10 Long Term Effects of Drug Abuse You Didn’t Know About

Although you may know that there are a vast variety of long and short term effects associated with drug abuse and addiction, there are some surprising long term effects that you might not have considered. These effects are why ending drug addiction as soon as possible is so important.

1. Heart Disease

Most illicit drugs cause damage to the heart muscle and circulatory system. This damage is usually irreversible and people who suffer from it will need medical treatment for the rest of their lives.

2. Chronic Hallucinations

Some of the combination club drugs can cause chronic hallucinations. These hallucinations are persistent and have no cure. Depending on the combination of drugs, doctors may not be able to even treat the hallucinations.

3. Respiratory Disease

Liver disease can be caused by abusing a number of different substances, not just alcohol.

Respiratory disease is not only for chronic cigarette smokers. Anyone addicted to smoking any drug can suffer from a variety of respiratory illnesses as well as cancers.

4. Liver Disease

Many drugs are processed through the liver. This can cause permanent damage to the liver, which is a vital organ. It is not only alcohol that causes this damage, a variety of other drugs do as well.

5. Cancer

Depending on what the drugs are mixed with they may contain carcinogens. These carcinogens are implicated in a wide variety of cancers.

6. Delusional Psychosis

There have been a number of reported cases of delusional psychosis after ingesting large amounts of various drugs. It is thought that combining drugs also contributes to this long term condition. It seems that the more drugs you do at one time the greater the risk of this happening.

7. Increased Risk of Dementia or other Disorders

Long term brain damage from doing drugs often leads to an increased risk of dementia and other late life brain disorders.

8. Permanent Depression and Other Mood Disorders

Depression and anxiety are a big part of drug use. They are prevalent in the beginning as a cause for use, as a withdrawal symptom, and ultimately as a lasting effect. Although it is unknown whether the disorder causes the drug use or the drug use causes the disorder, many addicts wind up with a permanent mood disorder even after seeking treatment.

9. Permanent Cognitive Dysfunction

Drug use has been implicated in cognitive dysfunction of all varieties, including learning disabilities and other deficiencies. Unfortunately, once the damage is done it is very rarely reversible, leading to long term learning issues.

10. Passing on Genetic Damage to your Children

There is some evidence that both men and women can pass genetic damage to their children when they have a history of drug use. This is particularly true of addicts who use drugs over a long time period.

Seeking treatment as soon as possible lessens the chances of acquiring long term negative effects. Most people who get treatment quickly avoid some of the more serious long term damage. If you need treatment, we can help. Call us at 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) , before it is too late.