What is Substance Abuse

Understanding Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is the harmful and/or hazardous usage of psychoactive substances such as alcohol and illegal drugs. Psychoactive substances can lead to dependence upon the substance and cause a variety of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological changes after chronic usage of a substance. These include strong drug cravings and desire to do the drug despite the negative consequences in one’s life, drug usage becomes a higher priority than other activities and obligations, increase in tolerance for the drug, and physical withdrawal state when drug use is abruptly cut down or terminated.

It can be challenging to understand why and how some individuals become addicted to drugs and is often assumed that people who abuse drugs simply lack proper morals or willpower; they can stop using if they’d really desire this. However, reality states that drug addiction is a complex disease and quitting the usage of drugs requires more than a desire or strong will. Usage of substances change the brain in ways that promote compulsive drug abuse which makes quitting a challenge, even for people who are ready to quit. Through much research and advancement, we’ve learned that drug addiction is a treatable condition that can successfully help people stop abusing drugs and go on to live happy, productive lives.

There are a number of types of drugs that are readily abused. These categories of drugs produce different effects and are abused in different manners. The most common categories of drugs of abuse include:

Marijuana (also known as “grass,” “pot,” and “weed”) is the most common drug of abuse in the United States. It can be smoked or swallowed to produce feelings of euphoria, impaired memory and coordination, and distorted sense of reality.

Narcotics and opiates include heroin, prescription painkillers, and opium and can be injected, smoked, snorted, or swallowed to lead to feelings of euphoria and relaxation as well as an overall sense of well-being.

Stimulants including cocaine (“coke”), amphetamine (“uppers”) and methamphetamine (“meth”) can be snorted intranasally, injected, smoked, and swallowed to produce feelings of increased energy and mental acuity.

Hallucinogens and dissociative drugs are also known as psychedelics and include PCP, LSD, peyote, ecstasy, ketamine, and psilocybin. These drug cause changes in sensory and thought perceptions and can be swallowed, absorbed through oral mucosa and smoked.

Inhalants, including solvents (such as gasoline and glues), aerosols (spray paint), gasses (propane, butane), nitrous oxide, nitrates (poppers) are chemicals that cause intoxication when sniffed or inhaled (a process often known as “huffing”).

CNS Depressants and downers are drugs that slow down the central nervous system and include tranquilizers, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, GHB, and Rohypnol. These drugs cause relaxation and sedation.

Statistics

Statistics of Substance Abuse

Worldwide, at least 15.3 million people struggle with drug use disorders. IV drug abuse is reported in 148 countries, of which 120 countries report increased amounts of HIV/AIDS infection among this population.

In the United States, illegal drug use has been on the rise. In 2011, about 22.5 million people in the U.S. (or 8.7% of the population) had abused an illegal or psycho-therapeutic drug in the previous month.

Causes of Substance Abuse

What are the Causes of Substance Abuse

No one single factor can determine whether or not a person will become addicted to drugs. The causes for addiction involve the influence of a combination of factors working together to create an atmosphere of abuse. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance they will develop an addiction.

Genetic: Our inborn genes combined with environmental influences account for approximately half of addiction vulnerability.

Physical: Drugs contain certain chemicals that use the brain’s communication system and disturb the ways in which nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. The longer a person abuses drugs, the more likely that the drugs will cause lasting damage to this system and may lead to the body reducing the naturally occurring neurotransmitters (the brain’s way of communication), causing a physical dependence upon drugs.

Environment: People who begin to experiment with drugs at an earlier age are at an increased risk for developing an addiction later in life. In addition, peer relationships in which drug use is prevalent can lead to experimentation with drugs of abuse. Others will find that drugs of abuse temporarily alleviate some of the unpleasant stresses associated with life.

Risk Factors:

History of physical or sexual abuse
Lack of parental supervision and involvement
Poverty
Poor social skills
Availability of drug
Aggressive behaviors

Signs and Symptoms of Substance Abuse

Learn More About the Signs and Symptoms of Substance Abuse

The symptoms of drug abuse will vary depending upon the substance of abuse, the frequency of use, genetic makeup, length of use, and presence of physical dependence. Symptoms of common drugs of abuse follow:

Marijuana:

Euphoria and relaxation
Impaired reaction time
Distorted sensory perception
Impairment in balance, coordination, and memory
Increased heart rate and appetite
Decreased ability to concentrate and learn
Anxiety and panic attacks
Psychosis
Cough

Opiates:

Drowsiness and dizziness
Euphoria
Impaired memory and increased confusion
Syncope
Sensation of heaviness in extremities
Respiratory depression and arrested breathing

Stimulants:

Tachycardia
Hypertension
Hyperthermia
Increased metabolism and decreased appetite
Feelings of exhilaration and increased energy
Increased mental acuity
Tremors
Irritability
Anxiety, panic attacks
Paranoia
Violent, erratic behaviors
Psychosis

Hallucinogenic and dissociative drugs:

Altered states of perception and total disorientation
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Panic attacks and increased anxiety
Increased heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure
Insomnia
Tremors
Impulsive behaviors

Inhalants:

Brief intoxication
Loss of inhibition
Nausea and vomiting
Syncope
Headache
Impaired motor coordination
Loss of memory
Weakness and fatigue

Depressants and downers:

Decreased anxiety
Overall feelings of relaxation and well-being
Lowered inhibitions
Drowsiness and fatigue
Decreased respiration and heart rate
Depression
Confusion and disorientation
Slurred speech
Impaired coordination
Impaired memory and judgment

Effects of Substance Abuse

Understanding the Effects of Substance Abuse

The long-term effects of substance abuse will vary based upon the type of substance abuse, presence of other health-related conditions, frequency of use, poly-drug use, genetic makeup, and length of drug abuse. The most common effects of drugs of abuse are grouped by substance of abuse:

Marijuana:

Frequent respiratory infections
Decline in mental health
Addiction
Increased risks for cancer

Opiates and narcotic drugs:

Addiction
Collapsed veins
Septicemia
Abscess at injection site
Fatal overdose
Hypotension
Decreased respiration rate
Mood swings
Constipation
Endocarditis
Hepatitis B and C
HIV/AIDS infection
Coma
Death

Stimulants:

Psychosis
Malnutrition
Insomnia
Cardiac and cardiovascular complications
Stroke
Heart attack
Seizures
Addiction
Nasal perforation
Severe dental problems (“meth mouth”)

Hallucinogenic and dissociative drugs:

Flashbacks
Intrusive thoughts
Consequences of impulsive, risky behaviors
Continuing hallucinations
Memory loss
Cardiac complications
Liver damage
Violent, erratic behaviors
Break with reality

Inhalants:

Seizures
Delusions
Confusion and disorientation
Loss of consciousness
Memory impairment
Damage to cardiovascular and nervous system
Coma
Seizures

CNS depressants and downers:

Amnesia
Hypotension
Decreased respiration rate
Tolerance
Withdrawal
Addictive
Consequences of risk-taking behaviors

Effects of Withdrawal and Overdose

Learn More About the Effects of Withdrawal and Overdose

Each drug of abuse carries significant risks for withdrawal symptoms if the usage of the drug is habitual and overdose, especially when the drug is mixed with another type of drug.

Marijuana Withdrawal: