The Financial Consequences Of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

The effects of drug and alcohol abuse touch nearly all aspects of the addict's life. In addition to the social and psychiatric consequences of drug and alcohol abuse, it can also have a range of negative effects on finances. These can vary from a reduced quality of life all the way to homelessness. Below is more information about the financial consequences of drug and alcohol abuse.

 

Initial Costs of Drugs and Alcohol

A single use of drugs or alcohol is rarely very expensive, but costs of this behavior add up quickly when it becomes a habit. As the addict becomes tolerant to his or her substance of choice, higher doses are needed to get pleasurable effects. This means that more money must be spent, and depending on the severity of the addiction, the habit can easily become a priority over important bills, such as housing and food. Whereas alcoholics might spend hundreds of dollars a month on booze, heroin addicts could easily spend that much in a single day.

 

Lost Productivity

When a person refuses to seek rehab centers, the addiction progresses. As addiction progresses, many drug addicts and alcoholics become less able to perform at a high level in any area of life. When this affects the ability to make money or take care of certain obligations, serious financial problems may result. For many addicts, loss of productivity results in unemployment. This can happen for a number of reasons. For example, heavy use of drugs and alcohol on nights before work may cause a hangover the next day that could reduce the addict's ability to work safely or effectively. An employee with an addiction problem might use poor judgment when handling company money. The addict might ruin equipment on the job or injure themselves and fail a subsequent drug test. Some addicts lose their jobs after missing work too often. After becoming unemployed this way, addicts may not only be financially destitute, but also unable to find another job easily, even after getting sober. If an addict has already spent his or her savings on drugs and alcohol, unemployment could be even more devastating. This illustrates how drug and alcohol abuse can have financial consequences long after its initial effects.

 

Legal Expenses

Both, drugs and alcohol can lead to expensive legal problems. If addicts injure others while under the influence, they may face both criminal charges and lawsuits. For example, a drug or alcohol abuser who drives a motor vehicle while inebriated might face serious costs after being caught. Vehicle impoundment and bail can vary and may cost thousands of dollars. If the addict needs legal representation, this is another considerable expense. Finally, fines leveraged after a guilty verdict can vary dramatically. Although fines may qualify for payment on a schedule, this will extend the financial repercussions on the addict possibly long into the future.

 

Costs to the Public

The financial consequences of drug and alcohol abuse don't just affect the addict. In reality, society is forced to pay for much of the financial damage caused by this behavior. Here's how:

• One quarter of the national law enforcement budget is devoted to crimes that involve drug abuse.
• When criminals enter jail or prison, many require treatment for addictions to alcohol and drugs.
• Substance abuse also has serious financial effects on national roadways. A combination of legal costs, damage to vehicles and roadways, and insurance costs come to a total of $13.6 billion in the United States each year.

This illustrates how the abuse of drugs and alcohol has direct and indirect financial consequences on not only addicts themselves, but also the public. Meta: The financial consequences of drug and alcohol abuse don't just affect the addict, but instead everyone who loves them and everyone that is around them.

Is Drug Abuse A Mental Or Physical Condition?

To answer the question of whether drug abuse is a mental or physical condition the circumstances surrounding drug abuse must be defined. There is a difference between physical addiction and physical dependence. Addiction is the compulsive and ongoing inability to quit using a drug. Physical dependence is characterized by the ability of the body to build up a tolerance to a drug, thus requiring its ongoing use and triggering the onset of drug-specific withdrawal symptoms if such use is abruptly stopped. As to whether drug abuse is mental or physical, the answer would be both, on a drug specific basis. Issues surrounding drug usage as “substance abuse disorders.” This usage is classified as either abuse or dependence.

Physical Addiction/Substance Dependence

Substances subject to physical dependence generally include opioids such as heroin, oxycontin, or other prescription painkillers, benzodiazepines such as valium, xanax, and klonopin. Substance dependence is characterized by symptoms such as:

• Increased tolerance marked by diminishing effect of the drug and need for increased amount to achieve effect
• Drug usage in larger does than intended
• Withdrawal symptoms specific to the substance of abuse or the increased usage of the same (or similar) substance to avoid withdrawal
• Inability to stop drug usage despite a desire to do so
• Excessive time and energy spent on drug seeking activities
• Ongoing use despite health problems or social difficulties due to drug usage

Opioids attach to receptors in the brain and body which, when usage is stopped, immediately trigger withdrawal. These symptoms include anxiety, insomnia, muscle and joint pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and dysphonia. Benzodiapene withdrawal manifests itself 2 to 10 days after usage is stopped and can result in irritability, anxiety, hyperactivity, and even seizures. Methamphetamines, in street form or in legal form, such as Adderall or Ritalin, can create physical symptoms such as tremors, palpitations, hyperventilation, and nausea. Alcohol withdrawal can be mild or extreme, resulting in seizures and death. Beginning anywhere from a few hours after use to 3 or 4 days after use, these effects can also take the form of hallucinations and delirium tremens (DT’s).

