Reading Material.docx

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Use and addiction of drugs and alcohol by teens is very common and can have serious consequences. In the 15-24 year age range, 50% of deaths (from accidents, homicides, suicides) involve alcohol or drug abuse. Drugs and alcohol also contribute to physical and sexual aggression such as assault or rape. Possible stages of teenage experience with alcohol and drugs include abstinence (non-use), experimentation, regular use (both recreational and compensatory for other problems), abuse, and dependency. Repeated and regular recreational use can lead to other problems like anxiety and depression. Some teenagers regularly use drugs or alcohol to compensate for anxiety, depression, or a lack of positive social skills. Teen use of tobacco and alcohol should not be minimized because they can be "gateway drugs" for other drugs (marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, and heroin). The combination of teenagers' curiosity, risk taking behavior, and social pressure make it very difficult to say no. This leads most teenagers to the questions: "Will it hurt to try one?" A teenager with a family history of alcohol or drug abuse and a lack of pro-social skills can move rapidly from experimentation to patterns of serious abuse or dependency. Some other teenagers with no family history of abuse who experiment may also progress to abuse or dependency. Therefore, there is a good chance that "one" will hurt you. Teenagers with a family history of alcohol or drug abuse are particularly advised to abstain and not experiment. No one can predict for sure who will abuse or become dependent on drugs except to say the non-user never will. Warning signs of teenage drug or alcohol abuse may include:    

a drop in school performance, a change in groups of friends, delinquent behavior, and deterioration in family relationships.

There may also be physical signs such as red eyes, a persistent cough, and change in eating and sleeping habits. Alcohol or drug dependency may include blackouts, withdrawal symptoms, and further problems in functioning at home, school, or work.

Psychological Effects of Drug and Alcohol Addiction The psychological effects of drug addiction come from the reason the user is addicted to drugs, as well as the changes that take place in the brain once a person becomes a drug addict. Initially, many people start using drugs and alcohol to cope with stress or pain (read about: what causes drug addiction) An effect of drug and alcohol addiction is creation of a cycle where anytime the user encounters stress or pain, they feel the need to use the drug. This is one of the psychological effects of drug addiction involved in "craving" of the drug. Craving is an effect of drug and alcohol addiction whereby the addict is obsessed with obtaining and using the drug and alcohol, to the exclusion of all else. One of the psychological effects of addiction involved in craving is the belief the addict cannot function or handle life without use of the drug and alcohol.

Physical Effects of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Physical effects of drug and alcohol addiction vary by drug but are typically seen in all systems of the body. Some of the primary physical effects of drug and alcohol addiction take place in the brain. Drug and alcohol addiction changes the way the brain functions and impacts how the body perceives pleasure. These effects of drug and alcohol addiction are because the drug and alcohol repeatedly floods the brain with the chemicals dopamine and serotonin during drug and alcohol use. The brain adapts and comes to expect, and depend on, these drug and alcohol-induces highs. Physical effects of drug and alcohol addiction are also seen in babies of drug and alcohol abusers as well as in mortality statistics.

Economical Effects of Drug and Alcohol Addiction The devastating physical effects of drug abuse have long been established, as have the negative impacts addiction can have on one’s social and emotional well-being. But an oftoverlooked result of substance abuse is the financial burden inflicted on addicted individuals, their families, and society as a whole. As a person descends deeper and deeper into drug or alcohol abuse, his ability to earn money often decreases while his addiction-related expenses continue to soar. Many people in this situation find themselves forced to rely upon friends or family members for financial assistance, while others end up destitute and reliant upon government assistance or other social services.