The Causes of Substance Abuse

2377 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effects of Drug Abuse Pdf

Substance abuse is an issue that has disseminated in the society and is often regarded as the relic of a thoughtless materialism. A false belief regarding addicted individuals seems to be ingrained in the minds of the majority of the population (Sadava, 1987). This belief is very often accompanied by appalling mental images of addicts and a highly judgmental attitude (Sadava, 1987). As a result, the causes of addiction are still wrapped in obscurity. This paper aims to outline the most basic reasons that lead to substance abuse and dependency, from the early developmental stage until late adolescence. First of all, when a child-bearing woman is using drugs, the substances are being transferred to the foetus through the umbilical cord (Bashmore, Ketchum, Staisch, Barrett, & Zimmermann, 1981). As a consequence, the foetus experiences the same physical symptoms as its mother, such as blood intoxication and spasms (Bashmore et al, 1981; Kreek, Nielsen, Butelmann, & LaForge, 2005). Substance abuse during pregnancy can cause spontaneous abortion, heart defects and low birth weight (Bashmore et al., 1981), as well as behavioral problems and addiction proneness for the offspring (Bashmore et al., 1981; Jêdrzejczak, 2005). More specifically, substance abuse during pregnancy can elicit a series of chemical reactions in the developing brain of the foetus (Kreek et al., 2005). As a result, in the future life of the offspring, an environmental or a psychological stimulus may be enough to lead to substance abuse (Kreek et al., 2005). The experiences an individual has during his or her childhood are considered equally important prognosticators for using drugs. Witnessing a parent or a caretaker abusing substances is considered as an ... ... middle of paper ... ...r and public policy. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. Sihvola, E., Rose, R. J., Dick, D. M., Pulkkinen, L., Marttunen, M., & Kaprio, J. (2008). Early onset depressive disorders predict the use of addictive substances in adolescence: A prospective study of adolescent Finnish twins. Addiction, 103(12), 2045-2053. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02363.x Spooner, C. (1999). Causes and correlates of adolescent drug abuse and implications for treatment. Drug and Alcohol Review, 18(4), 453-475. doi:10.1080/09595239996329 van Dalen, A. (2001). Juvenile violence and addiction: Tangled roots in childhood trauma. Journal of Social Work Practice in The Addictions, 1(1), 25-40. doi:10.1300/J160v01n01_04 Zimić, J., & Jukić, V. (2012). Familial risk factors favoring drug addiction onset. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 44(2), 173-185. doi:10.1080/02791072.2012.685408

Show More
Related

  • Diagnosing Psychopathy: The Triarchic Model by Christopher J. Patrick

    2026 Words  | 5 Pages

    Tackett, J. L., Lahey, B. B., van Hulle, C., Waldman, I., Krueger, R. F., & Rathouz, P. J. (2013).

    Read More

  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

    1761 Words  | 4 Pages

    Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a group of problems a newborn experiences when exposed to addictive drugs that the mother consumes during pregnancy. NAS is a growing concern in the United States and can have significant adverse effects on newborns. Shortly after birth, the infant can display many physical symptoms of withdrawal. In addition, substance abuse during pregnancy can cause premature birth, low birth weight, seizures, birth defects, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and possible long-term cognitive and behavioral problems. The 2010 results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings reported incidence of substance abuse among pregnant women within the United States....

    Read More

  • Barriers to Screening Pregnant Women for Substance Abuse

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    Drug and alcohol use in pregnancy poses a threat to the neonate’s development and the obstetric provider has an obligation to screen for substance use. Substance use in pregnancy can place the developing fetus at risk for in-utero opioid dependence, fetal-alcohol syndrome, preterm labor, and other consequences of maternal alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use.(6) Within the past three years La Crosse County has seen a marked increase in the amount of heroin use.(7)

    Read More

  • The Effects of Prenatal Cocaine-Exposure On Cognitive Development

    1686 Words  | 4 Pages

    One illicit drug that has gone through extensive research is cocaine. Prenatal cocaine exposure has shown to affect the baby physically (defects including eye, bone, genital, urinary tract, kidney, heart deformities, as well as brain hemorrhages) and cognitively (through mental delays, motor, attention, and language problems) (Berk, 2003). Cocaine affects the child subtly but significantly because of what the drug does to the body of both the mother and the growing fetus.

    Read More

  • Environmental Influences On Prenatal Development

    534 Words  | 2 Pages

    Just as drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and crystal meth affect the mother, it also affects the child. Babies that are born to drug using mothers are called “drug babies” and just like their mother they become addicted to the drugs causing behavior problems during their childhood. They can also have birth defects, premature birth, and are usually underweight. Babies that are born to cocaine using mothers are called “crack babies” and they face the risk of a stroke leading to brain damage. Teratogenic medications such as some antibiotics, cancer fighting medicines, blood thinners, and acne fighting medicines such as Accutane can all cause birth

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Embraced By The Needle

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gabor Mate 's essay “Embraced by the Needle” addresses important issues on the negative effects that childhood experiences have on the development of addictions, and the long term effects that drugs play throughout an addict 's life. The author states that addictions originate from unhappiness and pain that is often inflicted upon addicts at early age such as infancy. In Mate essay, he uses many patients past childhood experiences to help create a picture of the trauma that an addict faced as child and the link it plays with who they are today. Mate builds an impressive argument based on the way he organizes his ideas on what addiction is, and how it corresponds to a person 's childhood experience. The author does this effectively

    Read More

  • Stereotypes in Older Adults

    1291 Words  | 3 Pages

    Zhang, Y. B., Harwood, J., Williams, A., Ylänne-McEwen, V., Wadleigh, P. M., & Thimm, C.

