Drug Abuse And Its Effects

Drug abuse in America is at an all time high across the country. Most people start out with a legit medical issue that leads to a prescription for pain, anxiety, stress, or even trouble concentrating. After repeated prescriptions, the body tends to get use to the medicine, with then leaves the body craving more. In fact, prescription drug abuse is the highest drugs abused my both men and women. Research shows that young adults ages 18 to 25 are the prime abusers of prescription drugs, ADHD drugs as well as anti-anxiety drugs. There several reason why this age group abuse these types of drugs. The reasons include getting high, to feel good, better study habits, stress, and weight loss.

“Prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, or for the experience or feelings elicited.” Prescription Drugs are ranked number two in drugs abused (Volkow 7).

Drug abuse is a major public health issue that impacts society both directly and indirectly; every person, every community is somehow affected by drug abuse and addiction and this economic burden is not exclusive to those who use substance, it inevitably impacts those who don't. Drugs impact our society in various ways including but not limited to lost earnings, health care expenditures, costs associated with crime, accidents, and deaths. The use of licit or illicit drugs long term, causes millions of deaths and costs billions for medical care and substance abuse rehabilitation and the effects of drug abuse extend beyond users, spilling over into the society at large, imposing increasing social and economic costs.

Drug abuse is the consumption of any natural or synthetic substance or drug in an unapproved quantity for increased performance and enhancement. Most people abuse drugs because they want to gain the psychological effect with methods neither approved nor supervised by medical professionals. (Med India, Network for Health, n.d.) Drug Addiction is when drug abuse becomes a compulsion for maintaining psychological and emotional balance. Drugs decompose the basic structure of a whole society, by weakening families, reducing human productivity, corrupting governments, and demolding law respecting citizens. (Med India, Network for Health, n.d.) According to Med India, “The trafficking of illicit drugs and hallucinogens is the largest illegal business in the world accounting for about 8% of international trade, amounting to about $400 billion annually” (Med India, Network for Health, n.d.). Drugs decompose a whole society

Even at this age of raised healthcare awareness there are people who still do not understand the real cause of addictions. A review of Lawrence and Melinda Smith’s article, “Drug Abuse and Addiction,” reveals that by now there is little and scanty information on why and how people get addicted to various types of drugs. There have been several misconceptions and beliefs as to why people actually use or abuse drugs, several explanations have been put forth for this course. A majority of people and writers across the globe simply think that drug abuse and consequent addiction originates from the lack of moral principles or the willpower. They simply think that drug abuse can just be stopped by a choice of behavior change (Saulsbury & Blakemore, 2007).

Many people fail to realize the solid impact social issues can have on our everyday lives.

Substance abuse is thought to have two major causes which caused substance abusers. Statistically, a full 100% the abuser start to abuse to feel good which have a great role in making a person start abuse, according to the united states news that 90% of abusers start before age of 18. According to the NIH most abusers abuse drugs which produce a great feeling of pleasure and happiness .This initial sensation of euphoria comes before the other effects which differ from the type of the drug used . Also people who suffer from social anxiety and depression start to abuse drugs to feel better as a result the people around abusers either family or people living around them will suffer from losing the abusers or being hurt because of the abuser

Despite the issues regarding the scientific studies, evidence has drawn positive links suggesting people who use drugs are more likely to engage in criminal activity than non-users if simply because they are breaking the law to obtain the substance of use. Research does support this contention as people who are arrested for various crimes test positive to be under the influence of a drug at the time they committed their offense. However, the evidence remains elusive as to whether the drug use led to the crime or the crime was separate from the drug use and related needs (i.e., money to buy drugs, territorial wars, etc.). Because of inconsistent data and definitions in reporting, statistical evidence is not empirical enough to draw hard conclusions regarding the relationship between drugs, including alcohol, and crime, or to quantify how much of that crime begins with the innocent-seeming lighting up of a marijuana cigarette. In addition, when more than one drug is present, it is difficult to assess which of the two or more might have induced or inspired the criminal behavior, if any. The association between alcohol and violence illustrated through various studies makes it clear that correlations between drug use and crime are greater complicated through the presence of other dynamics such as socio-demographic and personality characteristics.

