Homework #3. Substance Use and Dependency. Health, Medicine Essay

Substance Use and Dependency
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Substance abuse has been one of the most discussed topics in society. Any person is prone to substance abuse, and if proper measures are not taken to curb the addiction, then the abuse could end up having devastating impacts on the user. Among the most affected groups are teenagers and pregnant women. Therefore, this discussion will focus on the impacts that substance abuse and dependence have on pregnant women, and the local support groups and resources available to assist with the issue.
Substance abuse and dependency have adverse effects on the body of a pregnant woman. Such impacts do affect not only the mother but also the unborn child. Approximately 90% of the female drug abusers in the US are women in their reproductive age (Brown, Sarvet, Shmulewitz, Martins, Wall & Hasin, 2017). Such statistics are an indication that a substantial number of pregnant women abuse drugs. Certain drugs are known to delay the development of both the brains and the body of the unborn child. Therefore, if a mother depends a lot on substance use, then they might end up giving birth to a physically challenged baby. In addition, the woman might get addicted to the extent where they cannot function properly without the drugs. Such makes it impossible for them to give quality care to the child. Depression is one of the mental disorders associated with pregnancy. In most cases, it occurs when the woman does not get enough support from family and friends. Hence, if a pregnant woman suffering from depression depends a lot on drugs, then the condition might end up getting worse. There are numerous cases where pregnant women have committed suicide as a result of substance use.
The local community has the South Suburban CouncilAddiction in house Treatment ce...