The Effects of Drug Addiction

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the estimated societal cost of drug abuse and addiction is over half a trillion dollars yearly. Drug addiction is a disease caused by a person's physical and/or psychological dependency on the drug; it is highly difficult to overcome it and the overall effects can be disheartening, especially to the addict's loved ones.

Features of Drug Addiction

• Drug addiction affects an individual's entire body. Stimulants such as cocaine cause elevated energy, restlessness and insomnia; opiates, such as heroin, benzodiazepines, such as Valium, and barbiturates such as Nembutal results in slowed movements, response times and speech. Drugs that are snorted often result in nosebleeds; smoked drugs can lead to bronchitis; and methamphetamine can cause severe dental issues.

  Drug addiction can also affect the addict's mood. He may display unusual talkativeness, inflated energy, irritability, anger, unresponsiveness (a spaced-out expression), lack of emotion, depression, paranoia, hallucinations and delusions.

Withdrawal Symptoms

• The majority of drugs that are abused are physically and mentally addictive because the user takes it continuously, seeking the initial pleasurable effect. Consequently, stopping or reducing the drug use results in painful withdrawal symptoms. Cocaine withdrawal symptoms include depression, anxiety, irritability, insomnia and cravings. Methamphetamine withdrawal can result in interruption in sleep patterns, extreme tiredness, restlessness, severe hunger, confusion and psychotic behavior. Opiate withdrawal often causes yawning, sweating, muscle ache, abdominal cramps and rapid heartbeat.

Economic Effects

• According to Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the societal costs of drug addiction give a limited insight of the devastating penalties of drug abuse. Per Friends of NIDA, 14 percent of patients admitted to hospitals are alcohol or drug abusers or drug addicts. Further, 70 percent of prison and jail inmates have consumed illicit drugs on a regular basis. In America, the economic strain for drug addiction doubles any other brain disease, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Familial Risks

• When drug addiction is present in a family, child abuse and neglect can be a common occurrence. In his hunt for drugs, the addict may forget to feed or bathe his child, or when his impulsiveness controls him, he may resort to physical and emotional abuse toward the child. With drug addiction there is also the propensity for domestic violence and more stress on the family unit. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the U.S. Department of Justice has found that over 61 percent of domestic violence batterers have substance abuse issues as well.

Health Risks

• The health risks of drug addiction may include one or more medical complications. According to Helpguide.org, inhalants can cause nerve damage, marijuana can hurt the lungs and cause psychosis, methamphetamines can result in heart issues and seizures, opioids slow respiration, and the non-medical use of prescription drugs such as pain killers and sedatives can result in fatality.