Car accidents. Violent arguments. Blackouts. You may be familiar with these examples of the most common consequences of alcohol abuse. They are the kinds of incidences that are reported in the media and spoken about in social circles. But the effects of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction go far beyond the physical symptoms. In this article, we provide an overview of the effects of this life-threatening disease.
Physical Effects
The body is affected by alcohol abuse in profound and far-reaching ways. Most commonly, alcoholics suffer liver damage to varying degrees. This may manifest in conditions such as jaundice, general fatigue and digestive problems. High doses of alcohol for prolonged periods of time can adversely affect the heart, putting individuals at risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks or strokes. In extreme cases, chronic alcohol users can suffer from thiamine deficiency which results in muscle weakness, blurry vision and long-term loss of appetite.
Mental Effects
Alcohol abuse also affects the brain, particularly the neural centres that control one’s decision-making functions and memory. It is not uncommon for alcoholics who find recovery to be diagnosed with secondary mental illnesses such as neurotic anxiety and depression. In fact, what we know about alcohol abuse today, is that it can exacerbate an already existing, underlying mental condition. Extreme alcohol abusers may experience noticeable cognitive impairment that can cause long-term and irreparable damage.
Emotional Effects
Many alcoholics can relate to the transition from social drinking to drinking in isolation, as their disease progresses. Alcohol abusers may not want to share their liquor, may feel ashamed of their behaviour and may lose interest in social activities, particularly those which do not involve an element of drinking. In addition, it is marked by increasing and persistent levels of irritability. Abusers may become noticeably upset and uneasy when they are prevented from drinking or confronted about their problem. Without the act of satisfying their craving, alcohol abusers cannot function in a healthy way.
Spiritual Effects
The spiritual effect of alcohol abuse is a topic that 12-step programmes cover extensively but one that is not often recognised by those who are not familiar with life in recovery. Many alcoholics describe their disease as feeling like a “hole in the soul,” or like something is fundamentally wrong with them or that they are unworthy of love. When coupled with low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness, the spiritual effects are extensive and deeply troubling.
If you or a loved one is suffering from alcohol addiction or is abusing alcohol, know that help is readily available. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support you in your recovery journey.
If you or a loved one needs assistance with alcoholism – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one but getting yourself or your loved one the best possible care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s only a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.
Acknowledgements:
American Addiction Centres Stories of Recovery
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The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Many people are confused about the difference between the two substances khat and cat. They may even produce similar effects on the people that are using them but are significantly different in composition or origin.
Let’s first deal with khat.
Khat is a plant and is used as a recreational drug by people in East Africa and the Arabian countries to elevate mood. The leaves and stem are chewed. It is both a recreational drug and sometime medicinal. As a medicine, the khat leaf is used for many common ailments such as diabetes, , depression, fatigue, obesity, stomach ulcers, headache, and male infertility. It is also used to lower the need for food, sleep, decrease sexual desires, improve the ability to study, and increase aggression.
Khat seems to contain characteristics and stimulants similar to amphetamines.
Whether
it has any impact on these ailments is still to be scientifically
decided however The World Health Organization (WHO) lists khat as a
drug that creates “dependence” in people, meaning it
produces a continuing desire to keep using it. It is banned in many
western countries.
Khat can cause many side effects including mood changes, increased alertness, excessive talkativeness, hyperactivity, excitement, aggressiveness, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, manic behaviour, paranoia, and psychosis. It may also lead to insomnia and an inability to concentrate.
And the other Cat?
Methcathinone is stimulant that is structurally a combination of methamphetamine and cathinone. It is clandestinely manufactured from readily available chemicals. It is a white or off-white crystalline powder, most commonly snorted, although it can be taken orally by mixing it with a beverage or diluted in water and it can be injected intravenously. Methcathinone produces amphetamine-like characteristics.
The
effect of Cat/Kat can be described as being very similar to that of
cocaine, however unlike cocaine the effects can last up to nine
hours.
What are the Physical/Mental Effects of Cat?
Powerful
feelings of euphoria
Increased
energy & confidence
Loss
of appetite
Dilated
pupils
Increased
sociability & talkativeness
Because
the drug is a stimulant its usage can go on for days and often
results in week long binges.
