Abusing hard drugs and getting addicted may come from low self esteem which can cause many problems. People with low self esteem have more of a hard time getting over negative thoughts or feelings, which can cause them to turn to drugs to change these thoughts and feelings to positive ones. Depression and anxiety also factor in drug addiction. Depression causes low energy and sadness, and anxiety causes irritability and trouble falling asleep along with staying asleep. These two can lead someone to turn to drugs such as Mephedrone, Crack and Heroin. These drugs have one thing in common; they give someone a sense of wellbeing. When people take Mephedrone they experience feelings such as feeling alert, elevated mood and a sense of wellbeing. Crack can make people experience feelings such as exhilaration, increased confidence and a sense of wellbeing. Heroin causes people to have feelings of pleasure, being warm and content and a sense of wellbeing. These all cause intense feelings, and after someone takes it, they may want more because they no longer have negative thoughts. Depression and anxiety, caused by self esteem issues, can cause drug addiction.
Depression is a big reason people can get addicted to drugs. Depression is a mental illness that involves the mood of a person. This mood disorder affects how you think, feel and act and can cause problems emotionally and physically. Individuals can experience feelings such as irritability, hopelessness, loss of interest or
Despair and Addiction makes them feel like there is no way out and then they start to feel depressed and do drugs thinking it is the only way out so they start having addictions and then they get more depressed and feel more alone.
First of all, there is the Structural-Functional perspective way people view drug addiction as. The structural-functional perspective is the role the drugs do for the person or the weakening of the norms. It is the way they affect the person and what it does to them that makes them be addicted to drugs. For some people drugs relieves them. It takes them away from their problems from a while and they feel stress free and because of that feeling they receive from the drugs they like it and continue to take more and more. Those with this type of perspective well most likely disagree with this view of drug addiction and would want the problem to decrease.
In society, drugs have been the downfall for many people. There are many reasons that a person may use drugs such as: peer pressure, relief of stress, increased energy, to relax, to relieve pain, to escape reality, to feel more self esteem, and for recreation ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011). What is it that causes the obsession and compulsion to use drugs? Why can some people stop and others go on to become addicts? Addiction is often now defined by the continuing, compulsive nature of the drug use despite physical and/or psychological harm to the user and society ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011).
Addicts use drugs to overcome their feelings. If an addict is feeling sad, happy, or angry, they use. This leads to their addictions. After a while, the addict can’t hold a steady job,
Drug addiction is something that everyone is vulnerable to, and that unfortunately is something that many people are going through in today’s society. Everyone is exposed to drug addiction, no matter what, it’s just up to the person to determine if they have a strong enough will power to not take the drugs. However, drugs are available to anyone who is willing to buy them, and many people are willing to spend everything they have in order to buy drugs that might give them temporary relief of a situation that they are currently struggling in; drugs are many people’s escape from the reality they are forced to be in. People have different reasons as to why they start using and abusing drugs; some may choose to do it simply because they like the feeling the drugs causes or occasionally because of the environment or situation the person was or is in, but I mostly think it’s because the person isn’t strong enough to stop taking the drugs or to say no to them.
Getting hooked on illegal drugs could lead to a lot of bad decisions. Once addicted to drugs, it becomes impossible to restrain yourself and resist the urge to do it again. Not only that, doing drugs that aren't prescribed will encourage you to spiral into depression, have increased anxiety, and other forms of mental illness, more so than prescribed drugs. Though both types of drugs, illegal and prescribed can and will negatively impact you and the people around you and make you lose control of yourself- physically and mentally.
The stimulant properties in cocaine make it attractive as an antidepressant. Cocaine causes an individual to feel euphoria, enhances strength, and can mask fatigue. These intense contented feelings can cause an abuser to go on binges. Very rarely are cocaine abusers addicted to only cocaine. Other drugs such as marijuana and alcohol are used to combat the unpleasant effects of cocaine once the “high” wears off. The symptoms of the disorder interact with each other increasing the symptoms of all of the disorders.
