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Cause and effects of drug addiction

Drug addiction is a serious disease that has to be treated with the utmost seriousness. Most addicts do not intentionally start out using drugs with the aim to get addicted. It is quite difficult for a person who is not an addict to understand why someone would expose themselves to such risks that come with the abuse of drugs and other substances. There are many reasons that lead to the use and subsequent addiction, and each case of drug addiction should be viewed uniquely. There are, however, many general causes of drug use and the effects of addiction can be debilitating and life-changing.

The most common and apparent reason as to why a person begins to take drugs is to remedy or mask any pain that they may be feeling (Wise & George 254). This pain has an underlying cause which can be any number of things such as chronic medical conditions. Suffering from a medical condition that causes acute pain over a long period causes the patient to be addicted to the medication that relieves their pain. After some time, they find that they are dependent and can no longer function without the drugs in their system.

Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety can also lead to the prescription of drugs to manage the condition (Corrigan et al 147). If not well maintained, the patient can end up becoming hooked to the drugs. Cases of trauma and abuse that need the prescription of drugs can lead to addiction. Other factors such as problems in relationships with others, the loss of a loved one can elevate the stress levels that an individual suffers from, and they can resort to drugs to alleviate the pain. Poverty and low self-esteem are common reasons why people begin taking drugs as a way to escape their reality.

While taking drugs during the early times, the addict may think that they are in control and can stop at any time. This, however, changes as the drug use progresses and they find that they can no longer control it. The reason for this is that the brain tends to reward pleasurable experiences and taking drugs becomes one of such experiences (Volkow et al 367). An addict is hooked on the drug because of the high it gives them. Some factors that predispose one to become an addict include genetics, the environment, and the age at which one begins to take drugs.

There are many devastating effects that are brought about by drug addiction. Drug abuse often interferes with almost all the major organs of the body. The first effect is that it damages the immune system of the addicts, increasing their risk of infections. Drug addicts often suffer from diseases at any given time. The liver is the organ that detoxifies the body, and the more drugs are taken, the more the liver has to work to get rid of the excess drugs. Over time, the liver is overworked, and this leads to liver failure. Brain damage is another serious effect of taking drugs and can interfere with the decision-making capacity of the addict as well as causing attention and memory problems. Cardiovascular conditions, nausea, and abdominal pains are also caused by drug addiction.

Drug addiction also affects the emotional and social wellbeing of the addict regarding the loss of employment, financial problems, engaging in risky sexual behavior and incarceration due to crimes. Drug addiction needs to be adequately dealt with regarding diagnosis and treatment to avoid or lessen the long-term effects that come with the disease.

Works Cited

Corrigan, Patrick W., Sachiko A. Kuwabara, and John O’Shaughnessy. “The public stigma of mental illness and drug addiction: Findings from a stratified random sample.” Journal of social Work 9.2 (2009): 139-147.

Nestler, Eric J. “Epigenetic mechanisms of drug addiction.” Neuropharmacology 76 (2014): 259-268.

Volkow, Nora D., George F. Koob, and A. Thomas McLellan. “Neurobiologic advances from the brain disease model of addiction.” New England Journal of Medicine 374.4 (2016): 363-371.

Wise, Roy A., and George F. Koob. “The development and maintenance of drug addiction.” Neuropsychopharmacology39.2 (2014): 254.