Introduction
In some cases, the use of narcotic drugs has medical indications and takes place under the supervision of a doctor. Nevertheless, issues in which people use drugs illegally and become addicted are more common. Drug abuse has negative social, medical, and mental consequences for the individual. In this case, all outcomes can be divided into several categories. For example, some effects are reversible upon discontinuation of the drug, while others are irreversible. In addition, there are general consequences characteristic of all types of drug addiction and specific ones that occur depending on the type of drug. Therefore, this essay will analyze the main outcomes of drug abuse.
Medical Consequences
Taking drugs worsens the condition and ability of the normal functioning of all body systems and internal organs. Moreover, Frusinoiu and Banacu note that addiction can lead to “direct drug-related deaths, indirect deaths, premature deaths or death caused by illicit drug use disorders” (477). First of all, drugs affect the human brain and nervous system. Drug abuse can lead to brain and nerve damage, both small and large. For example, brain dysfunction can manifest in behavioral impairments, cognitive dysfunction, epigenetic changes, and autophagy dysfunction (Guerri and Pascual). The severity of some of these effects can be reduced by therapy, while others by modification, like epigenetics, are irreversible. In addition, damage to the nervous system can lead to impaired coordination and serious motor system disorders, paralysis, and paresis.
In addition, drug abuse can lead to serious damage to the cardiovascular system. Among the minor adverse effects is cardiac arrhythmia, which occurs in all drug abusers (Smith and Hiller). Moreover, drug abuse can lead to cardiac pathologies such as Cardiomyopathy, Coronary heart disease, and heart failure. In most cases, these diseases occur due to impaired blood supply.
Another consequence of drug abuse is liver and kidney disease. These organs are responsible for removing toxins from the body, but they cannot perform their functions when there are too many toxins. It leads to cirrhosis and increases the risk of contracting hepatitis of various types. Moreover, for women, drug abuse threatens “pregnancy problems, adolescent maternity,” and other problems associated with motherhood (Smith and Hiller 17). Furthermore, abuse leads to a greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
Consequences for Mental Health
Another important consequence is the impact of drugs on mental health. Drug abuse leads to a change in personality, a decrease in the range of interests, and the development of depressive states. The emotional spectrum of a drug addict is usually much smaller. However, at the same time, it is distinguished by its instability and uncontrollable emotional reactions to various situations and events. Moreover, one of the most common problems is anger. This aggression can be directed both at others and at the person himself, which causes an increased risk of suicide among drug addicts (Smith and Hiller 18). Lack of interest in anything other than getting a new dose leads to spiritual emptiness, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
Moreover, most people who abuse drugs cannot critically evaluate their actions. Most patients lack self-control, self-preservation, and ethical and moral standards. These mental disorders lead to the exclusion of the dependent person from society, which aggravates his mental state. In addition, drug abusers are much more likely to commit crimes due to mental disorders (Shafiei et al.). In most cases, the mental health effects are reversible but require long-term treatment.
Moreover, this effect is observed for all types of drugs. For example, opioids, although they bring joy and euphoria when used, cause negative psychological states during withdrawal. Drug withdrawal is a very complex process often associated with serious health risks. Moreover, drug addicts may experience an increase in suicidal tendencies during withdrawal. Therefore, it should occur in stationary conditions under the supervision of an appropriate specialist.
Social Consequences
Violations of a person’s mental state lead to negative consequences in the social sphere. Often, people who abuse drugs lose social connections due to a loss of social trust and respect (Shafiei et al. 1032). Addictions, in most cases, are condemned and condemned in society, so drug addicts often become outcasts. Moreover, the consciousness of an addicted person is often distorted due to the knowledge of drugs, because of which he ceases to be a full-fledged member of society.
Another consequence is the breakup of the family and the loss of support from loved ones. As a rule, a person who abuses drugs tries to hide his addiction and begins to move away from loved ones. Problems arise in the family, which are manifested by increased conflicts, exacerbated by the aggressiveness and rudeness of the drinking family member, economic difficulties, which lead to the destruction of family values, and divorce (Shafiei et al.). Especially in such families, children suffer because the negative behavior of a dependent parent negatively affects the vulnerable child’s psyche. Moreover, in some cases, the loss of family support can threaten being homeless and a tramp for drug addicts.
