Outcomes

An outcome of any issue is either positive, negative, or both. In the case of

drug addiction, all the outcomes are negative. Drug addiction leads to many

problems. “…[A]n addictive lifestyle may subsequently create new problems or

exacerbate some of the problems that instigated it” (Alexander, 1990, p.39).

“Illicit drug use is identified in Healthy People 2010 as a leading health indicator

because it is associated with multiple deleterious health outcomes, such as

sexually transmitted diseases, human immunodeficiency virus, viral hepatitis, and

numerous social problems among adolescents and adults” (Dube, Felitti, Dong,

Chapman, Giles, & Anda, 2003, p.564).

Outcomes

• Depression
• Suicide (the rate of suicide is higher in addicts when compared to the general population)
• Death
• Problems in relationships
• Loss of employment
• Lack of motivation