According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, most drug addictions start as casual or social drug use. Some people continue to use drugs occasionally without developing an addiction. Others form an addictive drug habit. Often, drug use becomes more and more frequent, and after building a tolerance to a drug, the user is likely to need higher doses to get the same effect as when he first started using the drug. Over time, the habitual use of a drug can be seen in deteriorated cognitive abilities, mental problems and insomnia. Users can also be at an increased risk for many diseases, such as HIV or hepatitis C, if he shared the needles with other drug abusers.
Mental Disorders
According to Medical University of South Carolina, mental disorders often occur after prolonged substance abuse problems. Having both a mental disorder and a substance abuse problem reduces the helpfulness of clinical treatment and the prognosis for both conditions. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, when a patient receives treatment for mental disorders, the likelihood that both the patient's addiction and mental health will improve is high. Mental disorders that are often linked to drug addictions include depressive disorders, bipolar disorders and substance-induced mood disorders. These disorders can bring about feelings like depression, irritability and anxiety in a drug addict.
Memory and Learning
Often, a drug addict may see a significant drop in her cognitive abilities, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse. She might find it hard to learn new things or to recall past events. She might also have difficulty shifting her attention from one thing to another. The most common type of drugs that cause such cognitive problems are cannabinoids, but impaired memory and learning have also been linked to several other types of drugs. Some of these include dissociative anesthetics, barbiturates, depressants, stimulants and inhalants. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that memory problems found in, for example, heavy marijuana may not be permanent if the drug abuse has not lasted long. However, it is unclear whether or not the memory dysfunction is more permanent in people who have used stronger drugs.
Changes in Sleep Patterns
When people get addicted to certain drugs, it is common for them to begin to suffer from different sleep-related problems. The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services says that both withdrawal and prolonged use of drugs may result in insomnia, hypersomnia and sleep apnea. Certain drugs like cocaine, marijuana and alcohol can upset a drug abuser's normal sleep patterns. Often, people who abuse depressants use even more of the drug in hope that it will help them sleep
References
- Medical University of South Carolina: Mood Disorders and Substance Use Disorder: A Complex Comorbidity
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Treating Mood Disorders in Drug Abuse Patients Yields Improvement in Both Conditions
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Research Report Series--Marijuana Abuse
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Commonly Abused Drugs
- New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services: Insomnia and Alcohol and Substance Abuse
