Substance Abuse is rampant in our country and throughout the world. Often time a person will “experiment” with various substances as an adolescent and then, stop later and never develop a substance abuse problem. For others however, abusing substances will evolve into a problem known as a chemical dependency or a Substance Use Disorder
Substances People Use and Abuse
The most widely used substance in the world is the drug Caffeine. Most people who use Caffeine do not abuse it and never have a problem with it. Nicotine is the second most commonly used substance and we all know that Tobacco Use Disorder leads to the development of lung cancer and emphysema. The third most common substance abuse problem in the world has to do with Alcohol Use Disorder, known as Alcoholism
Why is There So Much Substance Abuse These Days?
There is not a simple answer to this question, but it does depend on supply and demand. Because both tobacco and alcohol are legal, they are also the substances which tend to be most readily used and abused. Let’s face it, many understand that those who use tobacco and alcohol obtain a pleasurable affect. Not only that, the effects from a puff of a cigarette or a drink of alcohol are almost immediate. As such, it is also easy to become dependent on Nicotine. Other substances are usually used when they become available to one member of a peer group, who then shares with (“Turns On”) their other peers in the group.
What Kind of Substance Abuse is the Worst?
Currently in the United States, Opiates (like Heroin or Pain Pills like Lortabs and Percocet) and Methamphetamines (like Crystal Meth and Ecstasy) are widely available and cause the most severe distress to the users and to society. Because of the extreme addictive nature of substance abuse drugs like Heroin causing a rise in overdose deaths; Heroin is probably the worst substance to abuse overall.
Can Substance Abuse Ever Be Cured?
There are scientists and researchers looking at various treatments for substance abuse which may be real breakthroughs. Such treatments may involve, for example, an injection of an antibody to the substance Methamphetamine. Then, when the person uses Crystal Meth, there would be no effects because the antibody would bind and attach to the Meth molecule, before it could travel though the bloodstream to the brain.
What if I Need Help For a Substance Abuse Problem?
The Drug and Alcohol Detox Clinic of South Mississippi provides State-of-the-Art, outpatient treatment for Substance Abuse, in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Call for more information-601-261-9101, or on the web at: www.TheDrugandAlcoholDetoxClinic.com. There’s Still Hope! You can also follow them on Twitter for more information.
