Drug and Alcohol Abuse are very prevalent in our society today. Abused drugs
mimic neurotransmitters in the brain. They produce similar chemical activity
in the nervous system. When too many drugs or too much alcohol is used for too
long, the body's natural production of neurochemicals may shut down.
Interestingly, each drug of abuse (including alcohol) appears to mimic one
or more chemicals in the nervous system. For example, heroin appears to chemically
resemble endorphin, cocaine resembles dopamine, and alcohol emulates gamma
aminobutyric acid.
When an individual regularly consumes drugs or alcohol without allowing adequate
time between doses, the drug's surrogate chemical in the nervous system may
become depleted or altered in such a manner to produce a chemical imbalance.
Ideally, when the person stops drinking alcohol or taking drugs, his or her
brain will be able to correct the imbalance. However, this will require a period
of Abstinence for the brain to start functioning properly again. This period
is generally called withdrawal.
The abuse of drugs contributes to many deaths each year in the United States.
One of the most common Drug Overdoses leading to death is the ingestion of a
large amount of alcohol (alcohol poisoning). Chronic Alcohol Abuse leads to
liver disease. Liver disease can be manifested as fatty tissue change. Excessive
alcohol ingestion for many years can lead to micronodular cirrhosis. A cirrhotic
liver leads to portal hypertension and the complication of bleeding esophageal
varices with massive, life-threatening gastrointestinal hemorrhage. There is
also an increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma arising in a cirrhotic liver.
In the brain, Alcoholism can lead to Wernicke's disease.
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