Substances of Abuse: Alcohol and Other Drugs

Substance abuse is excessive use of an addictive substance mainly drugs and alcohol. Overindulgence induces abnormal physiological, behavioral and cognitive tendencies characterized by a strong desire to take the drug or alcohol. People who abuse alcohol and other drugs are unable to quit the vice; and they continue in spite the negative consequences on their health. They give alcohol and/or other drugs higher priority compared to other more important obligations like work and food. Substances abused can either be legal or illegal; Legal substances include substances that are approved by the law or by the prescription of the doctor and they include caffeine, nicotine (tobacco) and alcoholic beverages; or tranquilizers, steroids, barbiturates, analgesics, hallucinogens and amphetamines respectively. Illegal drugs are either prescription drugs that are diverted from the intended use for example morphine and opiates. Another group of illegal drugs include cocaine, marijuana, hashish, heroine and other hallucinogenic drugs. Dependence on drugs and alcohol drugs have primary negative effects on the individual user (Feldman, 1969). This paper seeks to closely examine motivations for substance and drug abuse; and the physiological and psychological effects.

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There are many reasons attributed to overdependence alcohol and drugs by individuals. These include peer pressure, desire to relieve stress, increase energy supply, induce relaxation, relieve pain, boost self -esteem, help escape the reality and for recreation. The negative impact to drug abuse spreads to the entire society, the family of the victim and to the individual himslef. (Bellenir, 2002)

Feldman (1969), points out that drug users experience a wide range of physical effects. These include feeling fatigued, body aches and body injuries due to accidents. People who use marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs experience severe withdrawal syndrome, and exhibit symptoms like muscle cramps, vomiting, and convulsions. The body ultimately develops tolerance due to continued use of such physically addictive drugs. Sharing of injection needles for drug injection is has been accredited for increasing the rate transmission of AIDS and hepatitis among consumers of injectable drug substance. Hallucinogenic drugs also lead to increase in sexual activity and immorality among users thus exposing them to HIV and AIDS among other sexually transmitted diseases.

Furthermore, illegal drugs are highly pure and this increases the risk of automatic overdose among users. A drug or alcohol overdose may leads to death due severe physiological damage to the body organs. Overdose is common in cases of extreme addiction where the user continuously increases the intake quantity to overcome body tolerance. Alcohol abuse may cause liver cirrhosis, which is untreatable and eventually causes death. Continuous over dependence on drug substances that directly injected into the blood veins may cause heart problems due to increased heart rate, collapse and infection of blood veins. High doses of drug substance may cause seizures, brain damage and stroke. In addition to this, drug abuse during pregnancy may induce miscarriages, deformities in the fetus and even death upon birth for either the newborn, mother, or both. Many mental health problems are common among alcohol and other drugs substance abusers; with overuse on antidepressants commonly linked mental underdevelopment and disorders which eventually leads to madness (Bellenir, 2002).

Feldman (1969), acknowledges various psychological effects of overconsumption of alcohol and other drugs. One common psychological effect of substance abuse among users is criminal tendencies. High on drugs most of the time, drug users most of the time resort to crime. This is because drug dependence makes them lazy and unemployable and as a result, they resort stealing anything they can sale and get money to buy alcohol or drugs. People affected buy alcohol abuse are also likely to be violent. Similarly, drugs abuse affect mood and morale; lowering self esteem. For those in employment, their performance maybe drastically drop leading to their eventual job loss and the stress or depression that comes with joblessness.

Withdrawal tendencies accelerates depression which may lead to socially deviant behavior such as theft and violence. Mental health problems that include apathy and frequent psychological dysfunctions are commonly linked to drug abuse among adolescents. If not managed well and early enough, these may deteroriate suicidal tendencies due to inability to cope with pressure and depression associated with drug abuse (Feldman, 1969).

