Drug Abuse Affecting Mental Health
Drug misuse causes negative psychology of the brain leading to depression, suicide, anxiety, psychosis, and schizophrenia. Misuse can be Alcohol, Cannabis, Magic mushrooms, Cocaine, and prescribed medication. Drug abuse affecting mental health changes the person's perspective on their life and the people they are surrounded by. Keep in mind: Why do we keep increasing the legalization of drugs when it harms our mentality?
Why Take Drugs?:
Many different people take drugs for different reasons. A person could take drugs because of curiosity, rebelliousness, medical issues, or because a friend is taking them. Drugs give the person a temporary high by making a person feel better about themselves, but that feeling will only last for so long until the drug is taken. People start to become dependent on drugs because of the temporary feeling it gives which causes more problems than decreasing it.
Effects:
Different types of drugs cause negative effects on a person's mentality. Each drug is dangerous and can have a long-term effect on the person's mind:
Alcohol:
Alcohol is a legal drug that allows anyone at the age of twenty-one to drink, but when drinking too much it will harm a person's mentality. The long-term effect of alcohol all depends on the person's drinking habit: drinking every day or drinking more than needed. Though alcohol causes a person to forget any negative emotions a person has in the long term alcohol does increase suicidal thoughts and depression. The chemicals in alcohol change your brain increasing negative feelings like depression and suicidal thoughts as the chemicals change your brain they also slow your thoughts not having to acknowledge your current feelings or actions.
Cannabis:
Cannabis also known as weed is a recent legal drug that is prescribed as medication to help calm a person's mind. Cannabis is known well to keep you chill and happy, but the increased usage of cannabis has the opposite effect on a person's mentality. The long-term of cannabis could affect the type of person who smokes it: uses it for a long time, uses it frequently, and uses a strong cannabis that isn't recommended. The chemicals in cannabis increase paranoia and hallucinations which leads to the person having schizophrenia and psychosis.
Magic Mushroom:
Magic Mushroom is a drug found in wildlife, and they can be taken by tea or swallowed. Magic Mushroom is a hallucinogenic drug that makes the person experience a giddily and excited feeling. Increasing the take of magic mushrooms will cause a long-term negative effect on the person's mentality. Magic Mushroom's effects depend on the person's mood and surroundings, and if the person already experiences a negative mood, then the Magic Mushroom will increase the negative mood. Magic Mushrooms' long-term negative effect on the person's mentality is anxiety because it'll cast negative flashbacks and make the person more nervous.
Cocaine:
Cocaine is an illegal drug that can be received if they are purchased from a different person. Cocaine makes the person feel more confident and talkative, but the positive effect only lasts for a short time. Cocaine is mostly taken by snorting the white powder or by injection, but cocaine causes more negative effects than positive effects. Cocaine has long-term negative effects on the person's mentality which causes the person to be depressed, paranoid, and anxious. Cocaine is an illegal drug, but it can still be purchased if you find the right person.
Prescribe Medicincation:
Prescribe Medication is a well-known drug used for a patient's medication to help them feel better, but some medications cause negative effects on the person's mentality. Benzodiazepine medications are given to patients to help reduce anxiety by having a calming effect. Benzodiazepines aren't recommended for use for a long time because they can cause addiction in the patient. Though it helps reduce anxiety, the long term of using benzodiazepine causes the person depression and an increase in anxiety. It never hurts to ask your doctor about the long-term side effects of medications that can affect your mentality.
Solution:
People suffer from drug abuse, and many of them believe it is too late to get help. It's never too late to ask for help and wish to change to be better. Some facilities help people sober up and change their lives for the better. If you know anyone who suffers from drug abuse or wishes to receive help call the hotline at 988 or 1-800-667-4357 to get the help needed to move away from drugs. It's never too late to ask for help.
What are your thoughts: Why do we keep increasing the legalization of drugs when it harms our mentality?
"I don't think it's a good idea to legalize drugs. However, making it illegal won't stop people from using it. What I find problematic is how the city of LA is handing out clean needles for free instead of helping people sober up."
" The number of drugs in the U.S. is bad, and it is even worse because we have ads for prescription drugs. Every day, there's a new prescription drug that plays a happy family and barely acknowledges the negative effects. Drugs can ruin a person's mentality and can fry a brain. The body can only handle so much and taking multiple at once is dangerous. Young people have more pressure to take more drugs and can end up becoming addicted adults."
Anonymous 3:
"With the war on drugs, my thoughts on drugs aren't black and white. People, primarily white people due to medical racism were prescribed more painkillers and thus the opioid epidemic started and still is an issue. Legalizing drugs is a step toward decriminalization of drugs. As stated earlier people can still get hurt by prescribed drugs, it's all a balancing act and too much of anything is bad."
Why this is important to me:
Drug abuse has been an ongoing problem in the United States. Drug abuse can negatively affect both the health and mind, but we still haven't found a solution to decrease the intake of people who take drugs, instead of discussing the bad effects drugs have on a person. I wanted to discuss the negative effect drugs have on a person because we never realize how it's permanent damage. My community has suffered a lot with people on the streets slowly losing their mentality of drugs. We have the power to change, but the government hasn't done anything to help people who suffer from drug abuse. Our mental health is important and drugs don't help our mental health make it feel better. We have the money to help people, but we have done nothing to help people stay away from drugs. Drug abuse is a well-known problem that hasn't been fixed as the years go by.
References:
“Drugs and Mental Health.” Mental Health Foundation, 2023, www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/drugs-and-mental-health.
Embankment, Albert. “Drugs and Mental Health.” Mental Health Foundation, 2023, www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/a-z-topics/drugs-and-mental-health.
SAMHSA. “SAMHSA’s National Helpline.” SAMHSA, 1992, www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline.
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