It
has been linked to the party and rave scene however it is used by
professionals needing extra energy and work enthusiasm and by
students needing to study and concentrate for long hours.
After Cat usage or a Cat binge the dreaded “come down” follows.
What can you expect after a binge or extensive Cat usage?
Anxiety
Muscle
tension and pain
Insomnia
Delusions
from lack of sleep and inability to eat
Severe
psychological depression
Suicide
ideation
Paranoia
Visual
Hallucinations
What to do if you feel you need help with your Cat addiction ?
Cat is psychologically highly addictive, individuals lose their ability to feel emotion or empathy, they lose self-esteem and purpose in life often becoming distant and removed.
Cat addiction can be treated through a number of corrective approaches and therapeutic interventions. Crossroads Recovery Centres are situated in Pretoria and Johannesburg, South Africa. Our staff members are all qualified and experienced addiction counsellors backed by a team of other professionals. If necessary, we provide detoxification from a substance together with a holistic treatment plan based on a 12-step treatment programme. We provide the necessary skills needed to maintain a clean and sober life style long after the primary treatment process has been completed.
If you or a loved one needs rehabilitation from cat addiction – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one but getting yourself or your loved one the best possible care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s only a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.
No Obligation Addiction Assessment
Book a No Obligation Confidential Assessment at your nearest Treatment Centre Today.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Although substance abuse has been a part of human history for the longest time, effective methods of how to treat it have varied over the ages (Miller, 2014). Methods of treating substance abuse have not always been as humane as they are today (Townsend et al, 2016). As such this article discusses the link between rehabilitation from substance abuse and how it reflects a restoration to humanity using sociology as a reference point (Miller, 2014).
Society has many institutions of socialization, thus, when individuals fail to conform to one, they may land up in a less favourable institution (Moleko and Visser, 2012). Prisons and lock-up facilities were the places where substance abusers were sent when their behaviour was considered “out of hand” (Moleko & Visser, 2012). This was the case as there were few options at the time that were available for individuals to understand as well as address their problem of substance abuse (Miller, 2014).
In the early nineteenth century, psychology became recognised as a formal field of study and new insights emerged to explain why human beings behaved the way they did (Townsend et al, 2016). Although there have been previous methods to do so in the past, psychology represented the refinement of knowledge and techniques as well as methodologies to better understand mental illnesses (Townsend et al, 2016). Even so, the methods that were employed when dealing with mental illnesses were in a lot of cases inhumane in nature and focused more on eliminating the problem as opposed to developing an understanding of it (Miller, 2014).
Mental illness often carries a stigma. This stigma sometimes handicaps mental health care professionals especially when attempting to reform deviant behaviour associated with mental illness and as such it became more favourable for these professionals to conform to the social norm of stigma towards mental illnesses (Miller, 2014).
Substance abusers were perhaps the least understood- the methods of dealing with them were more directed at punishment than they were towards healing (Miller, 2014). In the mid 1930’s a revolutionary movement started up in Akron Ohio, in the USA. This method heralded an effective and humane approach to treating alcoholism as well as other forms of substance abuse (Miller, 2014). Although its origin was questionable amongst health care professionals, its effectiveness was not (Miller, 2014). This was when 12-step based substance abuse treatment programmes started up and soon afterwards became recognised as official methods of treating substance abuse by the American Psychological Association (Miller, 2014). This holistic programme restored individuals to humanity from the inside out, spiritually, mentally, and eventually their physical well-being as well (Miller, 2014).
A 12-step society sprung up before it was recognised as a formal basis for rehabilitation from substance abuse (Miller, 2014). With this the social aspect of the movement grew and the stigma towards those suffering from substance abuse began to dissipate (Miller, 2014). Some stigma still exists today, however many countries have begun to include such 12-step treatment models in their scopes for addressing substance abuse and as such there is a growth in the humane treatment of those afflicted by substance abuse and mental health disorders in general (Miller, 2014).
The 12-step programme is known not only for its effectiveness with substance abuse. It can be applied to various contexts, with only its initial step needing to be tailored to the specific obsessive-compulsive manifestation of the addiction it addresses (Miller, 2014). This wide range of application has made this form of rehabilitation increasingly popular amongst professionals as well as the layman (Miller, 2014). Its ability to be applied to such a wide variety of situations demonstrates that this method introduces healing and effective coping strategies into multiple areas of an individual’s life (Miller, 2014). Restoring each one to a state of wholeness that has not been known before (Miller, 2014).
