Drug Addiction

Definition
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is use of a drug in amounts or by methods which
are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. In some cases
criminal or antisocial behavior occurs when the person is under the influence of a drug, and long
term personality changes in individuals may occur as well. In addition to possible physical, social,
and psychological harm, use of some drugs may also lead to criminal penalties, although these
vary widely depending on the local jurisdiction.

Statistics
In 2010 about 5% of people (230 million) used an illicit substance. Of these 27 million have high-risk
drug use otherwise known as recurrent drug use causing harm to their health, psychological
problems, or social problems that put them at risk of those dangers. In 2015 substance use disorders
resulted in 307,400 deaths, up from 165,000 deaths in 1990. Of these, the highest numbers are from
alcohol use disorders at 137,500, opioid use disorders at 122,100 deaths, amphetamine use
disorders at 12,200 deaths, and cocaine use disorders at 11,100.
Most individuals are exposed to and use addictive drugs for the first time during their teenage years.
In the United States, there were just over 2.8 million new users of illicit drugs in 2013 (~7,800 new
users per day); among them, 54.1% were under 18 years of age. In 2011, there were approximately
20.6 million people in the United States over the age of 12 with an addiction Over 90% of those with
an addiction began drinking, smoking or using illicit drugs before the age of 18.

Usage
Drug injection is a method of introducing a drug into the bloodstream via a hollow hypodermic
needle and a syringe, which is pierced through the skin into the body (usually intravenously, but also
at an intramuscular or subcutaneous location).
Swallowing drugs is an alternative to injection, as well as “shooting up” drugs in powder form, which
involves forming a line with the substance, and breathing up the nose.

Demographics
Street Kids
Street children in many developing countries are a high risk group for substance misuse, in particular
solvent abuse. Drawing on research in Kenya, Cottrell-Boyce argues that "drug use amongst street
children is primarily functional – dulling the senses against the hardships of life on the street – but
can also provide a link to the support structure of the ‘street family’ peer group as a potent symbol
of shared experience.
Immigrants
Immigrant and refugees have often been under great stress, physical trauma and depression and
anxiety due to separation from loved ones often characterize the pre-migration and transit phases,
followed by "cultural dissonance," language barriers, racism, discrimination, economic adversity,
overcrowding, social isolation, and loss of status and difficulty obtaining work and fears of
deportation are common. Refugees frequently experience concerns about the health and safety of
loved ones left behind and uncertainty regarding the possibility of returning to their country of
origin. For some, substance abuse functions as a coping mechanism to attempt to deal with these
stressors.
Musicians
In order to maintain high-quality performance, some musicians take chemical substances. Some
musicians take drugs such as alcohol to deal with the stress of performing. As a group they have a
higher rate of substance abuse. The most common chemical substance which is abused by pop
musicians is cocaine,[89] because of its neurological effects. Stimulants like cocaine increase
alertness and cause feelings of euphoria, and can therefore make the performer feel as though they
in some ways ‘own the stage’. One way in which substance abuse is harmful for a performer
(musicians especially) is if the substance being abused is aspirated. The lungs are an important organ
used by singers, and addiction to cigarettes may seriously harm the quality of their performance.
Smoking causes harm to alveoli, which are responsible for absorbing oxygen.