Effects on Other Biological Systems
Although the brain is the primary biological system affected by addictions, the rest of the body can be affected as well. Addictions have been connected with lung disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, obesity, HIV/AIDS, and nerve cell damage in the peripheral nervous system. Different abused substances affect different biological systems.
Inhalants, for instance, are toxic substances found in common household products. They are readily available and inexpensive. Examples of inhalants include oven cleaner, gasoline, glue, spray paints, and other aerosols. The intoxicating vapors of inhalants can be sniffed, breathed in, or sprayed directly into the mouth or nose. They can damage the heart, lungs, and brain. Heart failure and death can occur in a single instance of sniffing an inhalant.
If you are the parent of an elementary-school child, you need to know that inhalants are often the first substance that children use experimentally because they are so easily accessible. Therefore, it is important to keep all inhalants in a safe place, educate your children on the dangers associated with these substances, and provide adequate supervision. These simple measures can help your family avert a needless tragedy.
Inhalants are a dramatic example, but most other abused substances also cause serious damage to major biological systems. As if this information were not worrisome enough, consider also that many individuals who abuse substances have multiple addictions. The interaction effects of using multiple drugs simultaneously present phenomenal risks for the addict.
Alert
Secondhand tobacco smoke has been the subject of much heated discussion. According to the Surgeon General's 2006 report “The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke,” environmental smoke increases the risk of heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent in individuals who have never smoked.
Other issues to consider are the biological effects of addictions that may occur indirectly and that can reach beyond the addict himself. The harm to nonsmokers caused by environmental smoke has prompted legislation around the world limiting smoking to designated areas to protect nonsmokers.
At times, addicts turn to criminal activity and prostitution out of desperation to obtain their substance(s) of choice; innocent bystanders as well as the addict may be endangered. Addicts who share intravenous needles and/or who engage in unprotected sexual activity may infect themselves or others with HIV/AIDS. Addicts who practice poor hygiene and neglect general good health practices are at risk for infections and malnutrition, with their accompanying biological maladies.
