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The Effects of Drug Addiction on the Brain and Body

Signs of drug addiction, effects of drug addiction.

Drug addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease that involves complex interactions between a person’s environment, brain circuits, genetics, and life experiences.

People with drug addictions continue to use drugs compulsively, despite the negative effects.

Substance abuse has many potential consequences, including overdose and death. Learn about the effects of drug addiction on the mind and body and treatment options that can help.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

Drug Abuse vs. Drug Addiction

While the terms “drug abuse” and “drug addiction” are often used interchangeably, they're different. Someone who abuses drugs uses a substance too much, too frequently, or in otherwise unhealthy ways. However, they ultimately have control over their substance use.

Someone with a drug addiction uses drugs in a way that affects many parts of their life and causes major disruptions. They continue to use drugs compulsively despite the negative consequences.

The signs of drug abuse and addiction include changes in behavior, personality, and physical appearance. If you’re concerned about a loved one’s substance use, here are some of the red flags to watch out for:

  • Changes in school or work performance
  • Secretiveness 
  • Relationship problems
  • Risk-taking behavior
  • Legal problems
  • Aggression 
  • Mood swings
  • Changes in hobbies or friends
  • Sudden weight loss or gain
  • Unexplained odors on the body or clothing

Drug Addiction in Men and Women

Men and women are equally likely to develop drug addictions. However, men are more likely than women to use illicit drugs, die from a drug overdose, and visit an emergency room for addiction-related health reasons. Women are more susceptible to intense cravings and repeated relapses.

People can become addicted to any psychoactive ("mind-altering") substance. Common addictive substances include alcohol , tobacco ( nicotine ), stimulants, hallucinogens, and opioids .

Many of the effects of drug addiction are similar, no matter what substance someone uses. The following are some of the most common effects of drug addiction.

Effects of Drug Addiction on the Body

Drug addiction can lead to a variety of physical consequences ranging in seriousness from drowsiness to organ damage and death:

  • Shallow breathing
  • Elevated body temperature
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Impaired coordination and slurred speech
  • Decreased or increased appetite
  • Tooth decay
  • Skin damage
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Infertility
  • Kidney damage
  • Liver damage and cirrhosis
  • Various forms of cancer
  • Cardiovascular problems
  • Lung problems
  • Overdose and death

If left untreated drug addiction can lead to serious, life-altering effects on the body.

Dependence and withdrawal also affect the body:

  • Physical dependence : Refers to the reliance on a substance to function day to day. People can become physically dependent on a substance fairly quickly. Dependence does not always mean someone is addicted, but the longer someone uses drugs, the more likely their dependency is to become an addiction.
  • Withdrawal : When someone with a dependence stops using a drug, they can experience withdrawal symptoms like excessive sweating, tremors, panic, difficulty breathing, fatigue , irritability, and flu-like symptoms.

Overdose Deaths in the United States

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 100,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose in 2021.

Effects of Drug Addiction on the Brain

All basic functions in the body are regulated by the brain. But, more than that, your brain is who you are. It controls how you interpret and respond to life experiences and the ways you behave as a result of undergoing those experiences.

Drugs alter important areas of the brain. When someone continues to use drugs, their health can deteriorate both psychologically and neurologically.

Some of the most common mental effects of drug addiction are:

  • Cognitive decline
  • Memory loss
  • Mood changes and paranoia
  • Poor self/impulse control
  • Disruption to areas of the brain controlling basic functions (heart rate, breathing, sleep, etc.)

Effects of Drug Addiction on Behavior

Psychoactive substances affect the parts of the brain that involve reward, pleasure, and risk. They produce a sense of euphoria and well-being by flooding the brain with dopamine .

This leads people to compulsively use drugs in search of another euphoric “high.” The consequences of these neurological changes can be either temporary or permanent. 

  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability 
  • Angry outbursts
  • Lack of inhibition 
  • Decreased pleasure/enjoyment in daily life (e.g., eating, socializing, and sex)
  • Hallucinations

Help Someone With Drug Addiction

If you suspect that a loved one is experiencing drug addiction, address your concerns honestly, non-confrontationally, and without judgment. Focus on building trust and maintaining an open line of communication while setting healthy boundaries to keep yourself and others safe. If you need help, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

Effects of Drug Addiction on an Unborn Child

Drug addiction during pregnancy can cause serious negative outcomes for both mother and child, including:

  • Preterm birth
  • Maternal mortality

Drug addiction during pregnancy can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) . Essentially, the baby goes into withdrawal after birth. Symptoms of NAS differ depending on which drug has been used but can include:

  • Excessive crying
  • Sleeping and feeding issues

Children exposed to drugs before birth may go on to develop issues with behavior, attention, and thinking. It's unclear whether prenatal drug exposure continues to affect behavior and the brain beyond adolescence.  

