some cases the individual can also
develop the very painful condition, arthritis.
It is not only the individual who experiences
problems due to addiction. Their family, friends and work colleagues will
suffer too.As drugs are illegal, they are often expensive to buy, making a
drain on the family resources; in extreme cases, the family home may have to be
sold. The addict will become more erratic and may even turn violent, making
them difficult to live with. At their workplace they will often find it hard to
concentrate, so the standard of work they produce will fall and may lead to
them losing their job, making money even harder to come by.
The abuse of illegal drugs has a number of
effects on the user. Aside from any pleasing short term effects that the drugs
may bring, there are a myriad of unwelcome and potentially dangerous ways that
drugs can affect the user. These side effects may be physical, psychological or
social, and will vary dependent on the type of drugs that are being abused.
Sedatives or Barbiturates
Barbiturates slow down the body and make the
user drowsy and lethargic. Drug abuse of this kind can be highly addictive,
causing serious effects to the user. Withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety
and convulsions.
Hallucinogens
Drugs such as LSD have very unpredictable
effects on people who take them. Users have reported vivid and realistic
hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, and feelings of panic, confusion, and
paranoia. Hallucinogenic drug use can bring on physical symptoms such as
sweating, loss of appetite, and increased temperature.
Stimulants
Abuse of stimulants such as speed increases
the alertness and activity of the user. The drugs do this by increasing heart
rate and blood pressure, which can be incredibly dangerous if taken over a long
period of time. Conditions such as arrhythmia, hypertension, and potentially
death are associated with prolonged use of stimulants.
Marijuana
Abuse of marijuana can interfere with
co-ordination, perception of time, judgement and reasoning. On a long term
level, memory and fertility can be affected.
Narcotics
Exceptionally addictive and dangerous,
narcotics are administered by medical professionals to relieve pain. When
abused, narcotics can damage the heart, lungs and liver. Death can be caused if
an overdose is taken.
When making a decision about taking drugs, the
addict only takes into consideration the benefits that they will immediately
feel, the euphoria, a sense of calm and a feeling of relaxation.However, along with
that ‘high come the other side effects that result from heroin use.
These drugs can also have a negative impact on
health, relationships, work and finances.Drug addicts think they can handle the
associated results of narcotic use, but once it becomes an all-consuming
addiction, the drug is their only concern.
Long-term heroin use will affect the way
addicts react towards personal relationships and the bond with family and
friends may break down.The need for heroin will become their main drive, while
work or studies will suffer, along with their financial stability, as more and
more money is needed to fund their habit.
The loss of financial control and unemployment
can lead to homelessness, as heroin exerts a stronger pull on their finances
and their health can suffer, firstly from poor eating habits, but over time
increased use of the drug will cause serious health issues too.
Drug addiction can cause mental health issues,
psychosis, stress or depression.The addict’s body will also suffer from damage
to its internal organs, primarily the liver, heart and lungs.In addition, there
is a greatly increased risk of catching infectious diseases, such as hepatitis
and HIV.
Drug use is illegal
and drug users can end up with criminal records or suffer the consequences of
hefty fines.There is also the added danger of having to associate with hardened
criminals in order to purchase drugs.
Sources: Website
Dhaka-Bangladesh
08801711579267
0 comments:
Post a Comment