The Hidden Costs of Addiction

Drug addiction is considered to be one of the most expensive lifestyles on the planet. A drug addict can spend as much as $100 a day to fuel their addiction; some people spend even more than that. But this isn’t the only expensive aspect of addiction, aspects that don’t have price tags attached to them such as relationships with friends and family. So what other costs are involved with being a drug addict?

Financial Costs Of Addiction

Outside of the costs of attending a meth rehab in los angeles, there are other costs as well before it gets to that point. The financial burden of paying for drugs means that the money isn’t spent on other things that are more important. This includes bills, house payments, and food. As a result, a drug addict is more likely to lose their home, not be able to eat proper, healthy food, and become unable to afford new clothes.

Keep in mind, however, that there are high-functioning drug addicts who are able to maintain their jobs and homes so that no one knows that they are actually addicts.

Emotional Costs Of Addiction

There is a very high emotional toll on addicts and those who are close to them. This is because:

● drug addicts tend to become emotionally volatile, making their moods unpredictable to those around them.

● drug addicts can become apathetic and aren’t able to communicate on an emotional level.

● stimulants can make a person hyper-emotional, making a drug addict say things that they do not truly feel

What makes the situation more complicated is that drug addicts are often dealing with more emotions than average individuals, which is why they turned to drugs in the first place.

Psychological Costs Of Addiction

Addictions can cause psychological damage to the brain. It triggers the pleasure center of the brain, which starts to yearn for more and more over time. If the brain is constantly flooded with dopamine (the feel-good hormone), then it can lead to what is called downregulation: the brain becomes less responsive to dopamine, requiring higher amounts of the addiction to receive the same amount of pleasure.

When it comes to drug addictions, it’s the drugs themselves that can directly damage the brain as they interact with neurotransmitters.

Physical Costs Of Addiction

Drug addiction has a profound effect on the physical body, such as unhealthy sleeping habits, poor hygiene, organ problems/failures, loss of mobility, permanent damage to brain function, and decreased immunity. Treatment of these maladies can also add to the financial costs of addiction.

Addiction is a costly lifestyle that not only affects your wallet but also every other aspect of your life. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction of any kind, it’s important that you speak to a mental health professional or an addiction treatment specialist to get the help that you or your loved one needs to kick the addiction to the curb. You’ll be better for it.