Substance use disorder is a disease, causing people to compulsively use drugs despite consequences. Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. If you or someone you know is living with addiction, you may feel overwhelmed and out of control.
Coupled with the poor diet and bad hygiene that are symptoms of a substance abuse problem, heavy meth addicts tend to have broken and rotting teeth. Meth dries the salivary glands, which removes the protective layer of the mouth’s natural acids; any sugary or what is drug addiction acidic foods consumed during a meth binge further damage the teeth, causing numerous cavities. Former addicts require extensive dental work and careful dietary supervision in order to ensure that their teeth and gums grow (back) properly during recovery.
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By Laura Dorwart
Laura Dorwart is a health journalist with particular interests in mental health, pregnancy-related conditions, and disability rights. She has published work in VICE, SELF, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Week, HuffPost, BuzzFeed Reader, Catapult, Pacific Standard, Health.com, Insider, Forbes.com, TalkPoverty, and many other outlets. Treatment for drug addiction may involve psychotherapy, medication, hospitalization, support groups, or a combination. “It’s important to look for caffeine-free options if you’re trying to decrease overall caffeine intake to allow yourself to stay hydrated and decrease the amount of stimulants you’re adding to your body,” encourages Czerwony. If you typically drink espressos, which have more caffeine than other caffeinated drinks, start by cutting it with half or even a quarter of decaf coffee. Then, every few days, cut it down further, slowly reducing your intake over time.
Substance use disorders have a range of psychological, physical, and social effects that can drastically reduce people’s quality of living. In an opioid overdose, a medicine called naloxone can be given by emergency responders, or in some states, by anyone who witnesses an overdose. Talking with someone can be difficult, and many people worry that bringing up subjects like drug use and addiction will go badly or lead to a fight. Although these are not direct physical side effects of the drugs, it’s important to be aware of these risks. During the intervention, these people gather together to have a direct, heart-to-heart conversation with the person about the consequences of addiction.
Drug Overdose
Fentanyl users could switch to another opioid with a different chemical makeup. Research waned with the introduction of methadone, an opioid medication that treats heroin cravings. In later decades, researchers armed with greater understanding of the science of addiction focused on public health threats such as cocaine and nicotine. THC, the active ingredient in cannabis that gets people high, could be affecting the heart through its activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which is our body’s fight-or-flight response.
All addictions have the capacity to induce a sense of hopelessness and feelings of failure, as well as shame and guilt, but research documents that recovery is the rule rather than the exception. Individuals can achieve improved physical, psychological, and social functioning on their own—so-called natural recovery. Others benefit from the support of community or peer-based networks. And still others opt for clinical-based recovery through the services of credentialed professionals. Symptoms of addiction that cause mental disorders include the following.
How the Immune System Is Affected
They continue using a substance or engaging in addictive behavior, even though they might be aware of the harm it can cause or when clear evidence of harm is apparent. One of the brain areas still maturing during adolescence is the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain that allows people to assess situations, make sound decisions, and keep emotions and desires under control. The fact that this critical part of a teen’s brain is still a work in progress puts them at increased risk for trying drugs or continuing to take them.
If a person who drinks too much is going to develop alcohol-related liver disease, the progression will start with fatty liver disease, move to alcoholic hepatitis, and culminate with alcoholic cirrhosis. However, it is possible for some heavy drinkers to develop cirrhosis https://ecosoberhouse.com/ first, bypassing the hepatitis stage. Some drinkers may develop alcoholic hepatitis but never show the symptoms of it. Non-alcoholic liver diseases, such as chronic hepatitis C, may exacerbate the damage done to the liver by excessive alcohol consumption.