Addiction has many faces. The crack-addicted homeless person, the amphetamine-addled long-distance trucker and the cocktail-lubricated corporate executive may be worlds away from each other in terms of their lifestyles and economic demographic, but they all share a common disease.
Addiction eats away at a person's mental and physical well-being, replacing rational thought and true fulfillment with a craven need to seek solace in the consumption of mind-altering substances. The effects of drug addiction wreak havoc not only in the life of the individual involved, but also in the society that supports and sustains that individual.
Breakdown of the Family Unit
The preponderance of groups such as Al-Anon and Co-dependents Anonymous attests to the ruinous damage inflicted on the families of those caught in addiction's thrall. A. M. Reinaldo of the School of Nursing at Minas Gerais Federal University has studied the effects of alcohol addiction on the family and found that it causes profound suffering. Drug abuse has been connected with domestic violence, child abuse and financial losses, all of which can contribute to the dissolution of marital bonds and the alienation of children and other loved ones.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse adds that the effects of drug abuse on a family vary with different family structures. Single-parent families, foster families and stepfamilies may respond differently to a member's addiction, but the over-arching effect of addiction on the family is one of negativism, denial, anger and inconsistency.
Overburdened Public Institutions
The medical burdens inflicted on the public health system due to addiction are formidable. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in 2008 that 14 percent of all patients admitted to hospitals have addiction disorders. Almost a quarter of all money spent by Medicare on inpatient treatment is related to addiction.
The prisons of the United States are packed with inmates with addiction disorders. Regular drug use is a reality in 70 percent of prison inmates, and 80 percent of inmates incarcerated since 1985 are drug offenders, according to NIDA.
Economic Calamity
The American economy suffers from the actions of its drug-addicted citizens. NIDA reports that the U.S. experiences an annual loss of $67 billion dollars due to the economic impact of addiction.
Drug Addiction Support explains that these costs are incurred due to the increased need for law enforcement, the occurrence of traffic accidents, the increased frequency of work absenteeism and numerous other societal effects that drain financial resources.
References
- Drug Addiction Support: Effects of Addiction
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Transition Paper; October 2008
- "The Lancet"; Alcohol and Public Health; Robin Room, Thomas Babor, Jürgen Rehm; February 2005
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Impact of Substance Abuse on Families
- Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem; "Alcohol Effects on Family Relations: a Case Study"; Reinaldo AM, Pillon SC; July-August 2008