While there is no single “cure” for drug addiction, there are ways to treat it. Treatment can help you control your addiction and stay drug-free. The primary methods of treating drug addiction include:

  • Psychotherapy : Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or family therapy , can help someone with a drug addiction develop healthier ways of thinking and behaving.
  • Behavioral therapy : Common behavioral therapies for drug addiction include motivational enhancement therapy (MET) and contingency management (CM). These therapy approaches build coping skills and provide positive reinforcement.
  • Medication : Certain prescribed medications help to ease withdrawal symptoms. Some examples are naltrexone (for alcohol), bupropion (for nicotine), and methadone (for opioids).
  • Hospitalization : Some people with drug addiction might need to be hospitalized to detox from a substance before beginning long-term treatment.
  • Support groups : Peer support and self-help groups, such as 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, can help people with drug addictions find support, resources, and accountability.

A combination of medication and behavioral therapy has been found to have the highest success rates in preventing relapse and promoting recovery. Forming an individualized treatment plan with your healthcare provider's help is likely to be the most effective approach.

Drug addiction is a complex, chronic medical disease that results in compulsive use of psychoactive substances despite the negative consequences.

Some effects of drug abuse and addiction include changes in appetite, mood, and sleep patterns. More serious health issues such as cognitive decline, major organ damage, overdose, and death are also risks. Addiction to drugs while pregnant can lead to serious outcomes for both mother and child.

Treatment for drug addiction may involve psychotherapy , medication, hospitalization, support groups, or a combination.

If you or someone you know is experiencing substance abuse or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

American Society of Addiction Medicine. Definition of addiction .

HelpGuide.org. Drug Abuse and Addiction .

Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services. Warning signs of drug abuse .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Sex and gender differences in substance use .

Cleveland Clinic. Drug addiction .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction Drugs and the Brain .

American Heart Association. Illegal Drugs and Heart Disease .

American Addiction Centers. Get the facts on substance abuse .

Szalavitz M, Rigg KK, Wakeman SE. Drug dependence is not addiction-and it matters . Ann Med . 2021;53(1):1989-1992. doi:10.1080/07853890.2021.1995623

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. top 100,000 annually .

American Psychological Association. Cognition is central to drug addiction .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Understanding Drug Use and Addiction DrugFacts .

MedlinePlus. Neonatal abstinence syndrome .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Treatment and recovery .

Grella CE, Stein JA.  Remission from substance dependence: differences between individuals in a general population longitudinal survey who do and do not seek help . Drug and Alcohol Dependence.  2013;133(1):146-153. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.05.019

By Laura Dorwart Dr. Dorwart has a Ph.D. from UC San Diego and is a health journalist interested in mental health, pregnancy, and disability rights.

  • Causes and Effects of Drug Addiction Words: 1287
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  • Drug Addiction in America: Effects and Solutions Words: 899
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Cause and Effect of Drug Addiction

Dealing with substance abuse is usually linked to additional challenges not only because of the lack of motivation in patients but also because of the stigma associated with the specified disorder. To build empathy toward people suffering from drug misuse, an insight into the causes and effects of drug dependency is strongly needed. The urgency of addressing the drug misuse concern is also justified by the high rates of people with drug addiction. In 2020, in the U.S. alone, the instances of marijuana vaping have grown from 19.1% to 22.1% in 2019-2020 (National Institute of Drug Abuse “Monitoring”). Remarkably, the victims of substance addiction, particularly, drug misuse, have also become significantly younger (National Institute of Drug Abuse “Monitoring”). Due to the changes in the functioning of neurological pathways in the human brain as a result of drug misuse, with the associated physical; and mental health deterioration, drug misuse must be prevented, which can be achieved by educating groups at risk.

To consider the causes of drug misuse, one must draw a distinct line between biological and social factors. The latter may include social influence and peer pressure, whereas the latter is restricted to the genetic predisposition to developing a drug dependency (National Institute of Drug Abuse “Introducing the Human Brain”). As a rule, social factors contribute to most cases of drug misuse (Rioux et al. 458). Therefore, it is crucial to develop critical thinking in young people belonging to groups at risk so that they could avoid the development of drug addiction. However, genetics and especially the propensity toward drug misuse among parents are likely to play an important role in the development of drug addiction as well.

