Drug abuse and misuse is a big problem that occurs around the world, it causes multiple different issues for the people struggling with addiction and even sometimes the people around them. According to the research website, National Institute on Drug Abuse, “drug overdose deaths rose from 2019 to 2021 with more than 106,000 drug overdose deaths reported in 2021.”. Thousands of people have died of the effects of drugs in just those two years between 2019 and 2021. Over the years drug abuse and addiction has continued to get worse and worse, and has become more and more of a problem for people. Drug addiction and abuse needs to be stopped, it has caused both physical and mental health problems for both the person struggling with drugs and the people around them.

Drug addiction causes many different effects on a person, one of those being the many health problems that come with using drugs. Some of these health problems are having “A weakened immune system, increasing the risk of illness and infection, Heart conditions ranging from abnormal heart rates to heart attacks, collapsed veins and blood vessel infections from injected drugs, Nausea and abdominal pain, which can also lead to changes in appetite and weight loss, Seizures, stroke, mental confusion and brain damage, Lung disease” (Gateway foundation). These simpler health problems can lead to worsened health, and may even lead to death.

Another problem that drugs can cause is mental problems for the person using drugs. It can cause people to act differently towards the people around them, it can cause them to act aggressively, or more emotionally volatile. According to Northstar Transitions, a drug addiction rehabilitation center and website, “The various changes in an individual’s personality make it hard to keep friendships as they become more aggressive, distrustful, selfish, emotionally volatile, and more.” As the changes of a person’s personality become worse and worse, they start to lose friendships or relationships with other people. It may even begin to trouble people's relationships with others, because of the way people's personalities change. 

I understand that drug addiction will not be something that is easy to get rid of and is likely to not be completely removed. Mainly because of the fact that people mostly use them to make them feel good, and also work or focus better, addiction will be something that people won’t want to remove. But, despite this, drug addiction is still dangerous and can cause many different health problems for the person using drugs and has the possibility of leading to death. There have been thousands of deaths caused by drugs in some way, overdose deaths mostly, but it can also be caused by the health problems that come with the drugs themselves. There have been “over 70,601 overdose deaths in just 2021 caused by drugs” and this has continued to rise as time has gone by. Though some people might only know about how it affects their feelings or their work performance, they might not know about the possible health issues that health addiction and use may cause. 

Drug abuse and addiction causes many problems regarding people's physical and mental health, and needs to be stopped. Drug abuse can cause many physical health problems, such as heart conditions, nausea and stomach pain, lung disease and much more. Drug abuse and addiction can also cause many mental and personality changes, some of these being that the person dealing with addiction may act more aggressively or more emotionally volatile.

Works Cited 

"Drug Overdose Death Rates." National Institute on Drug Abuse, 30 Jun. 2023, nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

"Physical and Mental Effects of Drug Abuse." Gateway Foundation, www.gatewayfoundation.org/about-gateway-foundation/faqs/effects-of-drug-abuse/. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

"How Does Addiction Change Your Personality." Northstar Tansitions, www.northstartransitions.com/post/how-does-addiction-change-your-personality#:~:text=The%20person%20that%20has%20been,%2C%20emotionally%20volatile%2C%20and%20more. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

"Drug Overdose Death Rates." National Institute on Drug Abuse, 30 Jun. 2023, nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.