Hesperian Health Guides
Problems from Alcohol and Other Drugs
HealthWiki > Where Women Have No Doctor > Chapter 28: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Problems from Alcohol and Other Drugs
Contents
Common health problems
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| Using drugs and alcohol can damage your health permanently. |
People who use a lot of alcohol or drugs often are more likely to have:
- poor nutrition, which causes more sickness.
- cancer, and problems of the heart, liver, stomach, skin, lungs and urine system.
- brain injury or seizures.
- illnesses from HIV infection develop more quickly.
- memory loss—waking up not knowing what happened.
- mental health problems, such as severe depression or anxiety, or seeing strange things or hearing voices (hallucinations), being suspicious of others, or having flashbacks (when a person suddenly remembers something from the past as if it is happening now).
- an overdose from using too much at one time, which can cause death.
In addition, injuries or death from accidents happen more often to people using alcohol or drugs (and often to their families), because they make a person less able to control their body or react quickly and less likely to make good decisions. A person using alcohol or drugs may also act in ways that increase their risk for sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), such as having unprotected sex and sharing needles to inject drugs.
People who chew tobacco are at risk for most of the same health problems as those who smoke tobacco.
Drugs that are chewed. Chewing tobacco and betel nut often harm a person’s teeth and gums, and cause sores in the mouth, cancer of the mouth and throat, and other harm throughout the body. Khat can cause stomach problems and constipation.
Sniffing glues and solvents. Many poor people, especially children who live on the streets, sniff glue and solvents to forget their hunger. This is very addictive and causes problems with seeing, trouble thinking and remembering, violent behavior, loss of judgement and body control, severe weight loss, and even
Any use of drugs or alcohol is dangerous if a person:
- is driving, using a machine or dangerous tool.
- is pregnant or breastfeeding.
- is caring for small children.
- is taking medicine, especially medicines for pain, sleep, seizures, or mental health problems.
- has liver or kidney disease
Drugs and alcohol harm women, anyone who can become pregnant, and developing babies
Harm to women
In addition to the problems that anyone who misuses drugs or alcohol may have, women face more risks.
Women and girls almost everywhere are constantly on guard against sexual harassment and assault. Since using and misusing alcohol or drugs affects the ability to stay alert and make good decisions, it can make women and girls more vulnerable. Sexual assault may result in unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections, as well as other physical and emotional harms caused by the violence (see chapters 18, “Violence Against Women,” and 19, “Rape and Sexual Violence”).
In most communities, women’s behavior is controlled more strictly and judged more harshly than men’s behavior. To avoid blame and punishment, women often hide their misuse of alcohol or drugs. This makes it harder to ask for help and support if they decide to quit.
Harm to people who can become pregnant
The longtime heavy use of drugs and alcohol increases the risk of liver disease for people who can become pregnant.
Harm to the developing baby in the womb
Using drugs or alcohol during pregnancy can cause children to be born with cognitive delays or disabilities such as:
- problems of the heart, bones, genitals, head, and face.
- low birth weight.
- delayed growth.
- behavior problems.
A baby can be born addicted to drugs and experience the same signs of withdrawal as an adult.