Drug Effects: Harmful Consequences of Substance Abuse

Drug addiction is a chronic disease that affects the brain and causes harmful consequences. The effects of drugs vary according to the type of drug used, the amount drug used and the process of ingestion, individuals’ health and many other factors. This article discusses the harmful consequences of substance abuse, including lethargy, hyperactivity, hallucination, and addiction. It also provides a case study of Amy Winehouse, a musician who struggled with drug addiction. Finally, the article emphasizes the importance of using anesthetics responsibly.

Running head: DRUG EFFECT 1
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Introduction
Drug addiction refers to relapse of the brain that may be chronic to some extent that is
described by seeking of drugs and use spontaneously even in spite of the harmful
consequences. Drugs hinder with the regular brain function. Thus it can be considered a
disease of the brain. The structure of the brain and how it operates can change as a result of
drug abuse. Additionally, it may also result in effects that may last longer, as a result
involving a change of the normal behavior of an individual. Abuse of drugs can be seen as
similar to other diseases like heart disease, or even the kidney. Subsequently, they affect the
vigorous and usual organs functions of the body. The consequences of drug abuse are
harmful that may causes serious impacts. Nevertheless, some are treatable while others are
not. But if one uses drugs for a very long time without treatment, it may last for a lifetime.
Drug use consists of an extensive range of effects that are long-lasting and short-range
effects either secondarily or directly among individuals. Nonetheless, effects of drugs vary
according to the type of drug used, the amount drug used and the process of ingestion,
individuals’ health and many other factors (Volkow et al., 2014).
Lethargy. In our today's world, most individuals can access drugs easily; this is
because drug selling and buying mostly happens in schools. For example in high school. This
is critical issues that should be addressed by parents, teachers and other individuals that can
influence them. The case of this dangerous drugs used by people includes cocaine, marijuana,
heroin, steroids and many more that may cause hallucination, lethargy, and hyperactive.
Individuals have become attached to specific stimulating, illegal mind-altering medicine. This
is a severe issue to peoples live in the entire world, especially the youths who are the core and
roots of the community at large. Therefore substance abuse poses a risk to society and not
only the health of an individual (Hadland et al., 2009).Lethargy; this can be prescribed

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painkillers. Example of lethargy drugs includes Vicodin, oxycontin, Percocet and Opana.
Individuals may be addicted to using of painkillers which can make an individual to have
fatigue and feel sleepy. This goes beyond being just tired. Thus the user might have eyes that
look droopy and look drowsier or can fall asleep easily during the all hours of the day. They
change an individual mood; tiredness may make a unique feeling to change since it makes a
person feel exhausted and overwhelmed with his or her body. Lethargy drugs reduce an
individual's ability to think and reduce alertness. It impairs also thinking the ability to focus
steadily thus it makes it difficult to meet certain usual obligations which can be related to
work, school, and family. Low energy and slow move depict unhealthy appearance, for
example, unnatural calmness. The addiction can begin by having a different prescription from
different doctors and also filling an order from different pharmacies. It may also result from
the sharing of drugs from friends and family members and buying drugs from street. As seen
above youths are the particularly susceptible most substances that are illegal, this frequently
begins at school. Most people that face problems first use alcohol then later us other drugs.
Addiction (psychologically begins first) then it’s followed by addiction (physically).
This is explained as ‘want' and "need" this tampers with the individual life. Drug use causes
emotional complications, for example, it covers depression which is the main reason why
people use it. It also makes one experience the thoughts of committing suicide, anxiety, and
moods swing. Freedom spirit usually blinds most individual thus getting out of addiction
becomes difficult. The life of an addict is a complicated life since their social life is affected
by losing touch with the members of the family. Economically drugs may make an individual
more broke by purchasing drugs.
Hyperactive Drugs that cause an individual is heroin, marijuana, and alcohol which
interferes how the brain functions thus the normal function of the body interferes. The brain
is the most significant organ in the organization since it controls all different parts of the