Mental Addiction/ Substance Abuse

Substances generally subject to mental or psychological abuse include cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy. Substance abuse is characterized by symptoms such as:

• Legal issues
• Inability or failure to perform major obligations
• Use under physical dangerous conditions
• Repeated use despite ongoing interpersonal or social problems

Cocaine withdrawal can cause fatigue, insomnia, increased appetite, irritability and disruption of motor skills. While not having any specific adverse physical effects, these symptoms are brought on by the depletion of dopamine in the brain. Marijuana's addictiveness is constantly debated. However, symptoms have been shown to include insomnia, depression, anxiety, and loss of appetite. Withdrawal from repeated ecstasy use can result in muscle fatigue, disorientation, lack of energy, and severe depression. While there are no immediate physical effects on the body, the lack of increased serotonin, which the drug provides and that the body is unable to naturally replicate, can cause mental depression. There are some drugs with very real physical effects that require medical supervision when usage is stopped; however, all of the substances mentioned above have a neurological effect. This unifying effect is called “pleasure.” Whether that pleasure is derived from the brain or the body, it is the single most significant thing driving all substance users. The more doctors and scientists learn about the process of the brain, the more they learn how it affects the body. In that regard, all drug abuse is both mental and physical.

Top 5 Reasons Why Rehab is Proven to Work

 

A Common Misconception

It's common for drug and alcohol users to believe that they can recover from their ailments on their own. With a little willpower, they figure, they'll be able to kick their addictions and resume a normal life. Unfortunately, it's not so simple. Most people with drug and alcohol problems have other problems that were the triggers for their addictions. Without solving the underlying issues, it's impossible for a user to fully recover. 



Rehabilitation is a much better option than going it alone. It asks much more of the individual in question -- for example, those who attend rehab must leave their jobs and present lives, and they must also let friends and family know that they've been battling addiction for some time. However, this route is far preferable to the uncertainty that comes with self-treating addiction. Rehab is the safer and more effective option. 



1.) Safety

Even the most steadfast drug or alcohol user who has an iron-clad will is much better off in rehab than on the streets. Why? Detoxification from drugs and alcohol is a very stressful process, not only for the mind of the user but also for their body. The detox process can cause seizures, some of which can be fatal. Detoxing in rehab puts the user in the hands of medical professionals that supervise detoxifications on a regular basis, ensuring that there is no chance of a well-intentioned detox turning dangerous. 



2.) Separation

Perhaps the most important part about drug and alcohol rehab is that it physically takes the user out of their usual environment, one in which drug and alcohol abuse cannot be avoided. This helps those in rehab to avoid the triggers and temptations that have derailed previous attempts to get sober. Rehab is about creating a new life, and to do so, it's necessary to remove someone from their old way of life to show them that a different life is possible. Most rehab programs also have outpatient programs designed to help recovering abusers as they re-enter society. 



3.) Community

Though efforts to heal oneself from drug or alcohol addiction are commendable, one of the ways in which they fall short is that they lack the sense of community that is commonly found in rehab. In an inpatient rehabilitation facility, people support one another as they strive to reach a common goal. While each individual's reasons for being in rehab are different, the group works together as much as possible in a healthy and positive way. In many cases, the desire to stick with the team and make the group proud helps people to avoid temptation and stay sober. 



4.) Accountability

Going to rehab means more than just getting professional help. It's a commitment that the user will submit to the treatments prescribed by the treatment facility and make every effort to get better. This type of accountability doesn't exist in any other form of addiction treatment. With professional counselors on hand to track progress and help patients through tough times, this aspect of rehab is much better than any sort of solo effort. Furthermore, patients are more inclined to battle through the tough times when there are other parties involved; those in recovery don't want to disappoint the people who have placed their faith in them. 



5.) Aftercare Programs

Rehab is commonly associated with a 28-day program, but this is far from reality. Not only can rehab stays be much longer, but the rehabilitation doesn't end when the patient checks out. Recovery facilities have programs in place to help patients after they leave. Whether it's outpatient counseling or the activities that were enjoyed while in rehab, there's always something for recovering addicts to return to. This helps them adjust to their new lives while also enriching their ties to the treatment center and the strides made while in recovery.