Prescription Drug Addiction, Programs and Treatment.

Drug addiction and alcoholism affect a person’s health in two major ways. The first is the harmful medical conditions that the substance abuse can directly cause.

The other way is the indirect effects of a substance addiction lifestyle in which the person doesn’t take proper care of their body. When you add the results of both of these things together, addicts are generally in very poor health.Different drugs have different effects on one’s body. Some can increase users’ likelihood of getting certain cancers. Overdose is almost always a possibility, and it can result in a heart attack, coma, seizure, or death. Addicts can overdose when their tolerance level for a drug or alcohol becomes extremely high or they accidentally use too much. Injecting drugs with a needle opens the user up to the possibility various types of infections and skin problems. These include HIV and Hepatitis C, which are diseases that are transmitted through blood-to-blood contact.

The more indirect effects of drug and alcohol abuse only serve to exacerbate the physical problems caused by the substances themselves. Examples include having a poor diet, not getting enough exercise, ignoring personal hygiene and dental care, not sleeping regularly, and ignoring health needs. The individual often ignores these parts of life because they just don’t notice them anymore or they aren’t as important to them as using drugs and alcohol. The effect is depression, difficulty concentrating, and other cognitive problems from lack of sleep. They age more quickly and have poor dental health.

Addiction treatment can help stop these patterns of self-destructive behavior. Detox will allow most of the toxins from drug and alcohol abuse to leave the addict’s body. Rebuilding the body’s health through a regular sleep schedule, a proper diet, relaxation, and frequent exercise are also considered an essential part of detox in many rehab facilities.

Posted in: Alcohol Addiction, Drug Addiction