Battling addiction may seem like a user’s responsibility, but it’s not always the case. The spouse, children, and society are involved with the problem directly or indirectly. Financial constraints, high crime rates, among others, can cause emotional and psychological issues for different parties.
Mental Trauma
Drugs and alcohol can cause mental instability in the user and society. Family members and friends of an addict may get depression or anxiety while dealing with their loved one’s condition. In addition, caregivers may lack time for social life, which may lead to stress.
Increased Crime Rates
Areas with high rates of drug use have increased numbers of crime rates. In addition, most addicts do not work, so they engage in criminal acts for upkeep and drugs. This may hinder developments in the area, leading to high poverty rates.
Unwanted Pregnancies
The cases of unwanted pregnancies are on the rise due to the use of drugs. An addict can’t control sexual desires, which leads to unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions. The burden of raising such children is left to the family and society. Other pregnancy cases occur due to rape.
Impacts on Young Children
Studies show that children with addicted parents usually develop post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. Others drop out of school due to neglect or to care for their parents. In other cases, children end up taking drugs or alcohol in the future since the substances are at their disposal or due to stress.
Spread of Diseases
Addicts aren’t in their right state of mind, and it’s easy to engage in unprotected sex, which leads to the spread of HIV & Aids, and hepatitis C, and B. Others get HIV through sharing needles. The impacts of diseases on the family and society are traumatizing due to the cost of treatment and deaths.
Abuse
Addiction causes brain changes that may alter one’s behaviors and personality. Such impacts can cause a previously calm person to cause physical harm to other people in society. Other drugs may cause aggressiveness and use of hurtful language, leading to charges in court.
Increased Cases of Divorce
It is hard to cope with an addicted partner. Most of them are violent and do not provide for their families. Recently, there are rising numbers of single parents in society caused by addiction.
School Dropouts
According http://oceansrecovery.com/, young drinkers take more drinks per session compared to adults. In addition, the rate of marijuana and cigarette intake is also high among the youths. These trends show that the school-going generation is affected by addiction, leading to school dropouts and failure in exams.
Financial Consequences
Drugs and alcohol are expensive. Addicts may use all their savings on drugs and go-ahead to steal other family member’s cash for the same. Others ignore family responsibilities such as paying bills, food, and paying school fees for their children, which causes problems for the whole family, especially if the addict is on medication.
Untimely Deaths
Society has lost so many people due to drugs and alcohol use. Most deaths occur due to drunken driving, which affects not only the addicts but other road users. If not treated, addiction can lead to death and other critical illnesses such as cancer. In addition, cases of physical violence have led to deaths and suicide.
The war on drugs and alcohol use should be everybody’s responsibility. Report drug cartels to the authorities to curb the vice. Unfortunately, drug addiction affects the users, family members, and society. So, if your neighbor, friend, or relative has a problem, take them to a rehab center for treatment.