Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a premiss of drug abuse that results in repeated
and unfavorable social consequences connected to taking drugs. Though being
addicted implies drug dependence, it is conceivable to be dependent on a
drug without being addicted. As an example, people that take drugs to handle
diseases and disorders may experience improvement of their
condition. To be considered as being addicted to drugs a person must take
a drug regularly and experience unpleasant symptoms if interrupted. Those
who have just begun taking drugs have more potential to be diagnosed with
drug abuse. Drug addiction can exist without drug abuse, and drug abuse can
persist for a considerable period of time without becoming drug
addiction.
Drug addiction starts with drug abuse when a person
makes a voluntary choice to use drugs. Addiction is more then a lot of drug
use. Scientific research provides overwhelming evidence that drugs have long
term effects on brain metastasis and activity. Changes occur in the brain
that change drug abuse into addiction, a degenerative, relapsing illness.
Those who are addicted to drugs experience an overwhelmingly compulsive drug
craving and will not be able to stop on their own. Treatment is necessary
to end this compulsive behavior.
Health Effects of Drug
Addiction
Individuals who suffer from addiction often have multiple accompanying
medical issues such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and mental
disorders. Medical analysis show the detrimental effects of drug abuse throughout
the body. As an example, tests show that the health effects of smoking are cancer of
the mouth, throat, larynx, blood, lungs, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder,
and cervix. In addition, most other abused substances, such as inhalants,
are poisonous to nerves and may harm or destroy them either in the brain
or the peripheral nervous system.
Statistics of Drug
Addiction
Drug abuse and addiction are disorders that impact all of the various
population groups. According to information from the National Longitudinal
Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey, 13.3% of the nationwide represented survey
group displayed signs of alcoholism during their lifespan, and 4.4% displayed
signs of alcoholism in the past year. According to the National Household
Survey on Drug Abuse, 6.4% of those surveyed had used an illicit drug in
the past month. Although drug addiction can start at any age, people ages
18 to 24 have relatively greater drug abuse rates, and that addiction often
happens sometime during the ages of 20 to 49. Drug abuse disorders are generally
more frequent in men.
The Cost of Drug Abuse
In addition to being an individual health condition, drug abuse and
addiction can be seen as a public health dilemma with different levels of
health, economic, and unfavorable social implications. Drug related conditions
are connected with teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted
diseases, as well as failure in school, domestic violence, homelessness,
unemployment, and crimes such as sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery,
larceny, and burglary. Research has estimated the total economic cost of
alcohol and drug abuse to be $245.7 billion for 1992. Of this, $97.7 billion
was due to drug abuse. This estimate includes drug abuse treatment and prevention
costs as well as other healthcare costs, costs associated with reduced job
productivity or lost earnings, and other costs to society such as crime and
social welfare.
List of Substances Considered
Addictive
|
