Overdose is a biological response, sometimes fatal, that occurs because of the consumption of drugs more than its recommended therapeutic dosage, which eventually overwhelms and endangers the system’s physiological and psychological function. Overdose can happen accidentally or intentionally.

Overdose is a biological reaction, sometimes fatal, that occurs because of excessive consumption of drugs.

Addiction is a condition wherein physiological and psychological dependence on drug consumption develops. Drug addiction causes detrimental health consequences that could affect a person’s emotional, physiological, psychological, and social well-being. Drug addiction could lead to lung and heart diseases, stroke, mental health conditions, and cancer. This could also increase the possibility of contracting life-threatening diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis B, and having mental health illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Addiction also affects a person’s social health because addicts tend to have behavioral changes that could cause violent episodes which could be a reason to lose their loved ones, especially those who do not want to be associated with drugs.

Addiction affects one’s health by endangering the person’s emotional, physiological, psychological, and social well-being. Addiction causes various diseases and mental health problems that could affect a person’s emotional and social status.

The negative consequences of drug abuse affect not only the drug-dependent individuals but also their community. Drug-dependent individuals tend to experience behavioral changes that cause violent crimes, such as child abuse. And when they are under the influence of drugs, there is a high possibility of involvement in drug addiction-related accidents.
They have also lost the opportunity to spend time, have long, meaningful conversations, and a deep connection with their loved ones, because they are much more focused of drug consumption. Mothers who use drugs during pregnancy can affect the fetus’ physical and psychological development. And lastly, drug abuse costs the national government billions of budget to reduce the rate of drug abuse, instead of allotting more of that budget to the essential projects that would benefit the society and economy.

Drug abuse affects society because of the increase in violent crimes and drug-related accidents, the detrimental effects of drug abuse on other people’s health, and the increased cost to reduce the rate of drug abuse that affects the society and economy.

Tolerance is a pharmacological concept in which the person’s response to the drug constantly decreases because of the persistent consumption of the drug that alters the body’s pharmacokinetic process—the process of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of the drug throughout the body. Tolerance develops when the rate of the metabolism of the drug increases due to the more active liver enzymes that metabolize the drug which increases the elimination rate of the drug, and because of the increase and decrease in the affinity between the drug and the receptors which decrease the activation of the drug.

Drug addiction becomes more expensive when the body develops drug tolerance because, in order for the person to obtain the maximum desired effect of the drug, he should increase the dosage of the drug that he would consume because the body had already adapted to the constant consumption of the drug.

Substance abuse is the pattern of excessive and inappropriate consumption of any chemical substance for its mood-altering purposes and not for its medical purposes.
Illicit drug use is the illegal and prohibited consumption of highly addictive substances that can either inhibit or stimulate the central nervous system or can cause hallucinogenic effects.
Substance abuse is similar to illicit drug use because both of them can be considered as the maladaptive behavior of the consumption of chemical substances for its non-medical purposes. However, illicit drug use is different from substance abuse because illicit drug use is only limited to the consumption of illegal substances or prescription drugs that have hallucinogenic effects and are highly addictive, and is not intended for medical purposes, while substance abuse is the excessive consumption of wide-range substances that include alcohol, and other substances that could lead to dependence.

Substance abuse and illicit drug use are similar because both of them can be defined as the consumption of substances for non-medical purposes, however, at the same time, they are different because substance abuse is the excessive use of chemical substances that include alcohol, while illicit drug use is limited to the consumption of illegal drugs, such as heroin.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in the Monitoring the Future 2019 Survey—the annual survey of drug use among 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade student—conducted by the researchers from the Institute for Social Research in the University of Michigan, the 2019 survey participants include 42,531 students from 396 private and public schools all over the United States.
The percentage of illicit drug use among 12th-grade students remained steady with 38% by which the percentage of Marijuana use is 35.7%. However, the daily marijuana use increased among the lower grades even though the past year Marijuana use remained constant. The daily Marijuana use increased 0.6% in 8th graders and 1.4% in 10th graders.
On the other hand, the percentage of prescription drug misuse significantly decreased throughout the years. The percentage of Vicodin misuse decreased 2.1% in 8th graders, 7% in 10th graders, and 9.4% in 12th graders. For the Oxycontin misuse, there’s a decrease of 1.4% in 8th graders, 3.1% in 10th graders, and 3.8% in 12th graders. However, the percentage of Adderall misuse has significant changes in the past five years since Adderall misuse increased 1.2% in 8th-grade students, but decreased 1.5% in 10th grade and 2.9% in 12th-grade students.

Statistics of 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey about drug use.

Friend: Hey, (your name)! Have you ever thought of trying to use illegal drugs such as methamphetamine?

You: Nope. I don’t plan to even try it. Why do you ask?

Friend: Well, I have always thought of using meth. I’ve been having failed grades since I am having a hard time catching up with my subjects. My training’s also affected, I am worried that I couldn’t compete in the Nationals because of my grades. I have been under a lot of stress lately, from my parents and coach, and I don’t know how to handle it anymore.

You: (Your friend’s name), you don’t have to use meth or other illegal drugs if you are having a hard time, because these drugs will only exacerbate your situation. Taking illegal drugs can affect your future. Illegal drugs have detrimental effects on your physiological and psychological health. And taking these substances can cause changes in your behavior which could affect your cognition and harm your physical health. Being under the influence of illegal drugs can involve you in violent crimes and even drug-related accidents. Illegal drug use can also aggravate mental health problems, such as depression. It will just worsen your problems in school and in your training. So (your friend’s name), if you are having a hard time, just talk to me. I will help you overcome your problems. Would you want to have a group study with me?

Friend: Yes, I would like to have a study buddy. I really need your help right now. Thank you, (your name)! I really appreciate everything that you have told me.

Dialogue with a friend who wants to try using illegal drugs.