The abuse of prescription and illegal narcotic drugs can have devastating effects on both the user and the family. These adverse effects include physical, mental and emotional damage as well as the loss of financial independence, social networks and family relations. Research published in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews implies that as drug abuse has brain-related effects, treatment can be long-term and very difficult for the addict.
Definition
Drug abuse is defined as a chronic, compulsive drug seeking and use by an individual despite the obvious harmful consequences. The National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA, advises that there are three main types of drugs. Class A includes drugs such as heroin, cocaine, opiates and lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD. Class B drugs are amphetamines and cannabis and Class C includes legal anabolic steroids, alkyl nitrites, tobacco and alcohol.
Physical Effects
Popular drugs such as alcohol are linked to a wide range of illnesses including heart disease, liver damage and certain cancers. Tobacco, cigarette and hookah smoking can be addictive early-on and can lead on respiratory illnesses, heart disease, stroke and cancer. Medline Plus underlines that seemingly benign drugs such as alcohol can have particularly adverse effects on developing babies who are born with birth defects, lower intelligence and behavioral disorders. Smoking is also closely related to premature birth, low birth weight and miscarriages and stillbirths.
Mental Effects
Mental health issues of any kind can become worse with drug abuse. Alcohol can lead to further depression and anxiety in some individuals while drugs such as speed and acid can cause paranoia and psychosis. Smoking cannabis is linked to a mild form of the psychiatric disorder schizophrenia. The mental health website Healthy Place emphasizes that psychological disorders can also appear in family members due to the stress of living or caring for a drug abuser.
Aggression
Drug abuse can also lead to anxiety, irritability and aggression. In some cases the abuser may spend much needed family income on obtaining drugs or may be unable to hold onto meaningful employment. Adolescents who abuse drugs can have poor academic performance and behavioral problems in both the school and home. Research from the Clinical Psychology Review emphasizes that drug abuse can increase the risk of violence, loss of inhibition and risk taking behavior. The increased stress and emotional frustration leads to further cycles of violence and neglect.
Treatment
There are several types and forms of treatment for drug abuse that depend on the circumstances and health of the individual. In some cases individual counseling may be adequate, while in others, the drug abuser may need to be removed from the current environment and placed in a rehabilitation center for the best treatment. Group counseling is also very beneficial according to a study published in the "Journal for Substance Abuse Treatment," which showed that a group therapy increased the chances of success for the addict.
References
- Healthy Place: What Happens to the Family when Addiction Becomes Part of It?
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Understanding Drug Abuse
- Medline Plus: Smoking may worsen pregnancy complication
- Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Craving's Place in Addiction Theory: Contributions of the Major Models; Marilyn Skinner and Henri-Jean Aubin 2010
- Clinical Psychology Review, Drug Abuse and Aggression between Intimate Partners: A Meta-analytic Review, Moore, Todd et al. 2008
