Many people believe that drug use only affects the user. That is not the case. Addiction deeply impacts families, friends, and entire communities. Their family and friends are left to pick up the pieces after their mistakes. This can cause life long issues between the user and the people around them.
Addiction can begin in many ways: from being prescribed powerful painkillers, using drugs to escape trauma, or even being introduced to substances at a young age. Once someone gets high for the first time, they start to subconsciously chase the same feeling they once had but will never reach. When the user continuously uses the drug, they become more tolerant to the drug effects, causing them to move onto harder drugs. Once they reach a point to where they can’t get that same high it can lead to suicidal thoughts because they don’t know how to handle those feelings and they feel like their life is falling apart. According to the National Library of Medicine, “People who use opioids are 14 times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general population.” The effects of drug use continue to grow in the United States.
It is common for drug use to cause financial issues. Many users spend their money on drugs instead of necessities. Many users eventually lose their jobs for various reasons related to their drug use. Many times they aren’t able to fulfill their job duties because they aren’t sober or they don’t come to work at all. When money runs out, they will use any means necessary to fund their addiction and neglect basic necessities.
This could potentially put the people around them in danger. Many drug users will steal money or items they could sell from family members, friends or businesses to chase a high. Most of the time families are left to fix everything they did. This can cause family members to put distance between them and the user to protect themselves. This can be very hard for them to do because of the hope that they might change their ways and not be the same person they once were. Oftentimes when a user has lost their battle to addiction many families are left to pay for their loved ones funeral even if they didn’t have the financial means to do so. Even if a family does try to raise money to help cover the costs, people might not be as willing to help due to the stigma around drug addiction.
The effects are especially concerning when there are children involved. Children can see the effects of their parent’s drug use; they start to realize that their parents are missing out on special moments and if they are there they might not be sober enough to realize what is happening. As they get older this can cause a strain in their relationship because of this repeated behavior. The child in this situation is sometimes forced to be the “adult” and make sure things are taken care of. They might be forced to take on multiple jobs to help pay bills and if they have younger siblings making sure they get their homework done and are ready for school the next day. That can be very hard on them when faced with other challenges that come with growing up. This can also lead children to follow in those same footsteps because they may not have any other adult figure in their life to teach them otherwise.
Their family also struggles with having to watch the person they once knew deteriorate. Many times their family will push for them to get better when the user does not want to get sober and does not see the consequences of their actions. The only way for a user to get better is if they want to get better.
Drug use not only affects just the user but the people around them. Their life can worsen very quickly causing the people around them to deal with the consequences.
