There are so many harsh consequences of drug addiction. Sadly, these are things that most people don’t think about when they’re using. They only tend to think about how good they feel, and when they’ll be able to get high again. It’s possible that this describes you. You may know that your drug addiction is a problem. However, you’ve never really thought about how big a problem it can be. We’d like to help you by going over 5 harsh consequences of drug addiction you probably didn’t think of.
Consequence #1: Losing Your Family
If you’re like most people, your family means everything to you. For drug addicts, they often tend to think of their family as people who will always be there. They may not be happy with you for using drugs, but you know you can depend on them to support you. After all, they have always been there for you in the past. Unfortunately, this may not always be the case for you. There may come a day when your family truly is no longer there for you. Many times, family members will make the decision to cut addicts out of their lives. When this happens, it comes as quite a shock. However, in an effort to avoid enabling your addiction, it may happen to you.
Consequence #2: Losing Your Job
The first consequence you face because of your drug addiction probably won’t be losing your job. You may suffer from a significant drop in job performance first. This means you’ll be talked to by the management, and even reprimanded. Addictions like heroin and crystal meth are very difficult to maintain when you have a job. Employers like to give their workers the benefit of the doubt. You’ll be given many opportunities to correct any mistakes you made. However, if you have an addiction, this will prove to be quite difficult for you. Eventually, you may have to face the fact that your job has been lost. Many people experience job loss due to addictions each year. This might be one of the harshest consequences of drug addiction.
Consequence #3: Experiencing Health Problems
Health problems are usually unexpected by people who use drugs. This is because drug addicts tend to operate with a, nothing bad can ever happen to me mentality. They may be surprised when they find out that their marijuana addiction has caused lung problems. Or they could be shocked to suffer from a heart attack because of their cocaine use. No matter what drug you are currently using, they all can lead to health problems. This is something you desperately need to be aware of as you consider your future drug use.
Consequence #4: Getting into Legal Trouble
Legal problems are also quite common among drug addicts. These issues can arise for all types of reasons. They can happen because you are caught purchasing drugs illegally online. Or, it’s possible that you are a prescription drug addict who participates in doctor shopping. No matter how you get caught, many people eventually do get caught. If your family has cut you out of their lives, you may be left on your own to deal with this consequence. It will certainly be a very painful time, but legal problems within addictions is a reality.
Consequence #5: Getting into a Cycle of Addiction
If you decide to get treatment for your addiction, you need to be aware of the risks. Many people who opt to go to drug rehab do very well. However, the vast majority of them end up in a painful addictive cycle that can seem never ending. The cycle of addiction is one that’s hard to break. It occurs when you begin using drugs, and then you recover, and then you relapse. Some people may go through this pattern again and again throughout their adult lives. Every time you go through the cycle of addiction, it gets harder to recover. This is because you’re showing yourself that you need drugs to be OK. That is a difficult belief to overcome.
Have You Suffered Any Consequences of Addiction?
If you are currently an addict, can you think of any consequences you’ve suffered through? Most addicts can easily point to one or two. Even if you are new to your addiction, you’ve probably felt the negative effects of it. The question is, what can do you about it?
Get Addiction Treatment Right Away and Follow Through
It’s possible that you’ve gone to drug treatment in the past. Maybe it just wasn’t as effective for you as you thought it would be. You owe it to yourself and to your family to give it another chance. The right drug rehab is available for you that can help you. It may even help you undo many of these harsh consequences of your addiction. You may find it possible to heal relationships within your family, or even go back to work. You may find that legal problems can be overcome, and your health problems aren’t permanent. Finally, you may be able to break out of that addiction cycle once and for all. Even so, it’s not enough for you to just go through a 30-day program. This isn’t going to fix you or cure your addiction. The only way that you can be successful is to commit to your recovery long-term. This might mean going to outpatient treatment after you’ve done inpatient treatment. It might mean getting involved in a Narcotics Anonymous group in your area. Unless you are committed, these harsh consequences are likely to repeat themselves. This isn’t something you want to have happened in your life. So, what do you say? Are you ready to make the commitment to recover from your addiction? Let us know your thoughts by leaving us a comment below.