Excessive alcohol and marijuana are associated with short term memory loss, slow learning and underdevelopment of psychomotor skills. In addition, psychosexual development is hampered or underdeveloped. People involved in substance abuse suffer stigmatization, which causes disengagement from the community and even dropping out of school, employment and other associations. For school going adolescents, poor performance is common due to over engagement drug use and forgetting their core mandate as students.

For students, drug and alcohol abuse leads to chronic absenteeism from school, underperformance and unexplained drop in the students grades. Substance abusers pose a risk of causing more deaths, illness or even physical disabilities to themselves due to inability to coordinate well and make sound judgments. Fatal road accidents as a result of drunk driving and drug use is a common cause of many deaths globally (Feldman, 1969).

Feldman (1969), explains that substance abuse and addiction is either intentional or unintentional. He points out ignorance as the leading cause of unintended drug and substance abuse. For example, common household curative drugs are abused when taken in excess as a result of ignoring or lack of doctors prescriptions. These drugs have equally severe physiological and psychological effects just like alcohol and other illegal hard drugs when taken in wrong doses. Over the counter drugs (OTC), including pain killers, antihistamines and sedative drugs are other common drugs that abused unintentionally. Effects of abuse of such drugs may cause addiction, body resistance to treatment and accumulation of harmful toxins in the body. Resistance to drugs as a result of abuse may cause bodys resistance to other common curative drugs and weak immune system.

Besides Alcohols negative physiological effects to the body, it is widely consumed all over the world with little or no regard to its adverse effects. Some alcohols brands are not well prepared and are extremely poisonous to the nervous system, the heart, the liver and the brain. Tobacco, a source of nicotine obtained from cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of cancer. Chain smokers are susceptible to esophagus cancer, breast cancer and brain tumors. Pain killers are easily dispensed at retail shops without doctors prescription. The ease of availability and lenient government legislation is the reason for uncontrolled sell of such drugs that may lead to abuse and addiction. Antidepressants and sleep inducers are also commonly abused and they easily induce dependence on their users (Bellenir, 2002).

There are a number of factors that are believed to contribute to alcohol and other drug and substance abuse. First and foremost, ignorance of by users on the many negative effects of such drugs is a big contributor to substance and drug abuse. Secondly, peer pressure especially among youths and adolescents draws them to alcohol and drug use and addiction. In addition to this, some drugs are easily available and cheap making it easy for many people to afford and use. Unfortunately, prolonged sickness and treatment may lead a person unintentionally abuse drugs and suffer the physiological and psychological effects that comes with it. Lastly, uncontrolled media advertisements have popularized and led to increased use of drugs and alcohol among youth. The youth tend to pick identity with certain brands of alcohol and cigarettes, end up over consuming and getting addicted (Bellenir, 2002).

In conclusion, substance abuse has both physiological and psychological impact to the abusers. Impact of drug abuse depend on a number of factors that include the type of drug, the amount/dose consumed, mode of consumption and frequency. Physiological impact include weakening of body immune system making it susceptible to diseases. Common diseases associated with substance abuse include heart disease, liver cirrhosis, infertility, mental disorders and diseases and lastly brain damage in both children and adults. Psychological impacts include depression, apathy, and poor personality development. Substance abuse also cause poor concentration and performance of individuals, lack of sleep, withdrawal, violence, stigmatization especially among the youth and. People who do drugs are highly likely to commit crime that may include theft, murder and violence. Lastly, poor mental; emotional and psychomotor skill development among infants is also an effect of substance abuse by mothers during pregnancy. To sum up, alcohol and drug abuse affect the personality of individuals making them to develop deviant behaviors outside acceptable social norms. There, deliberate efforts should be directed towards regulation of drug and alcohol use in order to save the lives that are being destroyed by this menace. Stringent policies should be put in place to control distribution and use of drugs and medicines.

References

Feldman, R. (1969). Drug addiction and drug abuse. Boulder, CO: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

Bellenir, K. (2002). Drug information for teens: Health tips about the physical and mental effects of substance abuse. Detroit: Omnigraphics