In turn, the physical and mental health effects of drug misuse may vary to a certain extent depending on the type of drug, yet the changes in the functioning of the human body, particularly, the nervous system, are usually homogenous across all cases. Specifically, the disruption in the neurological pathways, specifically, in the transmission of neurons within the human brain, is observed in the instances of drug misuse (National Institute of Drug Abuse “Health Consequences”). As a result, the brain is incapable of processing information adequately, which leads to hallucinations, impairments of cognitive function, memory loss, development of early-onset dementia, and even the cases of schizophrenia and similar mental health disorders (Ham et al. 11). Similarly, drug misuse causes the rest of the systems within the human body to deteriorate rapidly, although they are not affected as quickly as the mental functions. Specifically, due to the changes to the brain, the threats of a stroke and seizures emerge (National Institute of Drug Abuse “Health Consequences”). Additionally, cardiovascular and respiratory issues may emerge due to the changes in blood pressure caused by the disruptions in the neurological processes within the brain. Lastly, the threat of HIV/AIDS remains very prominent in people with drug misuse issues (Jayant et al. 608). Therefore, the specified health issue entails a plethora of associated health problems.

Since drugs have a tremendously detrimental effect on the functioning of neurotransmitters in the human brain, causing inadequate responses and the resulting deterioration of physical and mental functioning, illegal drug consumption must be prevented at all costs. Possible measures may include educating vulnerable groups and populations at risk, as well as offering free counseling and support for the specified demographic. Additionally, legal repercussions for drug misuse should be reduced so that people could seek help more actively, and that the stigma of drug addiction could be removed. Thus, a healthier community without the threat of drug misuse can be built.

Works Cited

Ham, Suji, et al. “Drug Abuse and Psychosis: New Insights into Drug-Induced Psychosis.” Experimental Neurobiology , vol. 26, no. 1, 2017, p. 11. doi:10.5607/en.2017.26.1.11

Jayant, Rahul Dev, et al. “Novel Nanoformulation to Mitigate Co-Effects of Drugs of Abuse and HIV-1 Infection: Towards the Treatment of NeuroAIDS.” Journal of Neurovirology , vol. 23, no. 4, 2017, pp. 603-614. doi:10.1007/s13365-017-0538-8

National Institute of Drug Abuse. “Monitoring the Future 2020 Survey Results.” DrugAbuse.gov . Web.

National Institute of Drug Abuse “Health Consequences of Drug Misuse.” DrugAbuse.gov .

National Institute of Drug Abuse. “Introducing the Human Brain.” DrugAbuse.gov .

Rioux, Charlie, et al. “Age of Cannabis Use Onset and Adult Drug Abuse Symptoms: A Prospective Study of Common Risk Factors and Indirect Effects.” The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry , vol. 63, no. 7, 2018, pp. 457-464. doi:10.1177/0706743718760289

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Sample Essay On Cause And Effects Of Drug Abuse

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Law , Addiction , Human , Drug Abuse , Brain , Criminal Justice , Crime , Drugs

Published: 03/29/2020

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Many causes and effects of drug addiction are both related as to why a person is using illegal drugs and the outcome of becoming a drug addict. Being a drug addict creates a negative cycle, which undeniably precipitates some anomalies in the human brain. The process will result in strong cravings as well as involuntary inclination that prompt to use drugs. Drug addiction is a very serious threat to public safety and public health, not only in the United States, but also all over the world. Drug addiction develops in many ways. To better understand the causes of addiction, it would be essential to know how the use of illegal drugs is affecting the human brain. The human brain has its natural capability to reinforce and identify positive experiences. As an example, if a human eats his or her favorite food or puts a warm blanket during the cold winter nights, the brain will naturally release feel-good chemicals such as dopamine. By repeatedly experiencing these events, drugs will reinforce the human behavior through a process that teaches the brain to expect the positive experiences or pleasant sensations. However, none of these addiction causes will happen if there are no supporting factors that provoke people in getting addicted to drugs. Some people may not understand why other individuals are becoming addicted to drugs and how it changes the human brain’s activity to promote compulsive abuse of drugs. Sometimes, some people mistakenly observe drug addiction and abuse as one of the social problems. One of the causes of a person’s drug addiction is the surroundings. A person who lives in a community, where drug temptations are present, it is more likely that he or she may be with a group of people who use drugs. Therefore, the possibility of being in a group of drug users can be one of the causes of a person’s drug addiction. Another that factor that causes drug addiction is the person’s behavior. This normally happens to a person who normally gets along with a group of people who have similar behavior just like him. He will easily be convinced to use illegal drugs initially until he falls into addiction eventually. In some points, causes of drug abuse can be a personal or family matter. There may have a time that parents and guardian of a potential drug user may lack family openness, in which communication between family members is less. Therefore, there could be an attention deficiency, which they normally found from their peers. Experimentation many things including drug abuse could happen during the teenage years, which can worsen a person’s drug addiction in the long run. There could be hundreds of causes why a person becomes a drug addict. Along with this, there are also numerous effects that being a drug addict could provide. One of the effects of drug addiction could be a person’s attitude. A person who is addicted to drugs could turn his attitude to be a hot-tempered one. He or she tends to become irate as a response even on simple things. As a result, his or her relationship with her family and friends could become worse as his attitude becomes worse. In addition, drug addiction changes the human brain’s function. A drug addict will lose his self-control and his ability to recognize sounds. These effects could appear overtime as the person continues to use illegal drugs. The effects of being a drug user may depend on the length of time a person being into it. The longer a person uses illegal drugs, the more likely that he or she may have worse effects eventually. Besides emotional and social reasons, a person’s willingness to stop or continue using illegal drugs also contributes to being whether or not he is a drug abuser.

