The Negative Impacts of Addiction

Updated on June 15, 2020

Addiction is an extremely complicated disease, which refers to an inability to stop consuming a substance or indulging in a particularly damaging behavior. Addiction can lead to a range of adverse physiological, psychological and personal effects. The complications of addiction mostly depend on the type of substance being taken. These complications can disrupt your daily life and can lead to significant health risks. Some of the negative impacts of addiction that often surface are:

Physical complications 

There are some direct effects that chemical substances can have on the body. For instance, your nasal cartilage can be damaged if you snort cocaine or regular use of tobacco can lead to a range of cancers. Similarly, drinking alcohol excessively can lead to inflammation referred to as pancreatitis and this can cause serious complications. Similarly, liver function is also affected due to long-term alcohol use. It can put you at risk of liver disease and chronic liver inflammation

The former is life threatening because it can lead to waste and toxin buildup in the body. Likewise, blood sugar level and your central nervous system will also suffer due to alcohol consumption. Therefore, experts at SoberLink have come up with a solution to help people in alcohol monitoring in order to combat alcohol addiction.

Psychological complications 

Addiction has a two-way relationship with mental health. Mental health issues like anxiety and depression may occur ahead of addiction. It should be noted that use of chemical substances like drugs and alcohol can set off the symptoms of these conditions and even cause them to develop if they didn’t exist before. Not only does alcohol impair a range of bodily functions, but also changes the way the person thinks. The use of these substances can alter how some brain functions tend to work. 

Some substances can cause direct hallucinations and can have longer-term psychological effects that can give rise to severe mental health issues. Addiction can also lead to loneliness because those who are addicted tend to push away those who are closest to them and this can reduce their support network drastically when they need it the most. 

Addiction can also pave the way for adverse circumstances like financial problems, criminal activity, homelessness and even prison. Deteriorating personal circumstances will increase depression, stress levels, anxiety and a number of other mental health conditions. 

Personal complications 

Addiction can also have a big impact on an individual’s personal life. They can change relationships and this will compound the effects of addition on the body and brain. When addicted, people can end up ruining their relationships and this can disturb their mental health in the long run. Moreover, their finances will also suffer, not only because they are spending money on alcohol or other substances to feed their addiction, but also because it drives them away from financial responsibilities and employment. In fact, addiction can even drive people to commit crime in order to get a fix. 

The bottom line is that addiction carries a range of dangerous complications that can greatly impact the life of the individual so it needs to be dealt with right away. 

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