Drug and Alcohol Abuse Weakens Physical Health: Mental Health Problems - Research Paper Example

I. Introduction The detrimental effects of alcohol and drug abuse affect individuals, families, communities and the larger society in which they live. It can be stated in the immeasurable lost and anguish of those badly affected by substance use illnesses. Prevention is obviously the most economical means of reducing the detrimental impacts of substance abuse. The objective of this paper is to discuss the impact of substance abuse on the individual, families and the society. But then, how do we know if we have a problem with substance addiction? How do we know if a loved one or a close friend does? How can we identify addiction? Is an individual an addict if they use them merely due to the fact that they are illegal? In reality, determining the exact measure at which point substance use amounts to addiction should be simple, but it is not. Uncertainly arises for the reason that we are restricted to examining and explaining behaviors, when the fact is what we are attempting to describe entails an alteration in the functioning of the brain as an outcome of addictive substance use. Addiction is a problematical condition, with psychological, behavioral, biological and spiritual characteristics. Given this fact, it is best to perceive drug and alcohol addiction and its effects to individuals, families and the society, as complicated disorders. II. Impact of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Drug and alcohol abuse weakens physical health. For instance, persistent alcohol abuse is related to diseases of the heart, central nervous system and liver. Commonly, as in the case of Korsakoff’s condition or a brain disorder, the damage brought about by alcohol abuse is permanent. Other health problems resulting from substance use are well-documented. Familiar examples are chronic central nervous system injury stemming from solvent abuse, and lung cancer resulting from chain smoking (Bennett & Holloway, 2005). Moreover, several substances are lethal in too much doses, leading to a number of chronic and severe effects on health, possibly resulting in long-term disability or death. Ultimately, substance abuse worsens the risk for obtaining other acute health problems, such as sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, or trauma resulting from accidents that are caused by abusive use of psychoactive substances (Henderson, 2000). Mental health problems commonly arise with substance abuse. In a number of cases, psychiatric disorder comes first or even adds to the problem of substance abuse, while in others, behavioral and emotional disorders occur within the framework of drug and alcohol use problems. A great deal of research has described the inconsistent depiction of psychological disturbances in substance abusers. Involved are problems in behavior, personality, self-esteem, mood, and social functioning. Again, a number of these psychological problems could be manifest prior to the beginning of substance abuse, even though psychological performance commonly deteriorates over time in individuals suffering from disorders caused by substance abuse (Bennett & Holloway, 2005). Excessive use of particular substances could also contribute to quite distinctive psychological manifestations, such as the state of amotivation that has been associated to persistent use of marijuana. Additional psychological impacts of substance abuse are related to the biological effect of psychoactive substances, such as bad temper and fretfulness originating from withdrawal attempts, and the behaviors that are caused by drugs and alcohol dependence, such as obsession with acquiring craved substances (DiClemente, 2003). The family, as well, is considerably affected by substance abuse. Patterns of behavior that usually accompany substance dependence, such as participating in criminal activities in order to acquire money to satisfy addiction, involvement in perilous and threatening activities, and educational underperformance, can put enormous pressure on the financial and emotional resources of afflicted families (DiClemente, 2003). Furthermore, since substance abuse is more probable to arise in families that are previously troubled or maladaptive, trauma stemming from the addiction of a family member could further strain previously threatened coping abilities. Substance use in parents can lead to child abuse and abandonment, domestic violence, and lack of support and communication and unity within the family (Petersen & McBride, 2002). The effect of drug and alcohol abuse to the community and the larger society is also of apparent concern. It has been reported in some studies that substance abuse and crime have a direct relationship, particularly relating to illegal substances that are extremely addictive, such as heroin and marijuana. As the problem develops, individuals addicted to such substances usually resort to crime to acquire drugs to support their addictions (Petersen & McBride, 2002). Furthermore, addiction also enlarges the danger of being a crime victim. Drug-related activity, such as vending and purchasing, further weakens the community by introducing the youth to drugs, offering ease of access to illegal substances, and enabling organized crime penetration. Decisively, substance abuse dispossesses the society of human resources that could be maximized to reinforce and improve population strength (Ammerman, Ott & Tarter, 1999). Drugs and alcohol abusers are prone to perform incompetently at work, and are more likely to incur higher rates of absences. It is approximated that “lost work hours and poor performance cost employers $35 billion per year” (Ammerman, Ott & Tarter, 1999, 6). Further costs are sustained through employee rehabilitation programs for substance abusers, and premiums given to