Substances commonly abused include illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana, as well as legal substances such as alcohol, prescription medications, and over-the-counter drugs. Substance abuse can affect people of all ages, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultures.
The consequences of substance abuse can be severe and far-reaching. They can include physical health problems like organ damage, overdose, and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Substance abuse also leads to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and addiction, where an individual becomes dependent on the substance and experiences withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit.
