Ever since we as humans discovered things that made us feel good, addiction has been an issue. Our brains are hardwired to seek experiences and sensations that are pleasurable, and while this drive helped us to succeed as a species, it can also be our downfall. Modern day society means 24/7 access to all of the things we crave.
Fast food joints are on every corner and open all hours, meaning we have access to delicious, unhealthy food at any time.The accessibility of the internet allows us to indulge in habits like gambling or online shopping whenever we choose. With these tempting, pleasurable experiences in such easy reach it’s no wonder so many of us become obsessed and addicted to one thing or another. One of the addictions we’re going to explore in this post is substance abuse- addiction to drugs and alcohol. Here are some of the massively adverse effects they can have on the body.
Your Physical Health
When you think about substance abuse, your first concern is likely to be physical health. In the case of overdose or alcohol poisoning, these chemicals can cause immediate death. However even if you’re able to keep up the habit for many years, there are a whole host of problems caused by introducing toxins to your body.
Organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver and brain can become damaged. Damage to the nerves causes neuropathy, tingling, numbness and weakness of the extremities. Heart disease, diabetes, cancers and stroke can all be a result of constant misuse of substances.
Being detached from your surroundings can lower your inhibitions meaning you’re more likely to engage in risky behavior such as drink driving or unprotected sex. You even risk accidental death- people under the influence have been known to accidentally cause fires and die in their homes or fall from heights. As humans we’re resilient but not invincible; when your body is constantly filtering chemicals from your body, it’s going to cause massive wear and tear. Which leads to very painful illnesses, and eventually death.
Your Mental Health
As well as the risk to your physical health, substance abuse also has a massive impact on you mentally as well. A depletion in brain chemicals means that anxiety and depression is common in those who misuse substances. For those who have a predisposition to schizophrenia, taking drugs is enough to set it off and start the symptoms of this life changing illness.
If you’re experiencing worrying symptoms after hitting the drugs and alcohol heavily, tests like http://www.schizlife.com/schizophrenia-test/ can help give you a clearer picture. Although of course, discuss the results with your GP so they can give you specific advice.
Your Relationships
Humans are social creatures, to truly be happy in life we need genuine connections. Friendships, family, relationships- it’s a basic need for us to feel loved, appreciated and understood. However when you become addicted to a substance, this becomes first in your life meaning all of your relationships become strained.
Many addicts find themselves taking advantage of loved ones for money, or even stealing in desperation to get their next fix. It can cause immense stress on families and friendships, and can lead to you becoming very isolated. This can further exacerbate mental health problems and in turn, even make physical health worse too.
According to http://drugabuse.com/library/addiction-hurts-relationships/ those who are suffering from addiction are likely to deal with guilt, shame, anger, frustration and other emotions. These are of course are bad for your own mental health, and will negatively affect those that you’re close to as well.