Long Term Effects of Drug Addiction

In addition to the huge social and monetary costs to prosecuting “the war on drugs,” the human costs at the level of the addict’s life are huge. Drug addiction has such negative long-term effects on a person’s overall health, finances and stability; it makes drug addiction more complex and challenging than simply addressing a person’s mental or physical problems alone. The effects of drug addiction will eventually strain all relationships including family, friends and the community in general. As the addict blames his family and friends due to his denials and rationalizations, his closest remaining relationships are driven away and he becomes even more isolated and difficult to treat.

A drug addict’s physical health outlook is poor at best. People who abuse drugs risk many problems ranging from neglecting their own basic health to serious infectious diseases. Diseases like hepatitis and HIV are common among drug addicts as a result of sharing needles. Drug addiction can also promote lung disease, heart problems, brain damage and ultimately, death from an overdose. Most addicts cannot devote sufficient attention to a job and their productivity will suffer to the point that they have trouble keeping any employment at all or even become homeless.

The most powerful effect of drug addiction may be denial – as the addict’s urge to use is so strong that they can rationalize nearly any behavior no matter how illegal, immoral or unethical. Addicts continually underestimate the cost of the drugs they are taking and how much it is costing them with their family and work. A common effect is that that an addict does not believe they have a problem and they can make others feel like they are exaggerating and overstating his drug problem. This is often frustrating and dysfunctional for all involved.

Blaming other people is a common effect of drug addiction. Addicts love to blame everyone else for their problems. The denial and rationalization will invariably lead to increased problems with work, finances and relationships as an overall pattern of deterioration sets in.

Unfortunately, many of the long-term effects of drug addiction are not limited to the addict. In addition to the tremendous effects on the American economy, family and friends will often bear the brunt of an addict’s emotional and monetary violations. Broken families in poverty as well as child abuse and child neglect are all too often common results of drug addiction. Drug addiction by pregnant mothers can affect a developing baby’s health and moves the problem into a whole new generation. Much of the domestic violence in our cities can be attributed to drug addiction. Hospitals are the frequent destination of drug addicts as well as the victims of their crimes. Drug addiction is a direct path to a violent life and a shorter life overall.