    Read More

  • The Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis

    1696 Words  | 4 Pages

    Drugs cause an overall disturbance in a subjects’ physiological, psychological and emotional health. “At the individual level, drug abuse creates health hazards for the user, affecting the educational and general development of youths in particular” (“Fresh Challenge”). In youth specifically, drug abuse can be triggered by factors such as: a parent’s abusive behavior, poor social skills, family history of alcoholism or substance abuse, the divorce of parents or guardians, poverty, the death of a loved one, or even because they are being bullied at school (“Drugs, brains, and behavior”) .

    Read More

  • genetic effect

    737 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lanthrop’s argument that substance abuse is caused by both your environment and genetics is very intriguing. Not only does Lanthrop use strong medical and statistical evidence in his statement, he uses personal experience. By using his personal experience in his argument, Lanthrop establishes credibility or ethos with his readers as well as emotional appeal or pathos. By establishing credibility and appealing to the emotional side of readers Lanthrop effectively argues that substance abuse is impacted by a person’s environment and their genetic code. However, out of the two main causes of substance abuse, genetics has the greatest impact on one’s substance abuse issue.

    Read More

  • Effects of Psychoactive Drugs

    1211 Words  | 3 Pages

    Development is a never ending cycle in life. Each person begins to develop from conception until passing away. Now, while most people think that development starts after birth that is incorrect. Development starts as soon as the baby is conceived. Everything that a woman carrying a baby does or takes place in will translate into the baby. The baby shares a blood flow with the mother. Drugs, even legal drugs, will go into the mother’s blood stream which will then go into the baby’s blood stream. The “maternal blood flows through the uterine arteries to the spaces housing the placenta, and it returns through the uterine vein to the maternal circulation” (Santrock, 2012, p. 80). This means that anything that enters into the blood stream will also affect the baby. Each type of drug is under a certain category. Psychoactive drugs are drugs that are constantly being studier. According to Santrock (2012), psychoactive drugs are drugs that act on the nervous system to alter states of consciousness, modify perception, and change moods. (p.83). They come in three categories: stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. Stimulants include caffeine, cocaine, methamphetamine and nicotine. Some people say that pregnant woman do not know what taking these into their system is doing to their baby. Stimulants are becoming more popular and there effects need to be studied and known. Each stimulant affects the baby in short-term and long-term.

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Drugs And Alcohol On A Pregnancy

    736 Words  | 2 Pages

    People always think that nothing bad would ever happen to them, or that they would never make the same mistakes as other mothers. The fact of the matter is it can happen to anyone and it will happen if people are not careful. 21 % of women use illegal drugs and alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy. Whether it is just one drink or one hit or this is an everyday occurrence; it can affect the baby mentally and physically for the rest of its life.

    Read More

  • Theory of Alcohol Addiction: Case Study

    834 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many assumptions of why an individual may use different substances and perhaps go from a “social” user to becoming addicted. Understanding the different theories models of addiction many help in the process of treatment for the addict. Although people in general vary in their own ideologies of addiction when working as a clinician one must set aside their own person beliefs. Typically as a clinician it is best for the client to define how they view their addiction and their view may encompass more than one of the five theories. Some theories suggest genetic and other biological factors whiles others emphasize personality or social factors. In this study three theories are defined and given to three different people with different cultural backgrounds, different ideologies, different experiences, and most importantly different reference point of addiction.

    Read More

  • Pregnant Addicted Mothers

    1943 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are many drawbacks to a substance use while pregnant that directly influence the development and wellbeing of a child, each substance has a different effect and severity. Before a child is born they are at risk of a miscarriage, stillbirth, fetal demise, low birth weight, and congenital anomalies just to name a few. If the child survives the pregnancy, he or she is at risk for acquiring fetal alcohol syndrome if the mother was addicted to alcohol, sudden infant death if the mother smoked while pregnant. Microcephaly and other growth development challenges has been linked to children whose mother had an opioid addiction while pregnant, cognitive and respiratory issues such as asthma or bronchitis are also commonly observed in children whom are a product of an addicted mother. The worst impact the substance misuse can have on the infant however, is a dysfunctional relationship with their primary caregiver, the

    Read More

  • Teenagers and Drug Abuse

    1622 Words  | 4 Pages

    It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.

    Read More

  • Effective Communication and Police Officers

    1173 Words  | 3 Pages

    Barker, V., Giles, H., Hajek, C., Ota, H., Noels, K., Lim, T-S., & Somera, L. (2008).

    Read More

More about The Causes of Substance Abuse

Open Document