The Effects of Substance abuse

The Effects of Substance abuse

Substance abuse is known as drug abuse. People abuse substances such as alcohol, drugs and tobacco for various and complicated reasons. This abuse can be seen in hospitals and emergency departments. Some of the drugs most often associated with this term include substituted, alcohol, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methaqualone, cocaine and opioids. Use of these drugs may lead to criminal penalty in addition to possible social, physical, and psychological harm, these strongly depending on local jurisdiction. Other definitions of drug abuse fall into four main categories: mass communication and vernacular usage, public health definitions, medical definitions, and criminal justice definitions. Substance abuse is prevalent with an estimated 120 million users of hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and other synthetic drugs.

Psychoactive substance use can lead to dependence syndrome - a cluster of cognitive, physiological and behavioural phenomena that develop after repeated substance use and that typically include difficulties in controlling its use, a strong desire to take the drug, persisting in its use despite harmful consequences, increased tolerance, a higher priority given to drug use than to other activities and obligations, and sometimes a physical withdrawal state.

Finding effective treatment for and prevention of substance abuse has been difficult. According to the 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse estimated the number of users of illicit drugs in the United States to be about 13 million. In addition, the survey estimated that 25% of Americans smoke cigarettes and 10% of Americans abuse or are dependent on alcohol. Abused substances produce some form of intoxication that perception alters judgment, physical control or attention.

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