insurance providers to pay for treatment of substance abuse. At the federal, state and local levels, a massive amount of financial and human resources is allocated to trimming down the availability and accessibility of harmful substances. These attempts have inadequate effectiveness, further underlining the importance of prevention in reducing the prevalence of substance abuse (DiClemente, 2003). III. Substance Abuse Prevention The objectives of substance abuse prevention are quite evident. They comprise: (a) hinder onset of substance use; (b) restrict the quantity and kinds of substances abused; (c) prevent the shift from substance use to abuse: and (d) reduce the detrimental outcomes of those people who endeavor in substance use and sooner or later show signs of clinically relevant symptoms of disorders caused by substance abuse (Ammerman, Ott & Tarter, 1999). Completely realizing these objectives, though, has been vague. This results, primarily, from the deficient knowledge of the sources of substance use disorders, and our failure to accurately predict particular developmental courses for individuals and the larger populations. Consequently, much work is still needed before we can determine those people at greatest risk, evaluate their individual needs, and formulate and put into effect a most favorable intervention founded on an assessment. To a certain extent, we are at a point where we can determine individuals at greater or lesser threat, carry out evaluations that identify performance in key domains, but not essentially in all areas, significant to the individual, and conduct programs that deal with wide-ranging domains of need, but not essentially the particular and distinctive individual needs. These conditions are not exclusive to the area of substance abuse. In reality, it precisely describes present restrictions in performing psychological programs for children (Bennett & Holloway, 2005). In spite of these setbacks, several major developments have taken place in the prevention field in the recent decade. Apart from more truthfully explaining the processes by which drugs and alcohol use and abuse arise, and determining individuals at greater threat for developing problems of substance abuse, a number of particular prevention schemes have been empirically substantiated to reduce substance use and the ensuing build up of substance use disorders (Bennet & Holloway, 2005). Generally, prevention programs put emphasis on (a) modifying the psychological aspects of the person that influence or safeguard individuals from having problematic substance use; (b) altering the environmental situations that increase or reduce risk, and; (c) changing the relationship between these factors further classify prevention into five techniques: (a) models of information dissemination; (2) emotional education models; (3) alternative models; (4) models of social resistance abilities, and; (5) more wide-ranging skills training agendas. Each of these techniques has been embodied in general, preferred, and recommended programs. Even though it has merely been in recent times that programs for prevention have been subjected to organized empirical assessment, a more unambiguous understanding of important features of effective prevention attempts has surfaced (Petersen & McBride, 2002). IV. Conclusions Drugs and alcohol abuse not merely affects the individual who is afflicted by it, but also their families, their communities, and the society they live in. Biological, physiological and psychological disorders are the most well-known impacts of substance abuse. Hence, the need for more effective substance abuse prevention is continuously growing. Substance abuse prevention has made remarkable achievement in the recent decade. Theoretical designs have been improved that explain the intricate interaction of risk and preventive forces. There has been a growing awareness of substance abuse as arising from mechanisms of development, thus providing evidence to the significance of early involvement and prevention. Particular prevention schemes have underwent empirical assessment with more improved systematic thoroughness. Consequently, a number of prevention schemes have surfaced as capable, and a more unambiguous explanation of key elements to prevention has been acquired. Even though current developments in the field of prevention are heartening, a great deal of work still has to be done. There are apparently three subject matters that should be the emphasis of research in the future. Primarily, there is a necessity for a more direct relationship between the study of the sources of problems and prevention. Traditionally, these two domains in substance abuse have advanced separately. Prevention schemes have been significantly affected by practical restrictions, thus the focus on general prevention attempts, and etiological study has been carried out with negligible thought of the actual world hindrances confronted by professionals. There has been substantial growth in recent times in uniting these two areas, even though a great deal of work still has to be done. References Ammerman, R. T., Ott, P.J., & Tarter, R.E. (Eds.). (1999). Prvention and Societal Impact of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Bennett, T. & Holloway, K. (2005). Understanding Drugs, Alcohol and Crime. Maidenhead, England: Open University Press. DiClemente, C. C. (2003). Addiction and Change: How Addictions Develop and Addicted People Recover. New York: Guilford Press. Henderson, E. C. (2000). Understanding Addiction. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi. Petersen, T., & McBride, A. (Eds.). (2002). Working with Substance Misusers: A Guide to Theory and Practice. New York: Routledge. Stout, C., & Levitt, J.L. (Eds.). (1992). Handbook for Assessing and Treating Addictive Disorders. New York: Greenwood Press. Read More