In addition, due to brain damage and loss of interest in life, a frequent consequence of drug abuse is work and a source of income. It, in turn, becomes the reason for the involvement of drug addicts in violent activities and leads to an immoral way of life. Shafiei et al. note that “the drug abuse-crime relationship is observed as a result of a co-existence of deviant behaviors” (1029). People who abuse drugs cease to recognize common human values, morality, and ethical norms, which expands the boundaries of acceptable and lawful behavior in their minds. At the same time, women most often turn to prostitution in order to earn money for living and buy a new dose. On the other hand, typical behavior for men is theft or other serious crimes.
In drug addicts, control over their behavior is reduced, and a person loses a sense of responsibility. In addition, a person can harm not only their health but also cause serious injury to another person. This is especially true for drivers since road traffic accidents committed while the driver is intoxicated are one of the most common causes of disability and death (Frusinoiu and Banacu). That increases the risk of death not only among drug addicts but also among other people. Moreover, there are many unintentional killings while under the influence of drugs (Shafiei et al.). Drug addicts cannot identify their own emotions and the emotions and intentions of other people, which is why the most common reaction is aggression with the use of physical force.
Teenagers are one of the most vulnerable groups to drug abuse. First, adolescents tend not to think about the consequences of their actions but are more interested in having new experiences (Latief and Solli 391). This desire is caused by self-identification processes characterized by increased curiosity and empirical exploration of the world. In addition, adolescents tend to rebel and violate established prohibitions. It may be in response to “pressure from parents and the environment that has lack understanding upon adolescents” (Latief and Solli 391). In addition, at this age, people are most susceptible to influence from social groups, especially those wanting to become part of the community. Therefore, drug abuse in adolescents may be due to their environment and social interactions.
The beginning of drug abuse threatens irreversible damage to the health and mental system of adolescents. In addition, such adolescents are involved in seizure activity from an early age (Muhammad et al.). An increase in adolescent seizures threatens the social exclusion of such adolescents in adulthood. Moreover, even after stopping drug abuse, people need long-term therapy to stabilize the nervous system and learn social interaction. Some people who have abused drugs cannot become part of society even after drug abuse has stopped. It causes them to become isolated, which leads to an increased risk of suicide among former drug addicts.
Conclusion
Thus, drug abuse negatively affects all spheres of human activity. It leads to serious disturbances in the work of internal organs and their dysfunction and serious changes in a person’s mental health. Moreover, all the consequences lead to the destruction of the social life of the drug addicts and their exclusion from society. Some of these effects can be eliminated with proper treatment, while more severe conditions are incurable. In addition, drug withdrawal always requires additional specialist help and long-term therapy aimed at restoring mental health and providing social support.
Works Cited
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Frusinoiu, Paula Stefania, and Cristian Silviu Banacu. “The consequences of illicit drug use. Estimation, methods and challenges.” Technium Social Sciences Journal, vol. 34, no. 1, 2022, pp. 472-482. Web.
Latief, Muhammad Iqbal, and Agustinus Solli. “Social challenges of teen in recovery from drugs addictions: A case study of Makassar, Indonesia.” Enfermeria Clinica, vol. 30, no. 2, 2020, pp. 390-393. Web.
Muhammad, Anasin Salisu, et al. “Menace of Drug and Substance Abuse Problems to Adolescents and the Society.” African Scholar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 21, no. 6, 2021, pp. 157-170. Web.
Shafiei, Fatemeh, et al. “Substance Abuse, Criminality, and Social Consequences: The Lived Experiences of Male Outpatients in a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program in Iran.” Journal of Addiction and Recovery, vol. 4, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1028-1037.
Smith, Mintzer Forman, and Holling Curtin Hiller. “Influence of drug abuse on human health in United States of America.” African Journal of Emerging Issues, vol. 3, no. 11, 2021, pp. 16-28. Web.