SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

Drug Abuse 

Drug abuse is generally regarded as the use of illegal drugs or to improve performance with no medical or therapeutic purposes. Drug abuse can occur with both legal (eg alcohol, cigarettes, prescription and OTC drugs [OTC]) and illegal substances (cocaine, heroin, marijuana). Drug abuse can lead to psychological and physical addiction, with the degree of physical addiction, depending on the properties of the drug. Because of metabolic differences between the sexes, women are more susceptible to the effects of drugs, alcohol in particular, and are more prone to addiction than men. the entry of women into drug use may begin after experiencing a traumatic event, and women are more likely to use drugs to relieve emotional pain of abuse, pain, and / or guilt than men.  Although overall rates of drug use are even higher among men than women, the gender gap has been declining, especially among younger age groups and with respect to specific products such as snuff and not for medical purposes of prescription drugs. Research has also begun to highlight health disparities in the consequences of drug use for women, with women demonstrating greater health consequences at the level of behavior than men. female alcoholics have more problems with drinking and higher death rates than alcoholic men and women are more susceptible than men to brain damage, heart problems and liver disease as a result of their drinking. Women are also significantly more likely to develop dependence on non-medical use of psychotropic drugs such as sedatives and tranquilizers than men. Women can become addicted sooner than men, but also appear to seek treatment as soon as possible, making women "drug experiences to be more compressed than men (Mohler, 2004). 

Prenatal drug abuse 

Women's use of drugs also has several one-time costs for both the individual and society, given its role in reproduction. The highest prevalence of use among women, regardless of the substance occurs during the childbearing years. In fact, an alarming number of women and adolescent girls are drinking alcohol, snuff and other drugs during pregnancy. Substance abusers often have multiple addictions, and about half of all pregnant women who use illicit drugs also smoke and drink. Since approximately half of all pregnancies are unplanned, women may be using substances, especially snuff, and alcohol during the first trimester of pregnancy without knowing she is pregnant. 

Drug abuse during pregnancy increases a woman's risk for a range of negative outcomes such as poor fetal growth, premature rupture of membranes, placental complications, premature delivery and miscarriage. Similarly, the negative effects of snuff consumption, alcohol and other drugs in children born to mothers who use drugs are well established and include low birth weight, preterm delivery, fetal alcohol syndrome, a variety of birth defects, learning disabilities and developmental delays. In addition, prenatal maternal smoking has been found to be associated with the consumption of teenage boys, and this effect is stronger for daughters than for sons.  Risk factors associated with prenatal drug abuse include being single, unemployed, which is less than a college education, relying on public assistance, ...