Effects of the substance abuse

Social

Isolation is the most common social effect of drug abuse. The drug abuser eventually maintains a connection only with his drug of choice. Depending upon the drug of choice, the financial strain can be devastating. Purchasing drugs becomes more important to the drug addict than daily responsibilities. Close connections to the drug abuser are affected. Relationships become dysfunctional, as the co-dependent recognizes the effects of the drugs. Social effects on the family can be felt long after the addiction. The family can dissolve, children can develop emotional issues and trust can be shattered. Drug abuse can lead to unexplained absences, depleted sick days and eventually job loss.

Physical

1. Cocaine

Increase in blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature. More prone to heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory failure. Contraction of hepatitis or AIDS through shared needles. Brain seizures. Reduction of the body's ability to resist and combat infections

2. Heroin

It slows down your heartbeat and breathing rate. The depth of your breathing becomes shallower. It causes nausea and vomiting. Constipation and dry, sticky mouth are also some other effects. Decrease in muscle tone and strength resulting in: slurred speech, sluggish movements, delayed reactions and response (heavy sensation in arms and legs) and a lack of energy and coordination.

3. Ecstasy

Paranoia, aggression and psychosis. Poor muscle control and unsteadiness. Muscle aches and stiffness. Increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Loss of appetite, dilated pupils, heightened sensations (sight, hearing, touch) and jaw clenching.

Mental

1. Cocaine

The short term effects are: violent, erratic, or paranoid behaviour, hallucinations and "coke bugs"-a sensation of imaginary insects crawling over the skin, confusion, anxiety and depression, loss of interest in food or sex and "cocaine psychosis"-losing touch with reality, loss of interest in friends, family, sports, hobbies, and other activities. The long term effects are: addiction, shortness of breath, lung damage, internal bleeding and severe damage to the heart, liver and kidneys.

2. Heroin

The short term effects are confusion that clouds your thought processes, irrational decisions, alterations of your perception of reality, depression and lack of motivation. Nausea and vomiting, suppression of pain and spontaneous abortion (females). The long term effects include addiction, infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C), collapsed veins, bacterial infection, infection of heart lining and valves and arthritis and other rheumatologic problems.

3. Ecstasy

The short term effects are: personality change, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, nausea and vomiting and depression. The long term effects are nerve cell damage, cracked teeth, and liver, kidney or heart problems and urine infections.

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