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body. This means, therefore, that tampering with it the whole system of the body will fail. For
instance, opiate (heroin) are very harmful drugs which can lead to the death of an individual.
Heroin waste and distress the physical resources at the end the work of the heart will be
suppressed. Some of the methods used to induce heroin is through injections to achieve the
narcotic effect. Injection sharing can promote the contraction of diseases like HIV/AIDS
which is not curable. The hyperactive drug can affect the memories of an individual by
imposing false ideas in the brain (Hadland et al., 2009). This drug alters with the memories of
individuals since it affects the brain, for example, long-term and short-term memory (Ersche
et al., 2012). Heroin also makes an individual lose weight, tremors, track marks since
individuals can use injections to take the drug in. Also one may appear as being disorientation
and dirty appearance. The most street name for this drugs is junk, horse, black tar, big H,
weed and brown sugar. The brain gets used to dopamine; it is for this reason that people keep
on using the drug to maintain the same feeling (feeling good) all the time. With time this
becomes uncontrollable to individuals. (Robbins et al., 2008).
Hallucination Good example of a drug that causes delusion is cocaine; this comes
from coca bush which is mostly present in the southern part of America. It is also an accepted
substance, for example, it is used in medical use as a local anesthetic during (surgical
procedures that are minor). Some of the physical and psychological symptoms of cocaine are
withdrawal symptom during a non-use period. Tolerance development and physical
dependence. Cocaine also has dopamine effect. Drugs that are addictive target the system of
the brain by filing dopamine (a chemical substance) in mind. The massive impact of the drug
causes the individual to have a sharp decline edge feeling or depression which makes one
seek for it more. It makes one to have high euphoric that is quick and last for a short time.
Hallucination drugs make an individual to enter into a ‘different world' or trance. Thus the
brain causes people to recurrence experiences that make him or herself feel good.

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Army Winehouse
Army Winehouse was a songwriter and a musician who was a drug addict. She was
addicted to alcohol and other drug substances like cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. He was
introduced in drug use by Blake fielder who was her lover; Blake was a heroin addict. The
army was plunged more into alcohol use and drug use. She had truck marks depicting that she
was using injections to ingest drugs into the body. She was taking cocaine onstage; this
showed that she was indeed a drug addict. Army career was simultaneously filibustering
since she went onstage drunk most of the time (staggering). Her powerful voice started
weakening and becoming hallow and most of the time audience booed at her. The tours and
concerts were canceled for ‘health reasons’ Army tried rehab known as Focus 12 clinic in
Suffolk. The rehabilitation of the army lasted for only one year. The rehab center was close to
where her husband was jailed (prison) thus she decided to move near to be close to her
husband. This center was recommended by brand Russell (a comedian) who received
treatment after being a heroin addict for long back in 2002. Later on, she was found dead at
an apartment in London by her bodyguard due to alcohol poisoning.
Anesthetic
Anesthetic is essential since they are mostly used during a medical procedure for
example surgery to avoid pain. Marijuana can be used as a pharmaceutical drug used for
medical procedures, however excess use of it or abuse cause damage to the brain either
permanently or temporarily. It can result to mental disorders, for instance, the brain may
shrink, lessened ability to learn, problems of the memory and amnesia the reasoning may also
be impaired and lastly the process of socialization will be affected. Both are harmful to the
human body if used in excess. Since Anesthetic like cocaine can be used in minor surgery

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and excess of it is also detrimental to the body just like marijuana. It may affect the normal
function of the body.
Conclusion
All the categories of the drugs are harmful to the individual body, and none is least
effective if misused. Since drugs change the brain structure and how it operates, nonetheless
this cause effects that are long lasting and can impose unwanted behaviors to the individuals
that abuse the substance.

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Reference
Ersche, K. D., Jones, P. S., Williams, G. B., Turton, A. J., Robbins, T. W., & Bullmore, E. T.
(2012). Abnormal brain structure implicated in stimulant drug addiction. Science,
335(6068), 601-604.
Hadland, S. E., Kerr, T., Li, K., Montaner, J. S., & Wood, E. (2009). Access to drug and
alcohol treatment among a cohort of street-involved youth. Drug & Alcohol
Dependence, 101(1), 1-7.
Volkow, N. D., Baler, R. D., Compton, W. M., & Weiss, S. R. (2014). Adverse health effects
of marijuana use. New England Journal of Medicine, 370(23), 2219-2227.