Alcohol and drug abuse are costly---not only for the users, but for America in general. In fact, half a trillion dollars are lost annually due to health, crime-related expenses and productivity losses, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. What these statistics fail to reveal, however, are the lasting effects of drug abuse that plague both abusers and their families.
Family Breakdown
Alcohol and drug abuse often adversely affects the abuser's relationships. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that while the decision to use drugs or alcohol is voluntary, a person who becomes addicted to these substances loses his ability to make sound decisions as the substance changes the brain. The intense impulse to use drugs or alcohol often leads to violent or erratic behavior, which ends up wrecking relationships and destroying family bonds.
Failure at Work or School
A person who abuses drugs or alcohol often loses sight of his responsibilities, focusing more on his need for substances. Teens may suddenly lose interest in former activities, begin failing in school and neglecting their appearance, according to MayoClinic.com. An adult abuser's habit may affect his work performance, causing him to make risky decisions such as stealing or performing dangerous tasks while under the influence. Ultimately, these behaviors may lead to failure at school or loss of employment.
Health Effects
Continually abusing drugs or alcohol not only causes immediate health risks such as heart or respiratory failure and overdose, it may also affect a person's long-term health condition, causing weight changes, high blood pressure and disease. Frequent illness is common as the immune system becomes weak. In addition, long-term effects of alcohol can lead to vitamin deficiencies, stomach ailments, central nervous system damage, sexual impotence and loss of memory, according to the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies.
