What is the role of drugs and alcohol today?

Drugs and alcohol addiction for thousands is a very sad reality, not only does it affect people who themselves have the problem but it affects their families leaving permanent scars and for some crippling debt. There have been many people who came come forward in the public eye and had to take time in rehabilitation to seek help, and although we see this all the time, in our society we are very quick to blame the victim with the problem rather than look at the bigger picture and take into account how severe the problem is.

According to drinkware – a charity set up to attempt to help those suffering with the effects of the misuse of alcohol – alcohol addiction or ‘alcoholism’ is an addiction to the feelings of euphoria that comes after consuming copious amounts of alcohol. This does not only affect those who are the addicts, but the families can be affected in many ways, it can lead to divorce or cause destruction within a home setting, it can cause people who were once very close to drifting away and this is worse as the drifting of the people you love may lead to more drinking. To solve these problems, family therapy and rehabilitation is available. These addictions can lead to debt, neglect, and depression. Drug reliance is very similar; many individuals fail to understand or sympathize with why or how people become addicted to drugs. They fail to realize that the addicts are still normal people who do not lack in morals or values. Most drugs affect the brains reward pathways by sending too much dopamine, this is what creates the highs and can lead to a failure to see reality as it really is.