The influence of drugs on humans - the consequences of use

How does addiction occur?

The state of drug intoxication causes a feeling of euphoria in a person, allows you to “switch off”, forget about pressing problems and worries, relieve pain, stress, and psychological tension. Not only do you not want to return to a natural sober state, but sometimes it is simply impossible. All the thoughts of the addict are focused on searching for the drug and taking the next dose, that is, on returning to the state that they experience under the influence of the toxic substance.

Addicts will not use the services of doctors on their own; they need help from relatives or friends.

Unfortunately, most drugs very quickly cause not only psychological, but also physical dependence. When the effect of the substance ends, the drug addict begins to experience withdrawal - extremely unpleasant physical sensations, which can be eliminated in two ways - by taking another dose of the drug or by removing the drug from the body with the help of medications.

Drug addiction is a sensitive topic, so addicts never go to doctors voluntarily and try in every possible way to hide their addiction from loved ones and family members. With each subsequent dose, tolerance to the substance used increases, and you have to increase the dose to achieve the desired effect. At some point in the development of drug addiction, the harm to the body becomes critical - the person simply dies, as his organs and organ systems cease to function.

Classification of drugs by composition

As mentioned above, drugs can be synthetic or herbal. Both natural substances and man-made chemicals can be powerful.

Synthetic

This includes the entire group of opiates and pharmaceutical drugs - heroin, Tramadol, Promedol, Morphine. Amphetamine. LSD, various salts and spices, Mephedrone are also produced from chemicals.

Vegetable

Herbal drugs include marijuana, cocaine, mescaline, psilocybin, codeine. Previously, some of them were used to treat diseases, today almost all of them are classified as prohibited substances.

What do drug addicts die from?

Drug addicts rarely live beyond the age of 30 - toxic substances quickly destroy the body and lead to death. But this is not the only way to the grave - even the first dose can be fatal. The following are the leading causes of drug-related deaths.

• Individual reaction of the body to the drug. Often a person tries drugs under the influence of acquaintances, who vividly describe the state of euphoria and convince them that it is not scary. But each body reacts to toxic substances differently. Often, during the first use of a seemingly insignificant dose of a drug, a person experiences anaphylactic shock or cardiac arrest.
• Substances of dubious origin. As you know, drugs cost a lot of money, and an addict cannot do without another dose. Therefore, drug addicts often buy low-quality substances with impurities of unknown origin. Impurities sometimes turn out to be no less harmful than the drug itself. The use of low-quality drugs regularly leads to the death of addicts, and just one dose can be fatal.
• Overdose. Regular use of a narcotic substance leads to the formation of tolerance to it, that is, over time the dose has to be increased. The drug addict is not able to independently calculate how much exactly the dose needs to be increased, which is why deaths from overdose among drug addicts are very common.
• Withdrawal. Depending on the type of drug, withdrawal may be more or less severe. There are often cases when the addict’s body, exhausted by regular drug use, simply cannot withstand the symptoms of withdrawal. That is why drug addicts should not be locked at home without the opportunity to take the drug - first they must detoxify the body by seeking help from professional doctors.
• Suicide. In a state of drug intoxication, addicts often lose control over their actions and thoughts, hallucinations and panic attacks occur. A person can unintentionally commit suicide, for example, by falling out of a window or throwing himself under a car, because he is not aware of what is happening to him and where he is. There may also be deliberate suicide, usually in a state of withdrawal. The addict feels extremely bad, does not have the opportunity to take the drug, so he sees the only way to end his torment - to take his own life.
• Non-sterile administration of the substance. Drug addicts who use together can use one syringe for everyone; there is a high probability of contracting AIDS, hepatitis, and syphilis. Even basic hygiene standards are not always observed when administering a drug; blood poisoning is possible.

It is not only the drugs themselves that are harmful to the body and fatal to the addict, but also associated diseases and complications.

In addition to intravenous methods of administering drugs, there are others - drugs are smoked, inhaled, etc. The harm of smoking and drug addiction affects the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, esophagus, lungs, and the condition of blood vessels.

Content:

1. Harm from drugs: neurological and somatic complications:

1.1. Effect on the nervous system. 1.2. Cardiovascular complications. 1.3. Harm of smoking drugs: damage to the respiratory tract. 1.3. Other complications.

2. How drugs affect a person: behavioral and personality disorders.

With any form of drug addiction, there is a progressive decrease in physical activity, extinction of drives, emotions, and needs. Vitamin deficiency, deficiency of macro- and microelements has a detrimental effect on all basic vital functions. But when talking about how drugs work, we must also consider the social consequences of addiction. The patient cannot fully communicate even with family members and relatives, not to mention society, which also does not have the best effect on the quality of life.

Don’t delay your visit to specialists

Cannabinoid group

These drugs are obtained from hemp. The most common drugs in this group are marijuana, anasha and hashish. In the drug community they are called weed and plan. Weed is a mixture of hemp leaves, seeds and flower heads. Resin is obtained from the mature tops of the plant, which is hashish.

The most common way to consume cannabinoids is through inhalation through smoke while smoking. Marijuana in some countries is considered a non-hazardous psychostimulant. This is due to the fact that the first doses do not cause negative consequences. But this happens until a persistent addiction to weed has developed. And after addiction takes root, a person experiences the same problems as with stronger drugs.

Consequences for the body

Drug use primarily affects the state of the brain; drug addiction leads to decreased intelligence, dementia, severe psychosis, and depression. The immune system suffers - the body cannot resist basic diseases and infections, even a common cold can cause complications that are incompatible with life. The harm caused by alcoholism and drug addiction to the liver is enormous - the inability of this organ to function normally leads to severe intoxication of the entire body. When smoking and inhaling psychotropic substances, lung cancer, bronchitis develops, and respiratory arrest may occur. The cardiovascular system suffers, arrhythmia appears, and the risk of heart attack increases.

