Drug Addiction and its Effects

Drug addiction and its effects over a long period of time can be devastating on the human body. Here are some of the effects of abusing drugs.

Marijuana and its Long Term Effects

The main active chemical in marijuana is THC. Over the long term, THC changes the way our brain works to learn and remember what we have learned. It also affects our ability to sense things with emotions, our motivations and learned behaviors.

Smoking marijuana over a long period of time can damage the tissues in your lungs. Smoke pot and you increase the amount of tar and carbon monoxide three to five times greater than just smoking cigarettes. Smoking marijuana while pregnant can also have long-term effects on your unborn child.

Cocaine Drug Addiction and its Effects

The first high a person feels when taking cocaine is usually the strongest. Those who are addicted to cocaine can sometimes spend years “chasing the high” - or trying to repeat that first high experience. Unfortunately, they never can, and this repeated and increased use leads to dangerous side effects to their health.

The effects to a person’s health include an increased risk of heart attacks and heart disease, strokes, respiratory failure, seizures and gastrointestinal problems. The long-term effects of using cocaine can also include the risks of a coma, convulsions and muscle spasms.

The more important the cocaine habit becomes, the more likely an addict is to lie, cheat, steal and skip work. He or she is also likely to become paranoid, be irritable and restless, have auditory hallucinations.

Heroin Drug Addiction and its Effects

Because heroin acts so quickly on the system, it is almost instantly addictive. It’s also a nasty drug to mess with. People who take heroin lose interest in the world around them and are no longer able to function mentally or physically. It is fairly easy to die of a heroin overdose.

Long-term use of heroin damages your central nervous system. It can also damage your heart and lungs. When a user comes down off of heroin, he or she is likely to experience muscle cramps, vomiting, convulsions and even delirium.

The Long Term Effects of Psychedelics

Certain psychedelics used over a long period of time may be linked to mental conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, senility, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease. You also expose yourself to the risk of hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, a medical condition where visual effects of the psychedelics may last for a long time, or even permanently.

Methamphetamine Drug Addiction and its Effects

Meth is one of the most damaging and dangerous of all the drugs. This highly addictive drug will crack and deteriorate your teeth. It damages the blood vessels in your brain causing you to have a stroke and irreversible brain damage. Use it over a long period of time, and it can also damage your liver, kidney and lungs.

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Drug Addiction Effects

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