The Effects of Drugs on the Human Body
The more that we understand about addiction the better we’re able to treat it, and that includes understanding the effects of drugs on the human body. The consequences of substance abuse go far beyond ruined finances and broken relationships, with very real connections between drug use and harm to the body and the brain. Awareness about these connections is integral on the path to recovery and could be a motivating factor for many of those in the thralls of their illness.
Unfortunately, drug and alcohol addiction is very common today, with people from all sorts of backgrounds struggling with substance abuse. And, you don’t need to look any further than the opioid epidemic to see that individuals are becoming dependent on very damaging substances earlier in their addiction, skipping right past “gateway drugs.”
What we know about the neurochemistry of substance abuse however is that stopping is a lot more difficult than it sounds. Dependency is both physical and mental, and to truly recover, it’s necessary for an individual with addiction or poly-substance abuse to be willing to do whatever it takes to come out on the other side. One of the best ways to do it: going into detail about what drugs actually do when they’re consumed. Here’s what we know.
Substance Abuse and the Body
The “high” that a drug produces is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what it’s doing to the body. According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), one in four deaths in this country can be attributed to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit or prescription drug use. That staggering number has to do with the damaging effects of drugs on the body’s key systems, some of which can continue long after a person has gotten sober.So, what are some of the negative correlations between addiction and the brain and body? Here are some of the potential side effects to be aware of:
– Weakened immune system
– Liver failure
– Heart failure
– Severe brain damage
– Cognitive problems, including problems with memory and attention
– Seizures
– Stroke
– Nausea and abdominal pain
There is also the very real possibility of death. The number of drug overdose deaths was four times higher in 2018 than in 1999, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 130 people dying every single day in the U.S. from opioid abuse alone.
Getting Help
No drug is worth sacrificing your quality of life—or your life itself. If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, we are here to help. Please contact Retreat Behavioral Health today. We offer residential, and outpatient treatment for substance abuse.
