Substance Abuse Essay

Substance abuse is a growing problem that not only affects the person who is abusing alcohol or drugs but affects the lives of those who are close to the abuser. Substance abuse is the abuse of any substance. A drug is a substance that modifies one or more of the body’s functions when it is consumed. Everything from over-the-counter pain medication, to opiates, prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, alcohol, cocaine, heroin and even coffee can be abused in one way or another. The two main substances being abused in our nation are nicotine and alcohol. According to the Michigan Institute for Social research, “Substance abuse is a major public health problem.” Substance abuse is responsible for half a million preventable deaths each year. …show more content…
You need to use more of the drug to experience the same effects you used to with smaller amounts; you take drugs to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms. If you go too long without drugs, you experience symptoms such as nausea, restlessness, insomnia, depression, sweating, shaking, and anxiety; you’ve lost control over your drug use. You often do drugs or use more than you planned, even though you told yourself you wouldn’t. You may want to stop using, but you feel powerless; your life revolves around drug use. You spend a lot of time using and thinking about drugs, figuring out how to get them, and recovering from the drug’s effects; you’ve abandoned activities you used to enjoy, such as hobbies, sports, and socializing, because of your drug use. And you continue to use drugs, despite knowing it’s hurting you. It’s causing major problems in your life—blackouts, infections, mood swings, depression, paranoia—but you use anyway.” According to, http://www.who.int/substance_abuse, “76.3 million persons with alcohol use disorders worldwide, At least 15.3 million persons who have drug use disorders, Injecting drug use reported in 136 countries, of which 93 report HIV infection among this population, For every dollar invested in drug treatment, Seven dollars are saved in health and social costs.”
Now that we know a few

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