Drug abuse has many consequences, from job loss, to health problems, divorce, and even death.For some, even a single instance of drug use is enough to have a lifetime of negative consequences while others may use many times without reaping the dangerous effects of substance abuse. Unfortunately, there's no way to predetermine whether you will be the victim of fatal overdose, immediate death, or other dangerous outcomes associated with drug use. The best way to avoid the dangerous effects of drugs is to avoid drugs - but in case you or someone you know is a user, consider these potential dangers of drug use:
- Fatal overdose
- Disease
- Permanent brain damage
- Psychological dependence
- Addiction
- Withdrawal
- Physical dependence
- Injury
- Accident
Each type of drug can cause an array of harmful effects to the body and psychological wellness of the user. Drugs affect the way that the user functions, thinks, acts, reacts, and feels.
Marijuana Effects
- Memory impairment
- Loss of memory
- Loss of up to 8 IQ points (according to NIH)
- Heart attack
- Rapid heart rate
- Coughing, respiratory illness
- Breathing problems
- Injury
- Addiction
Cocaine Effects
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite that can lead to weight loss
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
- Irregular heart beat
- Rapid heart beat
- Disease transmission including HIV/AIDs
- Addiction
Heroin Effects
- Withdrawal including sickness, nausea and vomiting
- Bone and joint pain
- Slowed breathing
- No breathing which will lead to death
- Disease including hepatitis and HIV/AIDs
- Fatal overdose
- Coma
- Addiction
Prescription Drug Effects
- Withdrawal
- Changes in breathing
- Respiratory illness
- Heart damage
- Organ damage
- Heart attack or stroke
- Addiction
- Overdose
- Death
Methamphetamine Effects
- Hyperthermia (according to PubMed)
- Crank bugs (hallucinations that can lead to scratching or clawing on the arms, face or skin to cause sores which may become infected)
- Meth mouth (rotting of the teeth)
- Rapid aging (meth users age many years in a short period of time)
- Disease including HIV/AIDs and Hepatitis
- Addiction
- Permanent psychosis
- Permanent brain damage
- Overdose
- Injury
Drug abuse affects the physical and psychological well-being of the user, but it doesn't have to continue. Treatment is available to assist you in getting past the negative effects of drug abuse so that you can restore a sense of balance and routine into your life. Healing takes time, but with commitment, supportive care, medical intervention and counseling, recovery is possible.
Medical treatment is often provided to patients who have suffered adverse physical effects of drug abuse. Such treatment may include the use of various medications to control cravings, withdrawal, disease or other physical aspects of the addiction. Medical care can help to restore the patient to a stable point in which he or she can receive counseling and therapy to help heal from the adverse psychological effects of drug use.
Support will definitely play a key role in the recovery process. While it's very common for a user to rationalize his or her drug use, the focus of treatment will be on teaching the individual coping methods that will help to reduce this desire to rationalize and which will support continued abstinence.
Support can come from a variety of sources including:
- Your friends and family members
- Counselors
- Therapists
- Members of your church
- Others in recovery
- Support groups
- Medical care providers including doctors and nurses
While you may be tempted to think that you can overcome the effects of drug abuse on your own, with a supportive background, you have a better chance of remaining abstinent.