Researchers state that almost half of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in the United States also self-medicate with alcohol and other drugs (Elements Behavioral Health, 2014). This is suggested due to individuals attempting to lessen the symptoms of their disorder. As discussed previously symptoms can include hearing and seeing things that others don’t hear or see, problems falling asleep or staying asleep and problems with concentration and memory. In an effort to lessen these symptoms alcohol and other drugs are used to induce sleep (NIMH, 2014). Research suggests that approximately fifty percent of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia have a co-occurring substance abuse disorder. The most common used are alcohol, marijuana and tobacco (Green, Drake, Brunette & Noordsy, 2007) (Dube, 2012).

Drugs have always played a role in our society from the present to the past they have been used for both medical uses and personal use. Though some drugs may help people who are suffering, for many they are misused and cause economic and social problems for our society. Because the negative effects of drug use not only affect the user but also many aspects of our society, drug control policies have been implemented throughout our history to try and control these issues. From the Harrison Act to the Prohibition in the 1930’s, to the 1970’s “War on Drugs,” the government has played an active role in controlling drug use, misuse, and the trafficking of drugs into our country because of the strains it brings to our economy. It harms the user,

Many believe that drug and alcohol abuse are related to being a “bad” person, but what if you save lives as a living? A large majority of substance abusers have either been traumatized or have come from a bad background--scarring and causing them to seek out a way to make themselves feel better without having to tell someone. The newest series to hit Netflix, Nurse Jackie, shows addiction, and it’s lack of discrimination, in its truest form as an amazing nurse, Jackie Payton, struggles to juggle her family, work, and addiction.

As a college student, I am constantly experiencing new things and expanding my knowledge. College is a time of self discovery and growth. Staying up all night on finals week with multiple heavily caffeinated drinks, holding someone’s hair back as they drunkenly puke in the toilet, and living in a room the size of a closet with a complete stranger are just some of the many thresholds of college. Drug use has become just another part of this crazy college experience from binge drinking to smoking pot to taking psychedelic drugs just to see what happens. This idea of being young and invincible is fueling kids to make decisions their parents would not be happy with.

Many individuals struggle everyday with addiction. Addiction can surely be a life sentence to people who let it consume them. Throughout time, people start depending on the drugs; some people don’t know how to act or think without drugs. This dependence causes bad habits that can lead to losing family, friends, jobs, money, shelter and much more. Addiction and drug abuse can cause many negative effects on the brain, behavior, body, and others around.

When kids are exposed to multiple drugs for conditions they may not even have, this could lead to problems later in their life such as drug abuse. The side effects of taking one drug may lead to needing another drug to take that side effect away. The drug abuse of taking medication when it is not needed can lead to addiction later in life. Drug addictions can hurt many people at one time. Drug addictions cause people to steal, lose their jobs, use unnecessary violence, and cause driving accidents, according to the NIMH. When teens use medications to focus in school, they may hand out the pills to their friends which would hurt another unsuspecting family. The National Institute on Drug Abuse also notes that taking medications for mental disorders can lead to drug abuse, as a way to alleviate their symptoms; if they suffer from anxiety or depression, they may use tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Early exposure to drugs can lead to abuse later in life. When drugs are abused at such a young age, the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that these drugs can change the brain in a way that makes children more at risk for developing a mental disorder. The National Institute on Drug Abuse also classifies stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall as Schedule II drugs, which means these drugs have the potential to make the user addicted and the potential of leading to severe psychological and/or physical dependence. Other drugs that are also in the Schedule II category with the

A drug is a chemical substance applied into treating, diagnosing and preventing one from disease infections or a substance that is used by a person to enhance his or her physical and mental state in the perceived effect. Drugs used for different purposes and their effect depend on which cause for usage. It causes both positive and negative consequences directly to the user and in the long-run it affects the whole society or community. Drug addiction is the activity of uncontrollable dependence on a substance by the user no matter the harm caused by its usage. It is a habit that has been in many years hard to curb especially among the youths. “We must recognize that substance abuse and addiction is a disease, not a moral failing or easily abandoned self-indulgence,” (Califano, 2008).The cases of drug abuse have been on the rise over the recent years and resulted in crimes. The cases have a great effect affected the society in general since the reliable energetic youths have turned to drug abuse. However, some measures have been initiated to mitigate, curb and treat drug addiction in the society as outlined in the essay.