Substance Abuse And Mental Health: What Drugs Do To The Brain

Introduction

The mental well-being of a person improves and deteriorates because of many factors. One of such detractors is substance abuse. Everyone craves for good mental health. unfortunately it is not everybody's prerogative. Human nature evolves during lifetime, to achieve good mental health. human beings have to change accordingly while still maintaining their personal integrity. Substance abuse destroys this series of events and reduces the resistance power of the mind to make right decisions. This connection will help you to understand the effect of substance abuse and mental health.

Drug addiction is a serious issue the world over. Those addicted to drugs become physically and psychologically dependent on it. They develop an abnormal strong craving for substances like alcohol and narcotic drugs. Substance abuse and mental health are interrelated because they compel the brain to produce many psychotropic effects.

The National Drug Intelligence Center explains the connection between substance abuse and mental health. They state, all those who indulge in substance abuse often suffer from mental illness. They also state, either of the condition can take place first. A person who is mentally ill will take to drugs to reduce symptoms of apathy and depression, on the other hand a substance abuser becomes mentally ill due to over-consumption of drugs. That is the connection between substance abuse and mental illness.

Once inhaled or ingested, drugs decrease the ability of the brain to preserve short-term memory. Apart from this, the user experiences an altered feeling of reality, especially euphoria. When drugs enter the users' body, in due course it reaches the brain and clings to the neurons. It is neurons which perform specific functions in the central nervous system. When the neurons are seized by drugs the neurons stop functioning normally. For instance, neurons which are responsible for making a person sit could misfire. instead it may make the person agitated.

Long-term use of drugs causes irreparable damage to the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for processing short term memory. A person who is heavily into drugs loses the ability to understand simple instructions or learn new things, they also fail to emote or respond normally.

Drugs also affect the users' impulse control. It makes a habitually easy-going and soft-spoken person become loud and belligerent. Drugs can make the user abusive, drive reckless and take unwanted risks. Date-rapes and automobile accidents are linked to substance abuse.

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