Three of the most common forms of addiction in today’s society are vaping, drugs, and alcohol, which all pose significant dangers to a person’s health and wellbeing.
In this blog, we examine the perils and risks associated with these addictions and point out their physical and mental side effects.
We will also explain how best to seek valuable support and assistance if you or a friend or family member struggles with one or more of these addictions.
Vaping
The activity that we know as vaping was invented 20 years ago in China.
However, its popularity in western countries like Australia has really only come about in the past decade or so.
Not only has vaping become extremely popular, is even considered to be fashionable or trendy, especially among young people.
This is because the technology behind E-cigarettes is still relatively new and innovative, and the younger generation always lead the way when it comes to interest in cutting-edge gadgets and devices.
These days, vapes have a wide variety of flavours and have customisable designs with different levels of nicotine and vapour output. These personal options make some users believe that vaping is a unique, trendy or fashionable experience.
Vaping is marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, but remember, it is an activity that is still very new compared to tobacco smoking, which has been around for thousands of years. (Even cigarettes in the form we now know them were produced more than 150 years ago.)
With a lifespan of only 20 years, the long-term health effects of vaping are still being studied.
Yes, we already know that E-cigarettes contain fewer harmful chemicals than traditional cigarettes but they are still dangerous, because like cigarettes, they contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can have negative health effects.
Nicotine and other harmful chemicals that vapes contain can lead to addiction and obviously, physical health problems.
Being addictive, nicotine can impact the developing brain, especially among teenagers, as well as cause respiratory issues like inflammation of the lungs and breathing difficulties, which in turn may lead to severe lung damage or even death.
A huge concern for parents is possible addiction to vaping among school children and while it is illegal in Australia for those under the age of 18 to purchase either cigarettes or vapes from retail outlets, we know of many cases of students obtaining vaping products from third parties and selling them on the school yard.
Drug Use & Addiction
Drug addiction is a chronic illness that affects both the brain and an individual’s behaviour.
Most people are aware before experimenting with drugs that there are risks and dangerous consequences associated with their use, but having become an addict, it is a very difficult cycle to break.
Drug addiction can result in a range of physical and mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, heart disease, and liver damage, while the use of intravenous drugs increases the risk of contracting diseases including HIV and hepatitis.
The cost of drugs and the urge to use them regularly often leads addicts to becoming involved in criminal activity because their desperation for these often-expensive substances makes them desperate, causing risky and unpredictable actions due to the effects that drugs may have had on their brain and their behaviour.
Criminal behaviour by drug users may include stealing, burglary, robbery and even drug dealing and even trafficking.
But addicts may display perform illegal acts for other than financial reasons. Drug addiction can impair a person’s judgement and their ability to make correct decisions, leading users for example to become violent or drive while under the influence of drugs.
Additionally, because drug addiction is often associated with mental health disorders including anxiety, personality disorders and depression, it increases the likelihood of criminal behaviour, if not addressed.
Alcoholism
Alcoholism – or alcohol addiction – is a severe form of alcohol abuse which has been around for a very long time.
It has been recognised as a social issue for literally thousands of years although the modern understanding of alcoholism as a disease didn’t begin to emerge until the mid-19th century.
Sadly, it took another hundred years before western countries formally recognised it as a disease which requires diagnosis and treatment.
As with vaping and drug addition, alcoholism can lead to major health problems, including liver damage, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Long-term alcohol abuse may also result in brain damage and cognitive impairment and those suffering from alcoholism may experience a wide range of psychological problems including anxiety, depression and insomnia.
People affected by alcohol are at risk of making poor choices – be they social drinkers, ‘binge’ drinkers or alcoholics (‘Binge’ drinkers are not necessarily alcoholics, while not all alcohols are ‘binge’ drinkers.)
It is a sad fact that drink driving is the number one contributing factor in approximately 30 percent of fatal road crashes in Australia.
Conclusion
In some cases, individuals may recognise that they have an addiction, and overcome it without professional help.
However, their chances of a successful recovery will increase greatly if they seek assistance from a qualified counsellor, therapist or addiction specialist.
Because addiction is a complex and challenging condition, it often needs an approach that identifies all facets of the addiction: not only the physical aspects but also the psychological, emotional and social factors that are a part of it.
At Invictus Solutions, we specialise in offering supports to those who struggle with addiction.
Our team, headed by our founder Dean Mousad, has extensive training and life experience in dealing with addiction.
In addition to individual counselling and group therapy, we also run workshops for schools, workplaces and community groups to educate people about the dangers of addiction.
These workshops provide valuable information and strategies for preventing addiction and coping with addiction-related issues as well as creating awareness about the available resources for addiction recovery and support.
We also have a strong focus on early intervention, helping clients to recognise that they have a possible problem with substance abuse – and providing them with the tools and resources they need to overcome the issue.
Invictus Solutions welcomes – and can provide assistance to – anyone who needs help with addiction.
Our counsellors are fluent in both Arabic and English and belong to the Muslim faith, ensuring that individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds receive the necessary support and guidance.