Even so the rehabilitation process is done to help establish an individual within the community together with the resources associated with their recovery (Miller, 2014). In many ways rehabilitation is perceived as an event and the process of establishing a new lifestyle to match the changes in attitude is often neglected (Miller, 2014). Rehabilitation is both the end of something and the beginning of another – one of the major difficulties is that individuals going through this process are not able to distinguish between the two (Miller, 2014).
There is a sense of loss and bereavement associated with rehabilitation from substance abuse. Individuals are often not ready to part with their former lifestyles without the necessary social support (Miller, 2014). An individual’s capacity to be rehabilitated hinges on their willingness to accept change and as a result many experts are dubious of an individual’s capacity to recover unless that person is in a state of desperation (Miller, 2014). This state of cognitive dissonance renders individuals most susceptible to the change that the 12-step approach to substance abuse treatment entails (Baron and Branscombe, 2017), and places greater emphasis on the sociological element of rehabilitation (Baron & Branscombe, 2017).
Conclusion
In closing, rehabilitation from substance abuse is not just a therapeutic method but also a social movement. The only way to restore an individual is to employ a method that helps them solidify their recovery by ensuring that their behaviour contributes to the healing of others.
If you or a loved one needs rehabilitation from substance abuse – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one but getting yourself or your loved one the best possible care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s only a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.
References
Baron, R., & Branscombe, N. (2017). Social psychology (14th ed.).
UK: Pearson Education.
Miller, G. A. (2014). Learning the language of addiction counseling
(4th ed.). Wiley
Moleko, A., & Visser, M. (2012). Community psychology in South
Africa. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.
Townsend, L., O’Neill, V., Swarts, L., De la Rey, C., & Duncan,
N. (2016). Psychology: An introduction. South Africa. Oxford
University Press.
No Obligation Addiction Assessment
Book a No Obligation Confidential Assessment at your nearest Treatment Centre Today.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Gateway drugs are substances that, when consumed, give way to harder, more dangerous drugs. These milder substances, such as nicotine or alcohol, are believed to open the door to drugs such as meth, heroin and cocaine, which can lead to addiction. The theory does have its opponents but it is still referred to frequently in research, literature and treatment.
Marijuana, alcohol, nicotine and other gateway drugs boost dopamine levels, which increases pleasure. The dopamine boost caused by gateway drugs during adolescence has been linked to decreased reactivity of brain dopamine reward centres later in adulthood . This may lead people to seek harder drugs that cause more dramatic dopamine releases, according to the gateway drug theory.
Gateway drugs also prime or prepare the brain for a response to other substances, a process known as cross-sensitization. This heightens brain activity and could make users more likely to seek stronger substances.
Overall, drug use behaviour is caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors. A person’s genetic makeup, family history, living environment and community affect their likelihood of trying drugs. Gateway drugs may be one factor that affects a person’s risk of trying more dangerous substances.
What Are Common Gateway Drugs?
Alcohol, marijuana and nicotine are commonly talked about as gateway drugs. In recent years, opioids, prescription drugs and other common substances have joined the category.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that impairs brain function and motor skills. In 2014, nearly 88 percent of adults reported drinking alcohol at some point in their lives, and nearly 25 percent reported binge drinking in the past month.
Alcohol is considered to be a gateway drug, according to the results of multiple studies.
A University of Florida study found that students who used alcohol were 16 times more likely to use illicit substances, such as cocaine and amphetamines, down the road. Many students began with socially acceptable substances such as alcohol or cigarettes before transitioning to marijuana, then harder drugs.
Adam E. Barry, who co-authored the study, told UF News the findings “add further credence to the literature identifying alcohol as the gateway drug to other substance use.”
Illicit substances linked to alcohol use include:
Cocaine
Heroin
Opioids
Marijuana
Multiple studies reveal drinking at a young age affects drug use later in life. A 2016 study published in the Journal of School Health found sixth-graders went on to try nearly two illicit drugs later in life.
A Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration survey revealed underage drinkers were more likely to use illicit drugs within two hours of alcohol use than legal drinkers. A majority of teen drinkers consumed illicit drugs, such as marijuana.