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Drug Abuse and Its Negative Effects Essay

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Introduction

Works cited.

One of the consequences of using drugs is, eventually, an individual becoming addicted. Addiction refers to a neuropsychological disorder that involves persistently feeling an urge to engage in particular behaviors despite the significant harm or negative effects. The psychology that explains addiction covers many areas, such as an illness or personal problem, an effect of someone’s lifestyle, family history, or socioeconomic demographics. This paper aims to highlight what the field of psychology says about the negative effects of drugs and why people continue using despite the consequences.

Using drugs once does not necessarily mean someone will never consume them again. In most cases, the drugs contain elements that can cause a person to become addicted. From a psychological perspective, it is important to understand how people enter into addiction. At the root of addictive behavior is a level of emotional stress deeply hidden within someone’s subconscious mind, and addressing it becomes a challenge. To relieve stress, pleasure is discovered in excess (Bechara 100). An example is when people choose to drink alcohol to ease their pain and ultimately find fun.

Stopping the behavior is a danger to someone’s mental state as they fear returning thoughts of the initial source of emotional stress. When a person is addicted, it suggests they lack healthy coping methods for the problem. The only mechanisms are distracting as well as unhealthy such as substance usage. Individuals dealing with addiction do not care about what matters since what is important to them is the desire to do something when that stress appears (Bechara 101). Some can stop their behaviors as their emotional stress does not manifest as among the addictive behaviors. Meanwhile, for others, their drug usage indicates an issue they may not have known and needs treatment. This leads to associative learning, which refers to learning to do something according to a novel stimulus.

Associative Learning

It is regarded as associative learning when an individual finds and takes drugs and ultimately gets high. The concept can be further explained using Ivan Pavlov’s experiment, where he rang a bell to call a dog and then rewarded it with food (Fouyssac and David 3015). A specific part of the brain controls associative learning, which it does via a neurotransmitter named dopamine. Dopamine is produced naturally by the brain when an individual does something rewarding or pleasurable.

The dopamine effect is a survival mechanism whereby eating or drinking feels good. It ensures continuity of life, family, and species in general. The element’s production is among the key drivers behind sex since, as much as the act is rewarding and pleasurable simultaneously, it is needed for survival (Fouyssac and David 3015). The main effect is that it creates a memory of the experience, which pushes people to seek the feeling again. People forget about the negative effects of drugs due to the moments of pleasure. As mentioned earlier, it is most likely that someone who uses the drug once will consume it again. The feeling established, regardless of how long, is enough to convince a person to forget everything they know concerning the negative effects and pursue a minute or two of a great time.

The paper has highlighted what the field of psychology says about the negative effects of drugs and why people continue using despite the consequences. It has been established that, in most cases, individuals experience addiction due to the pursuit of stress relief. Using the logic of the dopamine effect, once someone experiences something pleasurable or rewarding to them, they are most likely to pursue that feeling again. Eventually, it becomes impossible to convince them against the drugs as their desire to end their problem is more than the need to remain healthy.

Bechara, Antoine, et al. “A Neurobehavioral Approach to Addiction: Implications for the Opioid Epidemic and the Psychology of Addiction.” Psychological Science in the Public Interest, vol. 20, no. 2, 2019, p. 96–127.

Fouyssac, Maxime, and David Belin. “Beyond Drug‐Induced Alteration of Glutamate Homeostasis, Astrocytes May Contribute to Dopamine‐Dependent Intrastriatal Functional Shifts That Underlie the Development of Drug Addiction: A Working Hypothesis.” European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 50, no. 6, 2019, p. 3014-3027.

