Consequences of Substance or Drug Abuse

 

Meaning-cum-Definition  

Substance or Drug Abuse – Consumption of illegal substances or drugs and excessive use or consumption of prescribed medicines and alcohol.

 

          It is the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs (National Health Portal of India).

 

Consequences

(i)       Psychological,

(ii)      Physical,

(iii)     Social, and

(iv)     Financial/Economic.

 

Psychological

(i)       Stressful life events,,

(ii)      Psychopathic deviation,

(iii)     Psychosis & Depression,

(iv)     Anxiety & Phobic reactions

(v)      Reduced self-esteem & Mood swings,

(vi)     Cognitive deficit (memory, attention, perception),

(vii)    Negative effect on dependents (avoidance, suicide ideation, delusional jealousy, distress, decreased or altered coping behaviour),

(viii)   Behavioural abnormalities (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, oppositional behaviors, risk taking and conduct problems).

 

Physical

(i)       Lip burns.

(ii)      Death or suicide.

(iii)     Drug dependency.

(iv)     Response inhibition.

(v)      Increased tolerance.

(vi)     Withdrawal symptoms.

(vii)    Bruises and trace marks.

(viii)   Impairment in visual scanning.

(ix)     Skin disease & sexual dysfunction.

(x)      Contracting diseases (HIV, STD, Hepatitis C).

(xi)     Negative effect of fetus (Birth defects, developmental issues).

(xii)    Lack of sleep, appetite and fast degradation of physical health.

 

Social

(i)       Avoidance by others,

(ii)      Poor inter personal relations,

(iii)     Legal problems (arrest, jail etc.)

(iv)     Drop out from academic institution,

(v)      Perpetrator or victim of criminal act.

(vi)     Ruined family life (Domestic violence)

(vii)    Failure to fulfill social obligations.

(viii)   Sexual abuse.

(ix)     Frustration and anger among family members.

(x)      Desertion by spouse.

 

Financial/Economic

(i)       Job loss,

(ii)      Economic burden on governments.

(iii)     Financial stress due to draining of resources.

(iv)     Transmission of poverty from parents to children.

(v)      Government loss due to smuggling and illicit trade.

(vi)     High Cost of drug or substance will drain out the resources.

(vii)    High cost of treatment and loss of productive hours.

 

Treatment and Intervention

(i)       Medication (Thiamine, magnesium sulphate and Vitamin B and others).

(ii)      Family intervention therapy.

(iii)     Learning better coping strategies.

(iv)     Life style modification.

(v)      Change of peer group.

(vi)     Psychotherapies.

 

References:

1.       Murthy, P., Manjunatha, N., Subodh, B. N., Chand, P. K., & Benegal, V. (2010). Substance use and addiction research in India. Indian journal of psychiatry, 52(Suppl 1), S189–S199. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.69232

2.       https://www.nhp.gov.in/disease/non-communicable-disease/substance-abuse.

3.       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146212.

 

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