Substance Abuse Essay

The human body was built to endure the hardships that one might struggle through with in life but it was not built to slowly and deliberately be poisoned to death. Yet, millions of people around the world continue to abuse the power of drugs, fully aware of their consequences. Most people who use drugs have a general knowledge of the effects of the drugs on their body, but that does not stop them from continuing to put their lives in danger. Substance abuse can lead to many catastrophic consequences on the body including severe liver damage, cardiovascular effects, and neurological effects. Due to the addition of drugs in the body, the liver works more vigorously in order to maintain homeostasis and this additional strain can lead to many
detrimental effects on the liver. Drugs can induce three different types of liver toxicity: dose-dependent, idiosyncratic, and drug allergy. The first type, dose-dependent toxicity, can cause liver disease if enough of the drug is taken. As the name suggests, dose-dependent toxicity depends on how much of the substance is taken. The second type, idiosyncratic toxicity, happens to the individuals “who have inherited specific genes that control the chemical transformation of that specific drug, causing accumulation of the drug or products of their transformation (metabolites) that are injurious to the liver” (Lee). Although the risk of inherited idiosyncratic toxicity is rare, it’s the most common form of liver disease because of the countless different combinations of drugs that millions of patients use. The third type, drug-allergy toxicity, results in the inflammation of the liver when the immune system attacks the drugs with antibodies (Lee). This is the least common type of toxicity. Liver toxicity can lead to long-term liver disease such as hepatitis, necrosis, cirrhosis, and many more. Hepatitis is the inflammation of liver cells while necrosis is the death of liver cells, which is often caused by severe hepatitis. Cirrhosis is known as the advanced scarring of liver, which results from persistent hepatitis and cholestasis (Lee). Any substance, from alcohol to drugs, results in the liver working overdrive in order to balance the spurge of chemicals the body has suddenly been in taken. Although most drugs will lead to liver failure if taken regularly and in large amounts, the effects of drugs in the cardiovascular system vary extremely from drug to drug. Cocaine, for example, increases blood pressure and pulse rate which may lead to a heart attack. It can also obstruct “with drugs such as beta blockers that doctors use to treat heart attacks” (Patterson). Opium, on the other hand, reduces the heart rate instead of speeding it up. Heroin may cause infection of the inner lining and valves of the heart. Methamphetamine, commonly known as meth, can “cause congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, and damage to heart muscles and blood vessels via inflammation. This illicit drug not only reduces blood flow to vital organs and the heart itself, but it also speeds up the body's heart rate, putting stress on the heart and further elevating the risk of heart failure or a stroke” (Patterson). Ecstasy is another drug that leads in severe heart problems such as physical heart damage, pulmonary hypertension, severe heart attacks, or even strokes (Patterson). In general, any drug can lead to collapsed veins if the user uses needles to inject the drug into himself or herself. The heart is one of the most important organ and the repercussions associated with taking drugs on the heart are tremendous. Many people may not realize, but substance abuse can lead to a wide range cardiovascular problems ranging from an abnormal heart rate to a heart attack. Similarly to the cardiovascular effects, the neurological effects of substance abuse can be a diverse spectrum.
Many neurological effects not only impact the user’s body, but also the way he or she thinks, interacts, and responds. Drugs take control over the brain’s “reward system” and release large amounts of dopamine which flood the system. The euphoria or “high” that drug users feel when taking drugs is caused by the sudden fluctuation of dopamine. “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, cognition, motivation, and feelings of pleasure” (“Effects of Drug Abuse and Addiction”). Drugs affect the way the brain performs and sometimes causes change the brain’s performance. These changes lead to more drug use which leads to addiction of the drug. Substance abuse can also have other side effects on the brain such as seizures, strokes, and widespread brain damage, which can affect the memory, attention, and decision-making skills of the user (“Neurological Effects”). Some drugs can also impair the coordination and judgment of an individual. The brain damage caused by substance abuse may result in behavioral problems such as paranoia, aggressiveness, hallucinations, addiction, impaired judgment, impulsiveness, and loss of self-control (“Effects of Drug Abuse and Addiction”). Such major changes in the brain results in the individual behaving like a completely different person and may be unrecognizable by loved
ones. Drug abuse can affect the person in many different ways, both physically and mentally, including many different aspects of the user’s body such as the liver, the cardiovascular system, and the brain. Short term effects on liver lead to long term consequences, such as many different types of liver disease. Depending on the drug and how it is taken, the effects of substance abuse can seem minimal (abnormal heart rate) and life-threatening (heart attack). Even taking drugs only once can alter the way the brain interacts and behaves, modifying the behavior of the individual. By becoming more aware and informed about the consequences that the dangerous drugs have on the human body, people may stop and think twice before they do drugs again. After all, we will have to live with our body and the decisions we make regarding it for the rest of our lives.