Drug addiction is indeed a menace to society. It often starts as a fun activity, but after long-term use, they harm your life. Drug addiction affects every aspect of your social, emotional, professional, and spiritual life. It is a real struggle that none of us wishes on our worst enemy.
While drug abuse is a sensitive matter, it is not the end of the road. By seeking addiction treatment, a drug abuser increases their chances of getting their life on track and doing away with the harmful trait.
In this article, we are going to look at the innumerable effects of long-term drug abuse.
- Medical conditions
Drugs affect our bodies in several ways. The severity of the infection or damage varies from one drug to the other.
When abused, drugs are notorious for triggering conditions such as heart problems, kidney failure, and liver damage. Those that inject drugs directly into their bloodstream are susceptible to collapsed veins, as well as infections in the heart valves.
Generally, drugs cause weakness of the body in alcoholics. These symptoms can be seen in alcoholics the morning after or a few hours after consumption. Unfortunately, the same applies to other drugs. The only thing that varies is the timing.
- Financial constraints
Drug addiction is notorious for causing financial constraints in families. The reason being, regular use of drugs is expensive. Addicts require a regular source of money to keep up with their drug urges. As a result, addicts exhaust their finances, leaving them in debt.
- Crime
Drug addiction is one of the major causes of crime that leads to incarcerations. It may trigger domestic violence, among other crimes. Besides, a drug abuser might need to steal or rob others to get money to purchase drugs.
- Accidents
One of the most common traits of drug abuse is that it impairs judgment. The devastating effects it is likely to cause when an addict is behind the wheel are unimaginable. It is no wonder that the majority of road carnage is as a result of drug use.
Additionally, these accidents do not stop at that. Operating machinery at the workplace while under the influence is also another problem. The consequences range from minor injuries to more severe injuries that could lead to death.
- Unemployment
No doubt, drug addiction can cause unemployment. No employer will tolerate a drug addict in the workplace.
For starters, it paints a bad picture and is not in any way professional. Also, a drug addict will have problems giving clients a satisfactory service. As a result, they are laid off.
- Legal problems
The use of illegal drugs is a crime punishable by the law.
In the case of driving under the influence, a driver is stripped of their driving license and taken to court. Once charged, the drug abuser is required to pay a hefty fine or face possible jail time.
Additionally, most employers require their employees to undergo drug testing before being hired. Other employers conduct random drug tests in the course of employment periods. If tests turn out positive, there are legal consequences that could affect the employee’s career in the long haul.