There’s little disputing the severity of drug addiction. Films and television have attempted to capture the turmoil of this dependency, and the news continues to paint the picture of a world where drugs encourage crime and misdemeanours.

Yet, media can only tell that tale from a perspective: what really happens when one is an addict? What are the phases of addiction that lead to dependency? How does that substance abuse affect the way someone operates normally?

These are questions that Ocean Recovery, the addiction treatment specialist, has the answers to. Understanding the origins of their patients always leads to the best results, through a thorough yet appropriate detox regime, followed by a step-by-step recovery plan. These patients come from all over and each has their own story to tell.

So, before we answer that opening question – what are the dangers of drug addiction – one must recognise the external factors that force someone’s story to take a turn towards drug addiction and not just drug abuse as a social issue.

 

What causes drug addiction?

In its own way, the external influences in life are as dangerous as the drugs themselves. Ocean Recovery recognises this: a great many cases will directly involve some kind of mental stress or trauma or an underlying mental condition.

In the case of the condition, prescription drugs might be overused. After all, these illnesses are potent, overriding someone’s way of life. If it gets too much, the patient might feel compelled to match their feelings with a higher dose. It’s then important for an organisation like Ocean Recovery to act fast, tending to the drug addiction before it worsens.

A greater proportion of drug and alcohol addicts suffer as a result of personal issues. These can typically lead to an alienation from society – a schedule is abandoned, friendships take a hit and families can separate. Instead, the user depends on substance abuse as a coping mechanism for what’s causing their grief.

This grief can come in a multitude of forms. Perhaps a family member has passed away or the patient is struggling to get by. Then there are more domestic concerns, due to the huge correlation between substance abuse and domestic violence. Drugs seem to offer a lapse, an escape, as the mind drifts off into ecstasy. But, with the danger these substances pose to both health, employment and finances, one must never mistake a drug for a reasonable means of dealing with trauma.

To elaborate, let’s look at some of the health problems that can arise from a dependency on drugs.

 

How is health affected by drug addiction?

At the beginning of the article, the following question was posed – “What are the dangers of drug addiction?”. The answer is incredibly complicated as each case offers its own cause for concern. However, there are certain consequences that can be identified in an addict.

Consider a highly addictive substance like heroin. A lethal opiate, many take it due to its sedative nature: formally known as diamorphine, it’s much stronger than the base morphine, a strong painkiller in itself. However, there are well-known side effects.

First and foremost, dangerous diseases become a very probable prospect. The most significant of these is HIV – Ocean Recovery recognises how this can be contracted when needs are shared between addicts. HIV is a debilitating disease, yet a risk that may be ignored by the addict due to the seriousness of their trauma.

In addition to a greater susceptibility to illness, there are other physical dangers of being addicted to heroin, among other drugs. Weight loss is prevalent: diet is weakened by the addiction, so one can become emaciated. Nausea can lead to great discomfort and an inability to keep food down. Then there are the heart defects: the way that heroin affects the body could slow the heart to a dangerously low rate.

The word danger is easily associated with the medical. But there are other less obvious threats; the aforementioned factors of employment and finances.

 

How else does drug addiction affect someone’s life?

So, returning to that question – ‘What are the dangers of drug addiction?” – it’s easy for someone to overlook economic responsibilities. Paying for the bills; maintaining one’s car and house; working a job five days a week. Yet, drugs upset that established order: dependency on the substance becomes the schedule.

More importantly, drugs are expensive. They’re a worldwide business, illegal by trade, that costs addicts thousands every year. So, an addict’s inability to control their desire for the drug leads to a willingness to pay whatever it takes. Rent or mortgage payments play second fiddle to the drug. As a result, employment is difficult to hold onto as the patient cannot focus. Addiction has a habit of taking over the faculties: it’s all the patient can think about.

It’s a terrifying thought to lose a sense of normality, yet Ocean Recovery understands the dangers it poses in and out of the household. It’s not just the trauma and the health problems: drugs take control of the entire life process. It’s important to get control of it before the patient loses what they had entirely.

Check out our investigation on how the media influence drug use »

What Ocean Recovery can do to help

Before these dangers become a reality, Ocean Recovery wants to invite you to one of their residential rehabilitative clinics. Designed to relax the patient after an initial assessment, the intention is to plan the appropriate recovery procedure. From a drug detox to the subsequent treatments, one must find the right balance for the patient, ensuring there’s as little discomfort as possible.

Detoxication can be tough, but the comfortable 13-bed residential facilities that Ocean Recovery provides are perfect for counterbalancing that painful process. Then, there are holistic and psychological therapies. From trauma and abuse counselling to help groups and relaxation therapy, Ocean Recovery wants to eliminate the danger of a relapse: the patient will regain their sense of self and be able to organise themselves in a normal routine.

So, what are the dangers of drug addiction? From physical to economical, there’s a long list of reasons why addiction continues to ruin lives. Ocean Recovery is here to ensure that that stops happening. Let’s rebuild lives together.

To contact Ocean Recovery, call on 01253 847 553, or text HELP to 83222.

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: January 13, 2022

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.