Signs and Symptoms

Depending on the actual compound drug abuse including alcohol may lead to health problems social problems morbidity injuries unprotected sex violence deaths motor vehicle accidents homicides suicides physical dependence or psychological addiction.

There is a high rate of suicide in alcoholics and other drug abusers the reasons believed to cause the increased risk of suicide include long term abuse of alcohol and other drugs causing physiological distortion of brain chemistry as well as the social isolation another factory is the acute intoxicating effects of the drugs may make suicide more likely to occur suicide is also very common in adolescent alcohol abusers with 1 in 4 suicides in adolescents 30 percent of suicides are related to alcohol abuse alcohol abuse is also associated with increased risks of committing criminal offences including child abuse domestic violence rapes burglaries and assaults.

 

Drug Misuse

Drug misuse is a team used commonly when prescription medication with sedative anxiolytic analgesic or stimulant properties are used for mood alteration or intoxication ignoring the fact that overdose of such medicines have serious adverse effects it often involves drug diversion from the individuals for whom it was prescribed prescription misuse has been defined differently and rather inconsistently based on status of drug prescription the uses without a prescription intentional use to achieve intoxicating effects route of administration co-ingestion with alcohol and the presence or absence of dependence symptoms.

Chronic use leads to a change in central nervous system which means the patient has developed tolerance to the medicine that more of the substance is needed in order to produce desired effects when this happens any efforts to stop or reduce the use of this substance would cause withdrawal symptoms to occur.

The rate of prescription drug abuse is fast overtaking illegal drug abuse in the united states according to the national institute of drug abuse 7 millions people were talking prescription drug for nonmedical use in 2010 among 12th grades prescription drug misuse is now second only to cannabis nearly 1 in 12 high school reported nonmedical use of vicodin 1 in 2 reported abuse of oxycontin both of these drugs contain opioids.

 

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse also known as drug abuse is a patterned use of drug in which the users consumers the substance in amounts or with methods which are harmful to themselves or other and in a form of substance related disorder widely differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health medical and criminal justice contexts.

Drugs most often association with this term include alcohol barbiturates benzodiazepines cannabis cocaine methaqualone opioids and substituted  amphetamines.

In some cases criminal or anti-social behavior occurs when the person is under the influence of a drug and long term personality changes in individuals may occur as well in addition to possible physical social and psychological harm use of some drugs may also lead to criminal penalties although these vary widely depending on the local jurisdiction.

The exact causes of substance abuse is not clear with theories including one of two either a genetic disposition which is learned from other or a habit which if addiction develops it manifests itself as a chronic debilitating disease.

Drug Abuse Facts

• Use and abuse of illicit drugs like heroin and cocaine cost the american public about $181 billions every year annual alcohol costs come to about $235 billions.
• The untold cost of drugs and alcohol abuse and addiction in the united states is not financial it comes in the form of broken families destroyed careers death due to negligence or accident domestic violence and physical abuse and child abuse. 
• More than 30 millions americans over the age of 12 said that they drove a car after drinking alcohol at least one time in 2009
• Drug abuse and addiction changes your brain chemistry the longer you see your drugs of choice the more damage is done and the harder it is to go back to normal during drug rehab.
• Drug abuse and addiction disease like diabetes heart disease and other chronic medical illnesses once you've got it you're stuck to your treatment plan and stay engaged with your recovery.
• The best way to treat drug and alcohol dependence is to undergo a comprehensive rehabilitation program that is tailored to meet your specific needs if you experience depression your rehab program should treat that as well if you suffered a childhood trauma that should be addressed during drug rehab.

Most Commonly Used and Abused Drugs

Without questions the most commonly used abused drugs after alcohol is marijuana each year more teens enter addiction treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than all other illegal drugs combined other common drugs of abuse include cocaine heroin inhalants LSD acid MDMA ecstasy methamphetamine phencyclidine PCP steroids anabolic vicodin oxycontin and other prescription drugs for additional information about specific drugs including information by drug category street name how it is used and health risks:
commonly abused drugs.

      Short-term Effects of Drugs Use

Drugs are chemicals and while each drug produces different physical effects all abused substance share one thing in common they hijack the normal function of the brain and change the way the brain responds to issues of self -control judgment emotion motivation memory and learning.

This is why the person feels differently the signals coming and going from the brain have changed although this can cause temporary euphoria it can also causes hallucinations anxiety paranoia and uncontrolled behavior it can causes your respiratory lungs and cardiovascular heart system to malfunction or fail.
 

Facts About Drugs

According to the national survey on drug use and health NSDUH an estimate 20 millions americans aged 12 or older an illegal drug in the past 30 days this estimate represents 8% percent of the population aged 12 years old or older illicit drugs include marijuana/hashish cocaine heroin hallucinogens inhalants or prescription drugs used without a prescription.

  Cost To Society

The estimate cost of drug abuse exceeds $190 billions 

• $130 billions in lost productivity
• $20 billion in healthcare costs

$40 billion in legal costs including efforts to steam the flow of drugs

Beyond the financial costs is the cost to individuals families and society;

• Spread of infectious diseases such as hiv/aids and hepatitis C either through sharing of drugs paraphernalia or unprotected sex
• Deaths due to overdose or other complications from drug abuse
• Effects on unborn children of pregnant drug users 
• impact on the family crime and homelessness

A Blind Eye To Addiction

      DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTS IN THE US 

Addiction is america's most neglected disease according to a columbia university study 40 millions american age 12 and over meet the clinical criteria for addiction involving nicotine alcohol or other drug that's more americans that those with heart disease diabetes or cancer an estimated additional 80 millions people in this country are risky substance users meaning that while not additional they use tobacco alcohol and other drugs in ways that threaten public health and safety the costs to government coffers alone exceed $468 billion annually.

Over 38,000 peopled died of drugs overdoses in the u.s in 2010 greater than the deaths attributed to motor vehicle accidents homicides and suicides overdose deaths from opioids have become the fastest growing drug problems throughout the us and not just in large urban settings.