The Physical And Psychological Effects Of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is the continuous, obsessive and repeated usage of drugs in large quantities with withdrawal symptoms while away from using such drugs. The effects of prolonged drugs addiction can be classified as physical and psychological effects.

The psychological effects of drug addiction primarily affect brain functionality capacity. Ideally, the majority of the drug users started taking drugs to counter stress and pain little did they know that addiction was a result. Psychological effects create a cycle to the user in that while he/she is away from the drugs and encounters pain or stress, they think drugs to offer the best alternative for the challenge.

The effect is known as drug craving a condition that the drug user is enslaved to the usage of the drug. Craving inculcates the belief that one cannot function or work without the application of the drug. This is the major psychological effect of drug addiction. Many other psychological effects of drug addiction include hallucinations, confusion and mood swings resulting from depression, anxiety, and violence.

The complication of mental diseases, psychological tolerance, and creation of the stronger desire to use the drug, engagement in risky behaviors such as chaos, fights and violence and the general decrease of pleasure are the other psychological effects of drug addiction.

The major effects of drug addiction affect the brain functionality capability hence affect how the brain perceives pleasure. The effects of drug addiction are brought to the brain because drugs flood the brain with chemicals. A such, the brain adjusts and depend on the chemicals to function. Ideally, drug addiction induces highs in the brain.

The commonly known effects of drug addiction include the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases. Heart irregularities, abdominal pains, constipation, and frequent diarrheas and kidney damage are other effects. Further, respiratory challenges for instance cases of lung cancer, breathing difficulties and emphysema have been reported.

Increased rates of seizures, strokes, damage of the brain, appetite changes, change of body temperature patterns, sleeping patterns and heart attacks are other common challenges brought by the use and abuse of drugs.

The physical effects of drug addiction are also manifested in the babies of drug abusers and the increased child mortality rates. The devastating effect of drug users’ babies is that the babies are affected cognitively and their mental development becomes retarded.

Briefly, drug addiction has devastating effects physically and psychologically. The effects affect both the normal functioning of the body physically and psychologically. As such, the use of drugs without the doctor’s prescription should be abolished to mitigate the effects.

What To Do When You Expect Your Child Is Using Drugs

Raising teenagers can be overwhelming work even to the most skilled parents. While you can control what your kids do while in the house, there’s only so much you can do when they step out of the house. As much as most parents would like to ignore it, peer pressure and drug addiction are real and no one is an exception. Kids are easily lured into taking drugs at an early age and parents are the ones left to clean up the mess.

If you suspect your teenager is using drugs, it is important that you get informed on how to approach the situation before taking any action. Most parents get excited when faced with such situations, leading them to act in a rush. This often makes the situation worse and may end up destroying trust between parents and their kids.

It is important that you always keep an eye out for any changes in your child’s behavior. Experts advise that you always try to get to the bottom of things when your child starts displaying behavioral changes. For instance, if your child suddenly withdraws and spends less time with the family, it would be wise to investigate. While it could be nothing to worry about, it could also mean that your child is depressed or even using drugs.

So what do you do when you suspect your child is abusing drugs? Well, for starters, you’ll need to get your Sherlock Holmes hat and start investigating. This may require that you breach your child’s privacy in ways that might destroy trust between the two of you.

Start by asking what it is that could be bothering your child and insist on getting a genuine answer. If they are always trying to dismiss it, then it’s time you got out the big guns. Search their rooms for paraphernalia or stashes of drugs hidden in clever, sometimes not so clever spots in the room.

If you want to get to the bottom of things, you may even suggest a drug test and see how they react. Most teenagers using drugs won’t be up for it and might actually try to fight you on this. However, you should only suggest drug testing when you are convinced that your child could be using drugs. If you decide to go ahead with the test, consider home drug testing kits which will save you and your child the embarrassment of having to visit a lab for testing.

Finally, it is important that you seek professional counseling for your teenagers, regardless of whether they are using drugs or not. Prevention is better than cure and getting informed will save you a great deal of trouble.

How To Help People Overcome Addiction

If you know anybody who is struggling with drug addiction, the right move is to help such people. This is because there is no sense in judging and blaming drug addicts. Once you have recognized that a problem exists, it is your duty to help people overcome addiction. Below are some ways to help drug addicts and restore them to the path of wholesome living again.

Educate Yourself
A popular aphorism states that you cannot give what you do not have. This statement is perfectly applicable to you if you want to help people overcome struggle and addiction. The first step is to educate yourself so that you know exactly what drug addiction is and what it is not. Once you have accurate information on drug addiction, you can go ahead and help people who are struggling with this problem.

Avoid the Blame Game
One thing you should not do is play the blame game. The individual struggling with addiction has enough on his or plate already. Do not find fault and do not go around preaching to the person you want to help. Talking about what the person did or failed to do is a total waste of time. Accept the situation as it is and talk about the way forward.

Recommend Sensible Solutions
For all, you know the person you are trying to help does not even know where to seek help. If you know reputable facilities that can help people who are struggling with addiction, you should recommend these organizations to the person you want to help.

Offer Your Support
There is no magic formula to cure drug addiction. Recovering from addiction is a time consuming and frustrating process. Remember that it took a while for the person you are helping to become an addict. For this reason, it will take some time to get a perfect solution. In case the person feels discouraged, it is your duty to offer support in many ways. Take out time to talk to the person, Give sensible advice and make excellent recommendations.

Take Care of Yourself
Helping a drug addict is a mentally draining and physically challenging job. One thing you should always do is take care of yourself. This is because you have to be strong for yourself the person you are helping. Eat well, sleep well and maintain the perfect work-life balance. This way, you have the health, stamina, and energy to be useful to the addict.

Final Word
If you know anybody struggling with any form of addiction, do not stay away from the person. Offer your support and help the person through the recovery process. Do this and you will get both emotional and spiritual rewards.

Helping Addicts Get Sober

Helping to get sober a keep clean is an ongoing and exceptionally difficult (and oftentimes lonely) struggle. And meth is a particularly difficult drug to break away from. The good news is that sobriety is possible. Millions of addicts have accomplished it, and if you are here and looking for help, you can get sober too.

You’ve heard the saying that a journey or 1,000 steps begins with taking the first step. Although the saying is trite, it remains true. Just take ONE step. Reaching out and telling someone that you want help is, for many, that first step.

Help IS available. Before we get started with other features here on this site, we want to at least put this resource in front of you in case you have stumbled upon our site in your search for help. If meth is a problem for you, begin with the national SAMHSA site – SAMHSA stands for “Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration” – don’t delay. Take this first step. Someone is there to help you NOW: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline