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
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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
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