Drug use has a huge impact on the reproductive system and sexual functions of both men and women. Sexual desire weakens, the sensitivity of the skin and mucous membranes decreases. The thing is that the amount of sex hormones is reduced. Men suffer from impotence, women from infertility. Women experience menstrual irregularities up to the complete absence of menstruation. If a person who uses drugs manages to conceive a child, there is a high probability of miscarriage, and the child will be born with mental and physical disabilities and will be developmentally delayed. If a woman uses drugs while pregnant or lactating, she causes irreparable harm to the health of the child.

List of the most popular drugs

Marijuana takes first place. Millions of people smoke it around the world. The low cost, myth of safety and relative availability have led to the legalization of weed in some countries.

Next come spices and salts. These substances are especially popular among clubbers. While the next composition is added to the list of prohibited substances, dealers are already changing the components, so the number of people using and selling such mixtures is still growing inexorably. The harm they cause is almost the same as the harmful effects of heroin or amphetamine - toxic shock, crime and suicide, and dehydration are possible. In severe cases, a person is saved from death, but he remains forever with a damaged brain or other organs.

Ecstasy was at the peak of its popularity in clubs in the late 90s and early 2000s. Multi-colored pills caused a sharp surge of energy, a feeling of joy and euphoria, and sexual desire increased many times over. Next comes severe dehydration, nausea, vomiting and all the delights of a “departure”. Since even rat poison was mixed into such tablets, it is almost impossible to predict the outcome. Alas, today interest in ecstasy, although it has dropped significantly, remains noticeably high.

Personal and social aspects

Drug addiction quickly leads to personality degradation. Family relationships collapse, marriages break up, the addict skips school and work, and is ultimately left without a livelihood. All savings are spent on purchasing the next dose. When the money runs out, the addict begins to sell his belongings and the belongings of family members, often descending to theft, followed by robbery and even murder. With such a lifestyle, there can be no talk of any employment or healthy family relationships. Often, drug addicts end up in prison or receive a suspended sentence, which significantly ruins their lives in the future, even if they manage to recover from addiction. You can also go to prison for possessing and manufacturing drugs.

Regular use of narcotic substances leads to decreased intelligence, memory impairment, and mental illness, which is why in the future, even after getting rid of addiction, a person cannot become a full-fledged member of society and becomes disabled. Drug use affects a person's appearance; drug addicts look much older than their years. To return to normal life, long-term rehabilitation with the support of loved ones is required. But often relationships with others deteriorate so much that the addict is left alone and, upon leaving the clinic, goes back to those with whom he can use.

Of course, relatives of an addict become codependent, sometimes without realizing it. A compassionate mother gives her son her last money, even knowing why he is asking for it. The wife covers for her husband, does not send him to treatment for drug addiction, is ashamed of the publicity, or hopes that he himself will give up drugs. A drug addict involves people around him in his addiction. Sooner or later, the problem is revealed, which harms the reputation of not only the addict, but his family. Living with the thought that someone dear to you has become a drug addict is very difficult; this problem is depressing and leads to depression; codependents can also lose their jobs or lose relationships due to constant worries and stress.

Codependency is also a problem that needs to be fought decisively!

Drug addicts are unable to help themselves - all responsibility falls on relatives and family members. If someone close to you is faced with this misfortune, his life is in your hands. Contact a drug treatment clinic as soon as possible and start fighting this terrible disease.

List of prohibited substances

The official list of prohibited substances in Russia is quite impressive.

This includes:

• mescaline
• psilocybin
• poppy straw
• milky sap of the plant
• coca bushes
• cannabis
• various types of synthetic acids.

As for spices and salts, they are included in the list if they contain at least one psychotropic component, regardless of the quantity.

A separate list includes substances whose circulation is restricted. These are codeine, aminorex and other components that are included in some medications.

Digestion

Due to the effect of drugs on the body, appetite deteriorates and the production of important enzymes is inhibited. All this leads to irreversible disturbances in the functioning of the digestive tract. Most drug addicts experience chronic starvation. There is a sharp weight loss, and the addict himself looks sick and exhausted. The consequences of taking drugs include retention of feces and, accordingly, the inevitable entry of toxins into the body. The skin becomes dull and gray.

The liver comes under a powerful blow. Drug addicts experience rapid development of cirrhosis or acute pancreatic necrosis, and there is a malfunction of the pancreas. The disease leads to the destruction of organ tissue and contamination of the blood with toxins, resulting in death due to endogenous intoxication.

The first signs of health deterioration

Literally from the first dose, drugs begin their destructive effects. First of all, they interfere with the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Outwardly, this manifests itself as problems with skin, nails and hair. As calcium is removed from the body in large quantities, teeth begin to crumble and bones become brittle.

The protective functions of the immune system rapidly weaken with each dose, and the drug addict’s body becomes open to all possible infections and viruses. Quite quickly after starting to use psychotropics, sexual dysfunction occurs. Libido is greatly reduced, and even in the intervals between taking drugs, the desire for sex does not appear.

All this, together with regular headaches and nausea, sleep disturbances, muscle tremors and nosebleeds, are symptoms of the beginning of a total breakdown of the body and quite logical consequences of drug use.

Skeletal system

Hard drugs provoke the rapid development of purulent destruction of the skeletal system. Osteomyelitis develops against the background of impaired blood supply and decreased immunity. First of all, the disease affects the musculoskeletal system. A person develops facial asymmetry caused by swelling of the affected area. Bad breath occurs and mucosal tissues atrophy. The infection then spreads to new areas and leads to the appearance of phlegmon on the face. Bone tissue is literally destroyed, teeth fall out, and the deformed areas remain that way for life.