Drug And Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol leads to a financial burden in a family’s household. For starters, alcohol is expensive, and most people don’t buy it off at first, and the bills will end up piling up one after the other. Alcoholics run up exorbitant tabs in bars, restaurants, and at the ball game. Then they might lose a job due to erratic behavior, absenteeism, or inability to

Drugs can result in teens not doing well in school, which can lead to lower academic opportunities and career options.

First of all, there is the Structural-Functional perspective way people view drug addiction as. The structural-functional perspective is the role the drugs do for the person or the weakening of the norms. It is the way they affect the person and what it does to them that makes them be addicted to drugs. For some people drugs relieves them. It takes them away from their problems from a while and they feel stress free and because of that feeling they receive from the drugs they like it and continue to take more and more. Those with this type of perspective well most likely disagree with this view of drug addiction and would want the problem to decrease.

While alcohol may not be the most dangerous of drugs, it is harmful nonetheless. There have been many research studies done by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism that prove this to be true. Binge drinking is drinking with the purpose of getting drunk, and is the most common form of alcohol consumption while it is also the most dangerous. There have been numerous researches by other organizations and scientists that have demonstrated just how dangerous underage drinking can be. These facts cannot be denied and further the belief that underage drinking is very serious and dangerous. Not only does a person run the risk of being arrested for illegal activity, a person can also be harmed.

“Parents, teachers and social workers need to remain alert to the signs of alcohol abuse in teenagers.” (National Institute of Health).

Substance abuse can occur with legal drugs like alcohol, tobacco and prescription medications, illegal drugs that are purchased on the street, or prescription drugs used for reasons other than health. Alcohol is the most frequently used legal drug, and cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are the most commonly used illegal drugs. Each drug has precise effects on body systems. Some drugs can lead to acute and chronic problems; some even can cause death. Nurses are among the few health care professionals who assess and care for substance abusers. As such, they should be equipped to distinguish the symptoms of substance abuse and put into practice measures to support and help these people (Bailes, 1998).

Drugs some use them to escape pain, others use them for pleasure, and some use them to just fit in. Either way drugs are a harmful substance that may seriously affect the body. Drugs mess with the brain in ways that we couldn’t even imagine. From destroying brain cells that help with critical thinking to destroying cells that give us the ability to feel pleasure. Drugs take the place of our natural body functions of the body. They fool receptors of the body and make it to where our bodies produce less of what we need. Over a period of time this may produce very severe consequences on the body. With all the risks involved with drugs it’s a wonder why some people use them.

Outside influences • Family problems •In trouble with the law (close calls) Stage 2: Physical dependency – motivates the large bulk of alcoholic drinking; drinks to alleviate symptoms. Stage Two: Physical Dependency • Daily, usually a.m. use • Variety of drugs • Increase tolerance • Withdrawal symptoms: headache/nausea • Irritability/mood swings/paranoia • Sleeplessness • Sexual problems • Depression and other psychiatric diagnoses • Intention tremor • Nightmares • Preoccupation/cravings • Development of blackout patterns • Disease pathology developing in major organs. Outside influences •School/work problems •DWI/DUI/unlawful possession.

Drugs can impair a person's judgement. People are much more likely to make risky decisions while they are under the influence of drugs. For example, a person may have unprotected sex while under the influence of drugs. This can increase the risk of STDs.

Recurrent arguments or fights with family members or friends … Temporary blackouts or memory loss … Continuing use of alcohol to relax, to cheer up, to sleep, to deal with problems, or to feel "normal" … Headache, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, or other unpleasant symptoms when one stops drinking …

Getting hooked on illegal drugs could lead to a lot of bad decisions. Once addicted to drugs, it becomes impossible to restrain yourself and resist the urge to do it again. Not only that, doing drugs that aren't prescribed will encourage you to spiral into depression, have increased anxiety, and other forms of mental illness, more so than prescribed drugs. Though both types of drugs, illegal and prescribed can and will negatively impact you and the people around you and make you lose control of yourself- physically and mentally.

The overall effect on one’s health is seen in bouts of illness and lack of normal immune response. Addicts may show signs of lightheadedness or dizziness, and lapses of mental acuity. Severe threats to health include the potential for respiratory distress and other central nervous system responses, as well as an increased danger for overdose and death.

One of the most devastating side effects of drug addiction and abuse is depression. Depression is the result of chemical imbalance, environmental influence, or a combination of both. Using heavy and very highly addictive drugs as heroin, cocaine, opium and many other will cause sudden mood changes, deterioration of the immune system, nervous breakdowns, unusual flares of temper and many other side effects. Besides physical side effects, drug addiction can create problems in a person's social circles. The person may run into many conflicts with his family and friends, resulting in desire for isolation. This in turn will create more problems since the person will have no social support. Furthermore, drug addiction is a financial strain especially for teenagers. When a person is addicted to drugs he will do anything to obtain money to fulfill his needs.

People drink in many ways, for many different reasons. We drink socially, to gain acceptance into a group. We drink alone to ease stress, to cope with our problems, or we “drink because we like the taste or how it makes us feel”#. Often drinking is a learned behavior, starting out as a social drinker; you quickly become psychologically and physically dependent. When someone reaches this stage they are often classified as an alcoholic. To an alcoholic, drinking becomes a compulsion; they cannot stop themselves from having another drink, like a social drinker can. In many cases alcoholics don’t even have to drink continuously in order to be an alcoholic. One the problems of alcohol addiction is that it’s something that doesn’t just effect the individual but it effects, friends and family as well. Spouse abuse, child abuse and dysfunctional family relationships can all be influenced by alcohol abuse.

Have you ever dealt with the effects of drug addict? A drug is a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, which has a psychological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. The effects of drug use can vary depending on the person. According to “Causes and types of narcotic addiction: A Psychosocial View” in the Psychiatric Quarterly it says, “The causes of drugs stem from the manner of which you were introduced to it whether it be by abnormal curiosity, chance encounters with addicts and narcotic peddlers, or prolonged illness” (Ausubel). The effects of drugs can be have different effects on everyone differently depending if its for pleasure or for relieving pain Most of the effects of drugs occur in the brain, where it increases the level of dopamine at a specific site possibly giving the addict the pleasure they were feigning for (Robbins). As a child I didn’t know much about drugs except for what your parents and teachers at school tell you which is, “Just Say No.”