Short and Long-term Effects of Substance Use/Abuse/Dependence

This document discusses the short and long-term effects of substance use/abuse/dependence on the body and mind. It covers various types of substances and their effects.

Running head: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Short and Long-term Effects of Substance Use/Abuse/Dependence
Type of Substance Short-term effects Long-term effects of prolonged use
and abuse
Barbituates and
Benzodiazepines
i.e. tranquilizers,
hypnotics, sedative
(Nembutal, valium,
zanax, halcyon)
Short-term effects:
 Relief from Anxiety
 Relief from Insomnia and
sleeplessness
 Increased feelings of
relaxation
 Depression of the central
nervous system leading to
decreased inhibitions and
feelings of euphoria or
increased happiness
(Michelucci & Pasini,
2015).
Long-term effects
 Unpleasant emotions of
irritability, anger and
annoyance upon withdrawal.
As noted by Walsh and Katz (2016),
additional long term effects include:
 Increased levels of fatigue or
lethargy
 Loss of consciousness in high
doses or prolonged use
resulting in damage to the
brain or organs and coma
 Difficulties in breathing that
can develop into pneumonia or
bronchitis
 Irregularities in the menstrual
cycle
 Loss of memory for short even
longer time periods
 Renal or hepatic diseases
 Lack of controlled body
movements resulting in
twitching or uncoordinated
motor functions
 Reductions in the span of
attention
 Increased risk of
cardiovascular diseases
 Sexual dysfunction
 Gradual slowing of reflex
movements
 Increased possibility of
developing a physical
dependency
 Feelings of vomiting and
nausea
 Gastrointestinal disorders
such as diarrhoea or
constipation

2ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Type of Substance Short-term effects Long-term effects of prolonged use
and abuse
 Blurring of vision
 Vertigo and headache
Chronic usage can further result in
(Alghamdi et al., 2018):
 Increased sweating,
palpitations and sensitivities to
pain and sound.
 Suicidal thoughts and ideation
towards suicide
 Slurring of speech or stupour
Opiates
i.e. heroin,
morphine, codeine
Short-term effects
 Relief from pain
 Feelings of Happiness
and Euphoria
 Feelings of drowsiness
 Sedative effects (Beltran-
Campos et al., 2015)
Long-term effects
As noted by Cruz and Granados-Soto
(2016), long term effects include:
 Feelings of vomiting and
nausea
 Gastrointestinal disturbances
such as bloating, constipation
and distension of the abdomen
 Damage to the liver (increased
susceptibility in situations of
combined usage of opiates and
acetaminophen
 Prolonged use may result in
reduced oxygen supply
resulting in hypoxia, depressed
respiratory functioning and
damage to the brain
 Increased levels of tolerance
and dependence with
prolonged use
 Increased feelings of paranoia
Amphetamine and
Cocaine
i.e.speed, ice, crack
Short-term Effects
 Elevated levels of Arousal
 Quick and sudden
elevations in energy
levels
As noted by Fischman and Foltin
(2016), short term effects
include:
Long-term Effects
 Prolonged use may result in
Amphetamine psychosis –
which produces symptoms of
hallucination, mistrust and
paranoia similar to paranoid
schizophrenia
 Increased levels of tolerance
resulting in feelings of
cravings towards the drugs

3ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Type of Substance Short-term effects Long-term effects of prolonged use
and abuse
 Quickening of reaction
times
 Feelings of high elevated
levels of wakefulness
 Increased feelings of
excitement, excessive
happiness and euphoria
 Elevated levels of
concentration and
attention
 Drying of mouth,
headaches, giddiness,
nausea and loss of
appetite
 Increased feelings of
anxiety and hostility
 Increase in body
temperature and blood
pressure resulting in
hypertension
 Impaired cognitive
functions
 Increased rate of
breathing, palpitations
and heartbeat
 Constriction of blood
vessels
 Disturbances in sleep
 Dilation of pupils
As noted by Knapp et al., (2015), long
term effects include:
 Increased conductance of
behaviours which are violent
 Difficulties in breathing and
respiration
 Frequent states of
hallucinations
 Increased drug-usage
behaviours which are
compulsive
 Increase conductance of
obsessive behaviours
 Lack of coordination in motor
movements
 Frequent occurrences of
convulsions
 Irreversible damage to the
blood vessels of the brain and
heart
 Damage to tissues in the nose
 Loss of weight and
malnutrition
 Severe symptom of depression
 Decaying of the teeth and
damage to the oral cavity
 Prolonged use can lead to
hypertension and
cardiovascular diseases such
as stroke and myocardial
infarction
Cannabis
i.e. marijuana,
hashish
Short-term Effects
As noted by Volkow et al.,
(2016), short term effects
include:
 Slowing down of reaction
time
 Loss of short term
memory
 Feelings of mistrust and
paranoia
 Losing one’s sense of
Long-term Effects
 Long term use may rarely
result in withdrawal and
tolerance
As noted by Green, K. M., Doherty, E.
E., & Ensminger, M. E. (2017), long
term effects include:
 Severe losses in cognitive
abilities of learning and
thinking

4ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Type of Substance Short-term effects Long-term effects of prolonged use
and abuse
personality, concept of
time and self-perception
 Loss of coordination in
motor activities
 Elevations in heart rate
 Symptoms of psychosis
resulting in difficulty
isolate reality from
imagination and
occurrences of
hallucinations
 Reduction in anxiety
 Reduced abilities of
logical thinking and
problem solving
 Increased appetite and
hunger after use
 Reduced perceptions of
pain
 Increased feelings of
calmness and euphoria
 Increased drowsiness
 Occurrences of mood
swings resulting in panic
attacks, impulsivity or
even inhibitions or
feelings of melancholy
 Increased dizziness, or
feelings of nausea and
migraine
 Difficulties in respiration
 Decrease in one’s intelligence
quotient if used from an early
age
 Increased tendencies of
engagement in antisocial acts
 Decreased perception of
optimism and satisfaction in
towards life
 Increased conflicts in
relationships, resulting in
intimate partner violence
 Loss of ability to perform tasks
which are difficult or complex
 Loss of functioning of
receptors regulating mood and
emotions in the brain resulting
in decreased recognition of
exhibition of emotions such as
happiness and sadness
 Increased apathetic emotions
and loss of motivation towards
life
 Loss in abilities of decision-
making, planning and
formulation of concepts
 Loss of optimal functioning of
the immune system

5ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
References
Alghamdi, B., Zrari, M., Elahi, A., Alwagdani, M., Alghamdi, E., Moafa, H., ... & Jaafari, M.
(2018). Substance abuse and its psychiatric effect on adolescence. International Journal
Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 5(7), 2642-2646.
Beltran-Campos, V., Silva-Vera, M., Garcia-Campos, M. L., & Diaz-Cintra, S. (2015). Effects of
morphine on brain plasticity. Neurología (English Edition), 30(3), 176-180.
Cruz, S. L., & Granados-Soto, V. (2016). Opioids and opiates: Pharmacology, abuse, and
addiction. Neuroscience in the 21st Century, 1-33.
Fischman, M. W., & Foltin, R. W. (2016). Cocaine and the amphetamines. The International
Handbook of Addiction Behaviour.
Green, K. M., Doherty, E. E., & Ensminger, M. E. (2017). Long-term consequences of
adolescent cannabis use: Examining intermediary processes. The American journal of
drug and alcohol abuse, 43(5), 567-575.
Knapp, W. P., Soares, B. G., Farrell, M. F., & Silva de Lima, M. (2015). WITHDRAWN:
Psychosocial interventions for cocaine and psychostimulant amphetamines related
disorders. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 4, CD003023-CD003023.
Michelucci, R., & Pasini, E. (2015). Phenobarbital, primidone and other barbiturates. The
treatment of epilepsy, 555-573.
Volkow, N. D., Swanson, J. M., Evins, A. E., DeLisi, L. E., Meier, M. H., Gonzalez, R., ... &
Baler, R. (2016). Effects of cannabis use on human behavior, including cognition,
motivation, and psychosis: a review. JAMA psychiatry, 73(3), 292-297.

6ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Walsh, S. J., & Katz, K. D. (2016). Barbiturates. Critical Care Toxicology, 1-10.