Drug Abuse Essay

Drug abuse has an effect on all aspects of life; overall health and wellness, family life, and the community. With there being so many different kinds of drugs the effects are endless. The effect of drug abuse does not discriminate or focus on any one person. Drug abuse can be found in any area of the world and the overall effects can be devastating to anyone involved. A person’s choice to use any kind of illegal drug or abusing prescribed medicines can have a damaging impact on their overall health and wellness. This damaging effect on addicts overall health and wellness can be both short and long term. An active addict can face many health changes and challenges throughout the time that they choose to use. There can be many short term effects that depend on exactly what drug is being abused. There are drugs that can raise your heart rate, make you hallucinate, and even dehydrate you badly. â€Å"The impact of addiction can be far reaching. Cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and lung disease can all be affected by drug abuse. Some of these effects occur when drugs are used at high doses or after prolonged use; however, some may occur after just one use.† An addict can face many mental health issues during their addiction that can have a devastating effect on their own life. Women substance abusers are more likely than men to have poor self-concepts (low self-esteem, guilt, self-blame) and high rates of mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar affective disorder, suicidal ideation, psychosexual disorders, eating disorders, and Post traumatic stress disorder.† â€Å"Chronic use of some drugs of abuse can cause long-lasting changes in the brain, which may lead to paranoia, depression, aggression, and hallucinations.† The addict has a giant effect on their family and home environment. There can be many issues that a family must face when an addict is living in the home. There can be many forms of abuse in a home where there is an addict. There can be sexual abuse, financial abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse in any home. The addiction is not responsible for the violence but can intensify and make it more common. When an addict is deep in their addiction they will often put financial responsibilities of the home off to get high instead. This can cause child neglect by no food being in home, no  electricity or heat. There can be consequences for the children living in a home with an active addict. These consequences may not show up for years until the child of the addict is grown. â€Å"The disturbed home and family setup, the inter-parental and parent-child conflict, parental neglect in large families, defective disciplinary techniques (too lax or too strict) and family disorganization ar e considered as some of the causes of drug abuse.† There is a higher risk of children of an addict growing up to become addicts themselves An addict has an effect on the community in which they live. This effect from an addict can cause problems for the entire community There is more possibility of crime and erratic behavior in the community where an active addict is living. A defining characteristic of addictive behavior is that they involve in the pursuit of short-term gratification at the expense of long-term harm When a person is under the influence of any drug they may not be fully conscious of the choices that they are making. When there is an active drug area in the community there is usually more violence and less desired living situations. When there are drugs in a common area that area becomes more prone to violence and could actually desensitize the people in the community When you have shootings, robberies, rapes, and murders in any area there will be less of a desire for anybody to want to live there. Conclusion In conclusion with their being so much drug abuse in today’s society where do we begin to help break the cycle? We have seen that the problem is a mental health issue that begins with the addict; however drug abuse has an effect on all aspects of life; overall health and wellness, family life, and the community. If we stop judging the addicts and making them feel so much shame and embarrassment, we can lift them up, encourage them and support them to better then it can change the overall hurt and damage that is being inflicted on our people and society.