Addiction is one of the worst dilemmas in society. It is extremely dangerous as it causes severe mental and health changes in a person’s life. The organs in the body are fragile and should be taken care of. If addiction enters the system, the possibility of damaging your body is high. Each substance has its own set of issues that they can bring about. But the fact remains, addiction can have cause damage to a person physically, mentally, professionally, and relationally.
Addiction prevents a person from enjoying the things they once enjoyed, and it destroys the normal functions of the brain, having a strong effect on all bodily functions. Addiction can deter the connection of the brain to other bodily functions, making it harder for a person to live a normal life. It is important to know and understand the effects of the chemicals from the substance in the body, and the areas they usually affect.
What are the areas affected by addiction?
You have to consider the consequences of addiction in your life and your body before risking your life abusing substances. Listed below are some of the areas that substance abuse can have an effect on.
Legal aspects
There are substances that are illegal because of their deadly nature. However, they are still distributed through illegal markets. If you purchase an illicit substance, your chances of getting a criminal record increase exponentially. This not only applies to illicit substances but legal ones as well. If you are caught in public under the influence of alcohol or are caught driving while intoxicated, you can be subject to serious jail time. Drunk driving is rampant in all areas of the world, but people fail to realize just how fatal an action like this can be.
Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 1974 states that “ A person who drives or attempts to drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or alcohol and drugs to such an extent as being incapable of having proper control of the vehicle commits an offense, and the offender may be arrested without a warrant.” This means that anyone who commits this violation may receive penalties including paying for fines, disqualification from driving, or imprisonment.
School and Work-life
Addiction affects brain functions such as concentration and memory. People cannot function properly if they lack concentration, and it is the bread and butter of any task done perfectly. For students and employees, they are required to be attentive to everything around them. If students wish to pass a subject, then they need to concentrate on learning. Employees are required to have attention to everything they do, every task they do is crucial and vital to the company, that is why everything must be done accurately. When students fail and employees lose their jobs, they could start to lose hope since their dreams have been shattered and they threw away an opportunity. However, some people do not turn their life around and instead seek more substances to forget their current situation. This can cause the development of depression and anxiety in an individual, which could ultimately lead to suicide.
Relationships
Drug abuse can affect relationships with your family, friends, or loved ones. For people suffering from addiction, it becomes harder for them to socialize and be open with other people because they feel like they have to hide their true selves. Some addicts even become depressed, paranoid, irritable, or anxious, putting a strain on any relationships they have. Addiction ultimately affects how an individual connects to other people such as family, friends, and loved ones.
Financial Issues
Prices for different substances vary quite drastically. Some substances are expensive and hard to come by, while others are cheaper and much more prominent. However, no matter the cost, an addict will spend however much they can to get as much of a substance as they need. Drug addicts are prone to financial struggles because of this. They can also start to develop financial issues if they lose their one source of income because of their addiction.
Physical and Mental Health
Excessive chemical in-take can severely damage vital organs. Severe weight loss, loss in proper vital organ function, abnormal heart rates, skin discoloration, open wounds, etc. are all just a few of the physical effects addiction can have on the body. Some other common physical health problems are as follow:
Tolerance
Regularly abusing a drug could lead to tolerance which means that an individual needs to consume more drugs/alcohol in order to achieve the same results they did before.
Dependence
A person who develops tolerance will soon be dependent on a substance. This means that an individual will no longer function normally without the presence of a substance. During this stage is when we start to see withdrawal symptoms if a person has gone some time without the substance in their system.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Usually, withdrawal symptoms occur when an individual voluntarily or involuntarily puts a halt in their consumption of a substance. Some of the symptoms are insomnia, depression, dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and cravings.
Overdose
An overdose occurs when the effects of the drug result in physical and psychological harm. This happens when you consume more than your usual intake, which many addicts end up doing overtime as tolerance builds. It can result in fatal consequences and even cause a person to die.
Substance abuse is something that affects all areas of your life. Physically, mentally, professionally, and relationally this sort of action will affect you. Substance abuse not only affects you, but it affects the people and things around you as well.
But, It is not the end of your road, you can still recover. Call any treatment centers for help, do it as soon as possible. They can give you information that will surely help you recover.