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Ielts writing task 2 sample 348 - discuss the cause and effects of widespread drug abuse by young people, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, people in all modern societies use drugs, but today’s youth are experimenting with both legal and illegal drugs, and at an early age. some sociologists claim that parents and other members of society often set a bad example. discuss the cause and effects of widespread drug abuse by young people. make any recommendations you feel are necessary to help fight youth drug abuse..

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    Many causes and effects of drug addiction are both related as to why a person is using illegal drugs and the outcome of becoming a drug addict. Being a drug addict creates a negative cycle, which undeniably precipitates some anomalies in the human brain. The process will result in strong cravings as well as involuntary inclination that prompt ...

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    b) Effects of Drug Abuse: The signs or harmful effects of drug abuse could be physical, emotional, family d ynamics, school behaviours, a nd social problems. They include cardio vascular. disease ...

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    The side effects of drug addiction include: A reduced and weakened immune system, the chance of illness and infection got increased. Heart attacks from abnormal heart rates, collapsed veins and blood vessel infections from injected drugs. Nausea and abdominal pain can also cause changes in appetite and weight loss.

  13. Consequences: The Cause and Effect of Drug Use Essay

    Smokers might experience panic attacks, difficulty with short term memory, feeling clumsy, and being uncoordinated. Other kinds of effects are seen in being withdrawn from society and peer groups. Lack of enthusiasm in life can become a problem for the user in quitting. Severe mental disorders and psychosis may also be seen later in life.

  14. Cause And Effect Essay On Drug Addiction

    Dopamine is the chemical that make things feel good. When using certain drugs the drug will trigger dopamine, which then gives the addict or user an outstanding good feeling that can lasts a short amount of time and then eventually goes away. With this overflow of dopamine in the body and the feeling of feeling good is the driving factor of why ...

  15. Cause And Effect Essay On Drug Addiction

    Addiction is the reliance on a routine. There are many addictive stages. Addiction, as it comes along, becomes a way of life. The persistent use of the substance causes to the user serious physical or psychological problems and dysfunctions in major areas of his or her life. The drug user continues to use substances and the compulsive behavior ...

  16. Drug Abuse and Its Negative Effects

    The dopamine effect is a survival mechanism whereby eating or drinking feels good. It ensures continuity of life, family, and species in general. The element's production is among the key drivers behind sex since, as much as the act is rewarding and pleasurable simultaneously, it is needed for survival (Fouyssac and David 3015). The main ...

  17. How to Write a Cause and Effect Essay (Updated in 2021)

    Another effect of the War on Drugs is the proliferation and economic empowerment of organized crime, as drugs are lucrative on the black market. 3. The War on Drugs is costly, requiring money that could be much better spent on public health and education initiatives. ... Example Cause and Effect Essay. More than $50 billion per year is spent on ...

  18. IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample 348

    This essay will analyse the cause and effect of taking drugs and will make some recommendations to eradicate this abuse. The very first reason in drug adoption in youth is primarily due to parents, guardians and social circle. Parents may consume drugs to remain active at work or to relieve their bodies from mental stresses of everyday life.

  19. Drug Use Cause And Effect Essay (300 Words)

    Some of these withdrawal symptoms include: insomnia, night sweats, tremors and agitation. Studies have shown prolonged use or misuse of these painkillers can have other dangerous consequences. Dangers of these drugs include: liver disease related to prolonged or excessive use of the acetaminophen (contained in Vicodin).

  20. Effects of Drugs on Society: [Essay Example], 656 words

    Health Effects. One of the most significant impacts of drugs on society is the health-related consequences. The use and abuse of drugs can lead to a range of health problems, including addiction, mental health issues, and physical harm. The use of drugs can lead to addiction, as individuals struggle to control their use and experience cravings ...

  21. Cause And Effect Of Drugs Essay

    There are six different types of drugs; cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine. These drugs are taken by smoking, sniffing, snorting, injected, orally, swallowed, or inhaled. Each one of the six listed above have their own specials effects, and shared effects. For example, cocaine is used for illegal stimulants ...

  22. Impact of Drug Addiction on Society: [Essay Example], 904 words

    Impact of Drug Addiction on Society. Drug addiction has been a significant issue worldwide for many decades, impacting not only individuals addicted to illegal substances but also the society surrounding them. This essay aims to explore the influence of drug addiction on society at the local, national, and global scale.

  23. The Effects of Drugs on Our Society: [Essay Example], 1471 words

    Drugs can affect organs such as the lungs, heart, kidneys and liver. Drugs affect the lungs by smoking them. These smoke-able drugs may include pot, marijuana, PCP, heroin, ketamine, prescription opioids, DXM, GHB, and tobacco. These things start to turn your lungs black and cause diseases like bronchitis.