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EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE AND

ADDICTION
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Effects of drug abuse and addiction Call Gateway Foundation

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Drugs are chemicals that affect the body and

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brain. Different drugs can have different effects.
Some effects of drugs include health CONTACT US
consequences that are long-lasting and
permanent. They can even continue after a
1.

https://www.samhsa.gov/da
person has stopped taking the substance.
INSURANCE VERIFICATION FORM
ta/sites/default/ les/NSDUH
-FFR1-2015/NSDUH-FFR1- There are a few ways a person can take drugs,
2015/NSDUH-FFR1-
2015.htm including injection, inhalation and ingestion. The
effects of the drug on the body can depend on DONATE

how the drug is delivered. For example, the

injection of drugs directly into the bloodstream
has an immediate impact, while ingestion has a CHAT
delayed effect. But all misused drugs affect the
brain. They cause large amounts of dopamine, a
neurotransmitter that helps regulate our
emotions, motivation and feelings of pleasure, to
ood the brain and produce a “high.” Eventually,
drugs can change how the brain works and GATEWAY FOUNDATION
interfere with a person’s ability to make choices, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT

leading to intense cravings and compulsive drug What We Treat

use. Over time, this behavior can turn into a
Drug Addiction Treatment Centers Illinois
substance dependency, or drug addiction.
Effects of Alcohol Addiction
Today, more than 7 million people suffer from an
illicit drug disorder, and one in four deaths results Effects of Drug Addiction

from illicit drug use. In fact, more deaths, illnesses Self Test for Drug and Alcohol Addiction
and disabilities are associated with drug abuse
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than any other preventable health condition.
Addiction Therapy Services
People suffering from drug and alcohol addiction
also have a higher risk of unintentional injuries, Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers Illinois

accidents and domestic violence incidents. Programs and Services

The good news is: Substance use disorders are Adult Rehabilitation Center Illinois
treatable.
Intensive Outpatient Program Illinois

Medication-Assisted Treatment Illinois

Partial Hospitalization Program Illinois

What is drug
Rehab For Men in Illinois
abuse?
Mens Young Adult Rehab Center Illinois
Clinically known as substance
Rehab For Women in Illinois
use disorder, drug abuse or
addiction is caused by the Residential Treatment Centers Illinois

habitual taking of addictive Teenage Rehabilitation Center Illinois

substances. Drugs include
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alcohol, marijuana,
hallucinogens and opioids. Insurance Veri cation Forms

Substance use disorder is a Outpatient Alcoholism Treatment Centers

disease, causing people to Illinois
compulsively use drugs despite
Marijuana Addiction Treatment Centers
consequences.
Illinois

Heroin Addiction Treatment Centers Illinois

Relapse Prevention Program Illinois

Prescription Drug Abuse Treatment Centers

THE EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE ON Illinois

HEALTH

Substance use disorders are associated with a wide range of short- and long-term
health effects. They can vary depending on the type of drug, how much and how
often it’s taken and the person’s general health. Overall, the effects of drug abuse
and dependence can be far-reaching. They can impact almost every organ in the
human body.

Side effects of drug addiction may include:

A weakened immune system, increasing the risk of illness and infection

Heart conditions ranging from abnormal heart rates to heart attacks and
collapsed veins and blood vessel infections from injected drugs
Nausea and abdominal pain, which can also lead to changes in appetite and
weight loss
Increased strain on the liver, which puts the person at risk of signi cant liver
damage or liver failure
Seizures, stroke, mental confusion and brain damage
Lung disease
Problems with memory, attention and decision-making, which make daily living
more di cult
Global effects of drugs on the body, such as breast development in men and
increases in body temperature, which can lead to other health problems

The most severe health consequences of drug abuse is death. Deaths related to
synthetic opioids and heroin have seen the sharpest rise. In the past 12 months,
212,000 people aged 12 or older have used heroin for the rst time. Every day,
more than 90 Americans die after overdosing on opioids.

EFFECTS OF DRUG EFFECTS

DRUG ON BEHAVIOR
ADDICTION ON Substance use disorders can lead to

THE BRAIN multiple behavioral problems, both in

the short- and long-term, which can
All drugs–nicotine, cocaine, marijuana
include:
and others–affect the brain’s “reward”
circuit, which is part of the limbic
system. This area of the brain affects 1 PARANOIA
instinct and mood. Drugs target this
2 AGGRESSIVENESS
system, which causes large amounts of
dopamine—a brain chemical that helps 3 HALLUCINATIONS
regulate emotions and feelings of
4 ADDICTION
pleasure—to ood the brain. This ood
5 IMPAIRED JUDGMENT
of dopamine is what causes a “high.” It’s
one of the main causes of drug 6 IMPULSIVENESS
addiction.
7 LOSS OF SELF-CONTROL
Although initial drug use may be
voluntary, drugs can alter brain
These effects of drug abuse have
chemistry. This can actually change
serious consequences, like missed
how the brain performs and interfere
work, punishable offenses, accidents
with a person’s ability to make choices.
and injuries. In fact, alcohol and drugs
It can lead to intense cravings and
are partly to blame in an estimated 80
compulsive drug use. Over time, this
percent of offenses leading to jail time
behavior can turn into a substance
in the U.S. These incidents include
dependency or drug and alcohol
domestic violence, driving while
addiction.
intoxicated and offenses related to
damaged property. Legal and illegal

Alcohol can have short- and long-term drugs excluding alcohol are involved in

effects on the brain and disrupts the about 16 percent of motor vehicle

brain’s communication pathways. crashes. In the past year, almost 12

These can in uence mood, behavior million people drove under the in uence

and other cognitive function. of illicit drugs, and almost 4,000 fatally
injured drivers tested positive for drug
Brain damage may also occur through
involvement.
alcohol-induced nutrition de ciencies,
alcohol-induced seizures and liver
disease. In pregnant women, alcohol
exposure can impact the brains of
unborn babies, resulting in fetal alcohol
spectrum disorders.

It is reported that alcohol-induced brain

problems can often be corrected with
proper treatment. Abstinence from
alcohol for months or years can help
partially repair thinking abilities, like
memory skills.

2. https://www.samhsa.gov/atod

EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE ON

UNBORN BABIES

Illicit drug use poses risks for pregnant women and their babies. Drugs may contain
impurities that can be harmful to an unborn baby. Pregnant women who use drugs
may be more likely to harm the fetus with risky behaviors and poor nutrition. Drug
use can lead to premature birth or low birth weight. It can also cause the baby to
have withdrawal symptoms (sometimes in the form of neonatal abstinence
syndrome), birth defects or learning and behavioral problems later in life.

An estimated 14 percent of adults with an illicit substance use disorder reported

receiving treatment in the past year. At Gateway Foundation, we offer treatment
programs for all levels of drug addiction. Give us a call at 877.352.9566 to nd out
how we can help.

KNOW THE FACTS:

1 Prescription drugs are second only to marijuana as the

nation’s most commonly abused illicit drugs.

2 4.3 million Americans engaged in non-medical use of

prescription medication in one month.

3 According to SAMHSA, nearly 2 million Americans met

the criteria for prescription drug use disorder in 2014.

4 Prescription medications are one of the most commonly

misused substances leading to a rise in the amount of opioid
overdoses in the United States over the past decade.

5 Research suggests that prescription opioid misuse costs

the United States economy an estimated 78.5 billion each year.

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