Besides personal and family distress, additional healthcare costs and loss of future productivity place burdens on the community. Mental health problems such as depression, developmental lags, apathy, withdrawal, and other psychosocial dysfunctions frequently are linked to substance abuse among adolescents.
What are the social effects of drug abuse?
- The most significant social impact of addiction and misusing drugs is on the family and close friends of the drug abuser. The relationships between a drug abuser and their children and partner become strained. Trust is lost because they fail to honor commitments and promises (even when they want to take part).
What are the long term effects of drug use?
- Mental illness is one of the most dangerous long-term effects of drugs. Addiction in itself is considered an illness and paired with a mental disorder; it could be life-threatening. A brain disorder that co-occurs with drug addiction can indeed spiral mental health out of control.
What are facts about drug abuse?
- Drug Abuse Demographics. Drug abuse and substance disorders are more likely to affect young males . 22% of males and 17% of females used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within the last year. 5% of people in non-metropolitan, rural counties used illegal drugs compared to 20.2% of people in larger metropolitan counties.
Why is drug abuse a social problem?
- Drug dependence makes it hard for people to maintain strong personal relationships and the destructive nature of substance abuse leads to a breakdown of the family unit and this in turn results in a number of social and behavioural problems for people in their teen years. There is also a correlation between drug abuse, social problems, antisocial behaviour and crime in many areas.