Addiction and the Recovery Process from Alcohol or Drug

Addiction and the Recovery Process
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Addiction and the Recovery Process
The society is grappling with a number of social ills some of which have existed for ages without a concrete solution in sight. One of the main social ills that the society has been struggling with is the issue of drug and substance abuse. Millions of people are hooked on drug and substance abuse for a myriad of reasons, some of which are quite complicated. Substance abuse according to the world health organization refers to the element of harmful use of substances that would be considered psychoactive such as alcohol and other illicit drugs ("WHO | Substance abuse", 2016). The prolonged use of the substances leads to disorders along with dependence syndrome. This is associated with a cluster of behavioral, psychological and cognitive aspect that develops with the prolonged use of the substances. Persons with these disorders will find it difficult to control their behavior, impulse to use the drugs despite the harmful effects that the drug has socially and health wise.
Substance abuse has become a chronic problem in the society, with the largest majority abusing alcohol followed closely by illicit drugs. However, the main problem associated with the abuse of substances is the disorders that come with the abuse ("Drug And Substance Abuse > Aging & Health A To Z > Health in Aging", 2016). As such, there is a big difference that exists between the element of substance abuse and the substance use disorders. However, it is important to note that there is a close relation between the two elements (Isaacs, 2014).
One of the most important subtext that everyone using drugs should understand is that all drugs are poisonous and are bound to have negative effects on the body if they are misused or overused (Edwards, 2016). It is also common among most of the chemicals and drugs that given the level of use and control, they can have some significant benefits. Alcohol for example when taken mildly and in controlled portions can have some benefits to the cardiac system. It can also help with relaxation and reducing anxiety when taken in moderation. Some of the most commonly abused substances include, pain killers, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, ecstasy, GHB, Rohypnol, Ketamine, LSD and PCP (Edwards, 2016). All of this substances have the ability to have beneficial impacts on the body, but they also have the ability to cause body deterioration. The element of abuse comes with overuse or misuse for the wrong reasons ("Substance Abuse", 2016). When the limits of the substances are exceeded, this is then termed as abuse. Much of the beneficial impacts that this stage are already exceeded and the content levels pose health concerns to the body. Some of the impacts are immediate such as the inability to control ones actions from the intoxication resulting from the impacts on the brain. An estimated 24 million people in the US alone from the age of 12 and above are reportedly abusing substances ("Substance Abuse", 2016). In recent development, pain killers have also joined the long list of the substances that are abused in the United States, with of the indications pointing to the concerns ...