Substance Abuse and Effects On The Human Brain

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Introduction

Substance Abuse is a major contemporary issue we face as a society; affecting not only adults, but our youth as well. Statistics have shown that more and more adolescents are being introduced to substances at a much earlier age than before. In fact, most users began using in their teenage years, with half of those starting off with Marijuana. A survey taken in 2011 by the Subtance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, showed that an estimated 22.5 million Americans 12 and older had used an illicit drug or abused a psychotherapeutic medication within the month the survey was taken; with Marijuana being among the most used substances(Drugfacts: Nationwide Trends 2012). This shows an alarming truth of today’s society; drug use is becoming much more prevalent, and is only creating a cycle of a new generation of substance abusers.

Defining Substance Abuse

A substance as defined by Abnormal Psychology:Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders (Whitbourne, Halgin 2013) is; “a chemical that alters a person’s mood or behavior when the person smokes, injects, drinks, inhales, snorts, or swallows.” The term “drug” itself is quite vague in definition. In fact, almost anything can be considered a drug; because a drug as defined is “a medicine or other subtance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body” (Merriam Webster Dictionary). By this definition alone, even food can be categorized as a “drug”. For this paper I will review the main subtances of which are illegal, or under regulation by the government. Abuse as defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary is; “use (something) to bad effect or for a bad purpose; misuse.” Therefore, substance abuse is basically usin...

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