Long—Term Effects: What Drug Use in the Here and Now Does to One's Future
It is well understood that drug use is “bad” and that one should not partake in drugs or partake of alcohol in an abusive fashion. One does not have to know much about drugs and alcohol to know that one should stay away from such substances, perhaps simply because of the stigma that is attached to them.
People understand that abusing drugs or drinking to excess has an immediate, instantaneous, negative effect on the user. But what a lot of people do not know are the long-term repercussions of drug use, the extensive health complications that can occur later on in life as a direct result of an individual’s partaking in substances.
Long-Term Consequences of Drug Use and Alcoholism
How terrible would it be to recover from drugs and alcohol, to walk away from the habit for life and never look back, only to develop a health complication later on in life that was brought on due to prior drug use? Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurrence for thousands of recovering addicts.
Drug abuse often leaves a lasting mark, as does alcoholism. For some, their past substance abuse habits come back to bite them, potentially even years down the road when they have long since forgotten about substances. These health problems can range from a minor annoyance to a fatal affliction. Some of the long-term health implications of drug abuse and alcohol misuse are:
- Kidney damage.
People in recovery are quite prone to kidney damage later on in life, a sad consequence of extensive drug use. As the kidneys are the body’s natural filtration unit, consuming drugs and alcohol weighs a heavy toll on the kidneys. Kidney problems can range from kidney stones all the way to full-on kidney failure in ex-drug users.
- Liver damage.
Most common in ex-alcoholics, liver damage can occur to anyone who has spent a significant amount of time abusing drugs and alcohol. Cirrhosis of the liver is a common end result of people who have spent a lot of time abusing alcohol. Liver failure is also common for individuals who have spent years abusing opioids, steroids, inhalants, DXM, and other, heavy-strength narcotics. The liver is one of the first lines of defense in cleansing the bloodstream of toxins. It is usually the first organ to sustain heavy damage from repeated drug use.
- Heart damage.
Opioids tend to cause cardiovascular issues, sometimes long after the fact. A young person with a young heart could go years abusing opioids, silently doing damage to his heart without really knowing it. Then, decades later after he has gone through rehab and hasn’t touched opioids in a very long time, heart problems could surface as a result of a weakened heart.
- Lung damage.
People who smoke meth, crack cocaine, marijuana, and opium do a great deal of damage to their lungs. Such activities can cause lasting, permanent damage that might not reveal itself until later on in life. Lung cancer is a good example of such a complication. Breathing complications such as periodic shortness of breath or an onset of asthma later in life are good examples as well.
Abstinence and Healthy Living is the Best Policy
When a person is in the recovery stages from drug and alcohol addiction, they must follow two rules:
- Never abuse drugs or alcohol again.
- Seek out the healthiest lifestyle possible. Commit to healthy living across all facets of life.
When a person is in recovery from an extensive period of drug use, the cards are stacked against them. The only way to ensure a long life in recovery, a life that is free of adverse health effects from prior drug use, is to be as healthy as possible, to eat well, to exercise, to take vitamins and supplements, to get outside a lot, and to engage in healthy living across all spectrums.
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