Marijuana
Marijuana is a substance that alters a person’s attention, motivation, memory and ability to learn. More than 22 million people reported using marijuana in the past month in 2014, per NIDA, making it the most used illicit drug in the U.S at that time.
Weed is commonly recognized as a gateway drug by proponents of the theory. However, its association to harder drugs has been widely debated especially since it has been legalised in many states in the USA and decriminalised in South Africa by the country’s Constitutional Court for personal consumption by adults in private abodes.
Many believe marijuana builds a person’s tolerance to stronger drugs, and certain studies back up this idea. A study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy found that nearly 45 percent of regular marijuana smokers used another illicit drug later in life.
One of those drugs is heroin. Studies suggest the majority of heroin users began with alcohol or marijuana. In fact, marijuana users are three times more likely than nonusers to abuse heroin, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Illicit substances linked to marijuana use include:
Cocaine
Heroin
Ecstasy
Marijuana
Adolescents who smoke marijuana are more likely to use harder drugs, according to a report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Teens who reported heavy marijuana use in the past month were:
30 times more likely to use crack cocaine.
20 times more likely to use ecstasy.
15 times more likely to abuse prescription painkillers.
14 times more likely to abuse over-the-counter medications.
Another study, by the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that individuals who used marijuana by age 17 were two to five times more likely to experience substance abuse later in life than those who did not.
The study also found that alternative factors, such as depression, social anxiety and parental conflicts, had a minimal impact on the results. This goes against the idea that environmental factors are the leading cause of substance abuse.
However, a report by the Journal of Health and Social Behaviour found that marijuana’s influence as a gateway drug is contingent on factors such as employment status and other life events. It does suggest a moderate relationship between marijuana use and other illicit drug abuse.
Prescription drugs
Prescription drug abuse has exploded in popularity. About 52 million Americans 12 and older have used prescription drugs non-medically in their lifetime, per NIDA. Opioids are the most abused prescription drugs.
Prescription drugs are linked to heroin use. Heroin is a synthesized opioid that can be cut with other prescription drugs, such as fentanyl, to achieve a more potent high. Many prescription drugs have similar effects to heroin, which has led to many opioid abusers transitioning to the substance. The substances are extremely dangerous. Heroin and fentanyl have been linked to thousands of overdose deaths in recent years.
Illicit substances linked to prescription drug use:
Cocaine
Heroin
Opioid users are 40 times more likely to abuse heroin than nonusers, per the CDC. In comparison, people addicted to alcohol were two times more likely to abuse heroin than nonusers. Marijuana users were three times more likely to abuse heroin.
Nearly half of young heroin users surveyed in three studies reported abusing prescription opioids first, according to NIDA. In fact, many opioid abusers switch to heroin because it is a cheaper option.
Ritalin, a prescription medication administered to children with ADHD, has been linked to cocaine use. Both drugs are stimulants, which increase alertness and productivity. Both have similar properties and increase dopamine levels. Consequentially, former Ritalin users are more susceptible to cocaine abuse, per Utah’s Genetics Science Learning Center.
Nicotine
Researchers have long recognized tobacco products as gateway drugs. In 2011, scientists fed rats nicotine-laced water for seven consecutive days. The results, published in Science Translation Medicine, revealed that the animals had an increased response to cocaine afterwards.
Illicit substances widely linked to nicotine use include:
Cocaine
Heroin
Marijuana
The study also found that nicotine increased levels of FosB, a gene in the brain linked to cocaine addiction. Researchers believe a similar effect can occur in humans, who share the gene, and that children are particularly at risk.
Conclusions
The relationship between early alcohol use and later use of other drugs has the strongest evidence to suggest that it may be a gateway drug; however, the gateway theory suffers from a number of potential methodological flaws. At the current time, it is unable to specify a causal relationship between early use of any drug and the potential to use or abuse other drugs later. Instead, these relationships may be more consistent with the common liability model.
Although The Gateway Theory has its opponents, there is evidence that using some substances early in development does result in a greater probability that an individual will abuse other substances; however, the reason for this is not well understood. This condition may represent some combination of inherent factors (e.g., genetic) and the interaction of environmental factors (e.g., peers, learning, stress, etc.).
If you or a loved one needs assistance with substance abuse – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one but getting yourself or your loved one the best possible care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s only a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
