The Cost of Drug Abuse to the Addicts Themselves

What is the human cost?

When a young person starts out with drugs, at first there is curiosity and excitement. In exchange, the Drug demands the user’s money.

As Tolerance to the drug increases, the dose needed for a satisfactory high gets larger and larger so the expense gets higher and higher.

The Cost of Drug Abuse to the Addicts Themselves

The Cost of Drug Abuse to the Addicts Themselves

Then the money runs out and the next thing to go is the addict’s honesty and integrity. Activities which he or she would never have considered engaging in before are now considered by the user acceptable solutions to getting more drugs. Users even lie to themselves.

Then the honesty and integrity are gone too, and the Addiction is much more pressing.

The price is going up.

The next item the addict gives over to the addiction is the family and friends. Families are amazingly supportive instututions and it takes a lot to ruin a relationship like that, but eventually there isn’t one person in the family, not one friend who will continue to support this self-destructive behavior.

Now the list of things left to trade for the drug is growing thin. The next thing to go is the addict’s health. Although he or she isn’t nearly as healthy as before the drug use started, whatever health is left is given away, a piece at a time to the drug. The person is left in miserable condition and what is the usual answer to this new problem?   MORE DRUGS!   Drugs to cover up pains, drugs to wake up and drugs to go to sleep.

One day the addict discovers that his health is all gone. He or she has nothing left to trade.   But still the drug is there, demanding more.

The dearest price of Drug abuse is lives. Lives of the addicted persons and the lives of their families, spouses and friends.

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At any point on this dwindling spiral the addicted person could make a change. It doesn't have to continuously get worse, without hope.

But the longer the person is using the drug or drugs, the more difficult the recovery process becomes. Each day, the chances of a full return to a happy productive life get lower and lower.

If you or someone you love is on that road, don't wait. Call a Narconon counselor NOW for an assessment.

Toll Free: 888-9NO-DRUGS or 888-966-3784

Definitions of Terms Used

Term	Description
Addiction	Strong physiological, emotional and/or psychological dependence on a substance such as alcohol or drugs that has progressed beyond voluntary control. For more on addiction see the section Addiction Information in this website.
Drug	Any substance, other than food, that changes the function or structure of the body or mind when ingested. Drugs essentially are poisons. The degree they are taken determines the effect. A small amount acts as a stimulant. A greater amount acts as a sedative. A larger amount acts as a poison and can kill one dead. This is true of any drug. Each has a different amount at which it gives those results.
Drug abuse	The use of illegal drugs or the inappropriate use of legal drugs. The repeated use of drugs to produce pleasure, to alleviate stress, or to alter or avoid reality - or all three.
Narconon	A non-religious, non-profit drug rehabilitation program using technology developed by author L. Ron Hubbard. The Narconon program was originally organized in Arizona State Prison in 1966 by William Benitez, an inmate who was himself a drug addict. He applyed basic principles regarding self awareness and self assurance contained in books by L. Ron Hubbard and, by doing so, completely cured his own addiction to heroin. Mr Benitez then went on to help twenty other inmates do the same. Today there are Narconon centers in 45 countries.
Tolerance	A condition in which higher doses of a drug are required to produce the same effect as during initial use; often leads to physical dependence.