Drug Abuse Term Paper

Drug Abuse

As a whole, human beings are insatiable and are can never seem to get enough of a good thing. If an individual experiences a good thing, he or she is often inclined to return again and again to its source. Because drugs often provide intense, temporary feelings of elation or relaxation, many people become physically and psychologically addicted to drugs. As a result, these people are subject to the negative physical, mental and sociological effects that go hand in hand with drug abuse. The major effects of drug abuse are failed marriages, addiction, and crime.

Drug abuse is one of the most serious social problems that destroy individuals, cause family disruption and threaten the security and stability of the country. Drug abuse has been proven to tear families apart, cause pain and injury, and lead to domestic violence and child abuse, which often result in failed marriages. Recent research reveals that that one out of four Americans experience family problems related to drug abuse, and that it plays a part in one out of three failed marriages. Couples who are broken up because of drug abuse are often physically, emotionally and financially harmed by the experience, as are their children.

One of the biggest effects of drug abuse is addiction itself. The first stage of addiction is known as the pleasure stage, which is often the result of peer pressure, curiosity, attraction, release of inhibitions and relaxation. At this stage, it is relatively easy to kick a drug habit. However, in many cases, individuals take the addiction to the next levels, the problem stage, in which defiance, unplanned use, preoccupation, and rapid intake takes place. At this stage, drug abuse is becoming a serious problem. The third stage of addiction occurs…