"I have a whole new set of problems to think about now because of a choice I made in one stupid second...," reads an excerpt from "Incredibly Disgusting Drugs: Hallucinogens and Your Neurons." Having abused alcohol before trying a drug for the first time, the young woman woke up to learn she would need months of physical therapy. She later felt that she might have refused the PCP if she "hadn't already been a little wasted" from drinking. Chemical abuse injures not only the body and mind, but also relationships and responsibilities.
The Brain
The brain's functions are quickly affected after drugs enter the bloodstream, and thought, feeling or movement are affected in ways dependent on the type and quantity of drug and the user's age and sex. Immediate effects therefore vary widely, from excitement or lethargy to crises such as brain attack and opening yourself up to sexual or physical assault. Fetal alcohol syndrome, the main environmental cause of growth and mental impairment, is an example of a chronic drug abuse injury.
Broad Effects of Abuse
The bloodstream carries drugs throughout the body, including to the liver for removal. Over time, repeated abuse can lead to death. For example, alcohol abuse can kill because the liver becomes unable to filter toxins. The National Institutes of Health says alcohol abuse also causes heart disease, cancer, medication interactions and addiction. In the short term, alcohol and drug abuse can cause fatigue, headaches, vomiting, pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Broadly speaking, drug abuse can result in nausea, vomiting, sedation, nervousness, allergic reactions, heart rate change, blood pressure change and addiction.
Drug Reactions
More specifically, many drugs, such as hallucinogens, cause blurred vision, shaking, confusion, convulsions, paranoia, feelings of isolation, violent behavior, hallucinations, depression, anxiety, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, panic, uncontrollable eye movements, numbness, shivering, sweating and loss of appetite. The breadth of symptoms from alcohol and drug abuse is as vast as the variety of drugs available. As noted in "Drugs and Society": "All effects...are related to the amount of drug administered." Addiction then is one of the more dangerous consequences of substance abuse.
Relationships
The effects of drug and alcohol abuse can cause interpersonal problems in relationships at work and home. Particularly when someone becomes dependent on alcohol or other drugs, compulsive drug use can repeatedly interfere with personal and professional obligations. The effects of heavy alcohol use are illustrated by actor Richard Lewis' explanation that "I met a woman a few years ago, who's a friend of mine now. I went out with her for four months while I was drinking and I had no recollection of her being a girlfriend."
Support
From theft to support an addiction to broken promises, drug and alcohol abuse can threaten both the person using and the people around him. In addition to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, successful programs such as Al-Anon and Alateen have formed to help family members of people struggling with chemical dependency.
References
- "Incredibly Disgusting Drugs: Hallucinogens and Your Neurons"; Holly Cefrey; 2001
- "Drugs and Society, Ninth Edition"; Glen Hanson, Peter Venturelli, Annette Fleckenstein; 2006
- The University of North Carolina Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies: Costs of Alcohol Abuse
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Alcohol - A Women's Health Issue
- "Moments of Clarity: Voices from the Front Lines of Addiction and Recovery"; Christopher Kennedy Lawford; 2009