A person may be suffering from depressive symptoms and use narcotics with the hope of acquiring some kind of relief. Depressive symptoms can develop as a result of using mind altering substances or as part of withdrawal symptoms when taking breaks from drugs. Low mood in withdrawal can be short and self-limiting, though sometimes it may lead to a very serious and prolonged depressive illness. A person will take drugs to escape or forget a problem in
Therefore, the presence of an emotional or mental illness can very well increase the probability or drug use (Kalant 2). Some users engage with drugs to cope with stress, anxiety and depression. This is because many of the same brain circuits and pathways concerning drug use and psychopathology are connected (“Pharmacy Update: How Addiction Occurs” 1). In the brain there is a set of nerve pathways known as the reward system. Here, the “feel good” hormones which are dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and others (Kalant 1). The release of these hormones determines whether a drug will bring about a sense of well-being and pleasure or a sense of anxiety, depression or illness (Kalant 1). Therefore, the drug will alter the mood, perceptions, and reaction around them; this is known as the psychoactive effect (Kalant 1). In “Novel Psychoactive Substances in Young Adults With and Without Psychiatric Comorbidities,” it states, “Many clinicians feel that substance misuse may be explained in some cases as a form of self-medication to improve psychopathology (depression, etc.)” (Martinotti et al. 1). For instance, it is common for alcohol addicts to also have anxiety (“Pharmacy Update: How Addiction Occurs” 1). There are many reasons why self-medication can be extremely dangerous including, misdiagnosis, excessive drug dosage or prolonged
Substance abuse complicates almost every aspect of care for the person with a mental disorder. When drugs enter the brain, they can interrupt the work and actually change how the brain performs its jobs; these changes are what lead to compulsive drug use. Drug abuse plays a major role when concerning mental health. It is very difficult for these individuals to engage in treatment. Diagnosis for a treatment is difficult because it takes time to disengage the interacting effects of substance abuse and the mental illness. It may also be difficult for substance abusers to be accommodated at home and it may not be tolerated in the community of residents of rehabilitation programs. The author states, that they end up losing their support systems
Addiction can become more important than the need to eat or sleep. The urge to get and use the drug can fill every moment of a person's life. The addiction replaces all the things the person used to enjoy.
One of the most devastating side effects of drug addiction and abuse is depression. Depression is the result of chemical imbalance, environmental influence, or a combination of both. Using heavy and very highly addictive drugs as heroin, cocaine, opium and many other will cause sudden mood changes, deterioration of the immune system, nervous breakdowns, unusual flares of temper and many other side effects. Besides physical side effects, drug addiction can create problems in a person's social circles. The person may run into many conflicts with his family and friends, resulting in desire for isolation. This in turn will create more problems since the person will have no social support. Furthermore, drug addiction is a financial strain especially for teenagers. When a person is addicted to drugs he will do anything to obtain money to fulfill his needs.
Mental illness is another major reason why individuals start using drugs and eventually become dependent. Chronic drug abuse may occur in concurrence with any mental illness identified in the American Psychiatric Association (DSMIV). Some common serious mental disorders associated with chronic substance abuse include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, manic depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and generalized anxiety disorder (National Drug Intelligence Center). Some people may use drugs on a regular basis as ways to self- medicate themselves if they are dealing with any
According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, iIn 2013, a survey reported that an estimated 24.6 million Americans aged 12 or older had used an illegal drug in the past month. The first time someone uses a drug, it is usually voluntary. This first use is usually to mask certain emotions that they are currently going through. Repeated use can lead to changes in the brain that challenge an addict’s self control and interfere with their ability to resist the temptation of a drug, this addiction makes them feel better about themselves and forget about the problem they are dealing with at the time. According to the Mayo Clinic, drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a dependence on a legal or illegal drug or
Have you ever dealt with the effects of drug addict? A drug is a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, which has a psychological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. The effects of drug use can vary depending on the person. According to “Causes and types of narcotic addiction: A Psychosocial View” in the Psychiatric Quarterly it says, “The causes of drugs stem from the manner of which you were introduced to it whether it be by abnormal curiosity, chance encounters with addicts and narcotic peddlers, or prolonged illness” (Ausubel). The effects of drugs can be have different effects on everyone differently depending if its for pleasure or for relieving pain Most of the effects of drugs occur in the brain, where it increases the level of dopamine at a specific site possibly giving the addict the pleasure they were feigning for (Robbins). As a child I didn’t know much about drugs except for what your parents and teachers at school tell you which is, “Just Say No.”