Drug addiction Assignment PDF

Running head: DRUG ADDICTION 1
DRUG ADDICTION
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DRUG ADDICTION
Is drug addiction a health problem? What is drug addiction or substance abuse? This
refers to a disease that is chronic and cause relapse of the brain that is characterized by seeking
drugs and compulsive use even though it causes harmful concerns. Drug use is seen as a health
issue because it affects the usual brain function hence it is considered a brain disease.
consequently this can cause a long-lasting effect which can lead to behaviors that are harmful to
individuals who abuse drugs. Drug addiction is comparable to other diseases such as heart
diseases or even kidney diseases. Since they all disrupt the healthy and normal function of
essential organs. Additionally, they serve consequences that are harmful, which are considered
harmful however, some are curable and avoidable but in case treatment is assumed for a long
time it lasts for lifetime (World Health Organization).
Addiction of drugs is a serious problem which is considered a disease, as a result, it
requires objectives that are moral and a strong will to enable an individual quit drug use. Most
people take drugs out of their own free will, but if it is used continuously it initiates brain change
activities to the addicted person. Therefore it becomes difficult to control herself or himself
hence affecting their ability to resist urges to take drugs. That is, people that recovering from
addiction of drugs are at huge risk of going back to drug use even after a long period of not using
it. For Examples of drug abused include painkillers, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, alcohol and
much other harmful substance (Leonard, 2018).
Drug addiction comes in after abuse of drugs since the brain makes individual repeat
experiences that make him or herself feel good. Therefore one is motivated to do it over and over
again. Addictive drugs target the brain system by feeling the brain with a chemical substance
known as dopamine. This generates a feeling of pleasure that is intense. Consequently, the
individual takes a drug to chase that high. After a matter of time, the brain will get used to
dopamine, this is way drug addicts keep on taking drugs to obtain the same good feeling all the
time and in the end, this becomes uncontrollable to an individual (Mukherjee, 2017).
Drug Addiction among Youths

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DRUG ADDICTION
Drug addiction can be experienced by any population be it men, women, children and
even the refugees. However drug abuse mainly affects the young generation, this because at this
stage (adolescent stage) youths experience new changes hence trying new things and taking the
risk to explore new identities (ESME, 2016). Young adults are vulnerable to influence compared
to the adults. The developments that occur during adolescent stage can lead to a direction that is
positive and a negative direction at the same time. That is a youth might start using drugs if he or
she comes “in contact” with the wrong crowd. Abuse of substances among youths is seen
consequently as trauma, influence and personal problems like difficult home life (J.J, 2013).
` In today's world, many young adults have essay access to the drug, because selling and
buying of drugs are mainly done at schools for example in high school seniors. This is a serious
problem that needs to be addressed by parents, guardians and other influential adults that can
help control drug problems. Some of the harmful drugs used by young adults include cocaine,
bhang, steroids, heroin and many more. Youths have become dependent on certain mind-altering,
illegal and stimulating medicines (Leonard, 2018). This poses a great threat to the survival of
young generation in the universe. Young generations are the core and roots of every society,
additionally, they are the main working-class group in the nation. Drug abuse among youths,
therefore, poses a great risk to the society at large and not just individual health.
As stated above young adults are predominantly susceptible to different kinds of things
that are illegal and it commonly begins in schools. Young people that face problems usually first
go into alcohol and then later into drugs, psychological addiction come first followed by the
physical addiction that is, you ‘want' and you ‘need', this destroys an individual life (J.J, 2013).
Students are the most affected as they get from their families and there is no one to control them.
Additionally, the spirit of freedom regularly blinds students, therefore getting out of addiction
becomes hard (Vilela, Brito & Vilela, 2018). An addict life is a complicated life, for example,
their social life is affected, since they lose touch with families and friends, economically, they
spend all their cash in purchasing this drugs putting them in the habit of stealing in case they lack
capital.
Drug addiction affects the health of youths since it tampers with how the body functions
normally especially the brain. The brain is an vital body part since it controls all the other part of
the body, tampering with it is the same as interfering with the whole body (Middleton et al.,

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DRUG ADDICTION
2018). For example, opiates like heroin are very dangerous drugs which can cause the death of
an individual. They affect and waste the physical resources and at the end suppress the work of
the heart. In most cases it is injected into the body to achieve the narcotic effect, sharing of
injections among youths can lead to transmission of diseases like HIV/AIDS which has no
treatment and cure. Therefore it is observed that addiction to drugs and substances among
youths alters the normal survival as outlined in (National Institute on Drug Abuse, n.d.).
Effects of Drug Abuse
Use of drugs consists of a widespread range of resilient and short-range effects either
directly or indirectly among youth. However, these effects depend on the type of substance used,
its amount in the body and many other factors. Effects that are short-termed ranges from the
change in wakefulness, blood pressure, stroke, psychosis, mood to heart attack and even death.
There does not have to occur after a long use (Middleton et al., 2018).
Effects that are long-termed include diseases such as AIDS since the symptoms take long
before appearing, long-term use of drugs lead to addiction, however it does not mean that
everyone that uses drugs becomes an addict, but for some drugs, they alter how the brain circuits
work. This affects how people behave in their daily lives especially young children (Staff, 2018).
Drug abuse is a major problem that is growing among youths causing serious health
effects among them. The effects include; emotional problems, drug use covers or causes
emotional problems to youths such as depression which is dangerous to them, anxiety, swings in
moods and even suicidal thoughts. All this affect the normal health of an individual (Marmot,
Allen, Bell, & Goldblatt, 2011). Dependence and addiction, young individuals that engaged in
drugs use are probable to enhance the substance abuse problem and deterioration later in life,
therefore, it is essential and necessary to avoiding drug use at the young age. Drug abuse alters
with the memories of individuals since it affects the brain, for example, long-term and short-term
memory (Staff, 2018).
Drug abuse contributes to contraction of diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis B and C,
this is led by use of injections causing an increase in blood transmission diseases. These diseases
are deadly since some are not curable or treatable, therefore it stays in the body forever. Abuse of
drugs causes brain damage either permanently or temporary. It results into serious mental