The Cost of Addiction

January 25,2013

When considering a drug or alcohol addiction, there are many costly factors which can have a negative impact on financial security, as well as relationships, and other important aspects of life...

When considering a drug or alcohol addiction, there are many costly factors which can have a negative impact on financial security, as well as relationships, and other important aspects of life (such as retirement money, college funds, loans, and building for the future).

Starting with the simplest level of costs related to addiction is the actual price for continual use of drugs and/or alcohol. It is found that low-income communities have higher rates of drug affiliation. It is believed that firstly, this is a result from people using drugs as a way to escape daily trials and difficulties in life. However, as an addiction grows, the financial, social and emotional problems which were being avoided by drug abuse tend to only get worse as well. This takes a toll on many aspects of one's life simultaneously, and places a burden so overwhelming that nobody could have seen it coming.

One example of how addiction takes a severe financial toll is with cocaine users, who buy almost in a daily basis to satisfy their craving. A daily cocaine user might spend roughly 20 dollars a day (on average). Though this does vary depending on state taxes and brand of choice, 20 to 30 dollars is a very common and general amount. This means that per week, this daily purchase will add up to 140 dollars. Monthly the price becomes nearly 600 dollars, and after calculating annual expenses this simple $20 addiction costs thousands and thousands of dollars. Drugs and alcohol can be similarly inexpensive at first. Imagine these amounts calculated to annual expenses; it's easy to see how an addiction can drive a person out of their home, car, job and even clothes.

Financial ruin is typically imminent for any person who is moderately to severely addicted to drugs or alcohol. This financial burden in turn causes people to start building debt due to another cause. As funds run out, many loved ones of addicts will readily say that the next thing to go to is trust. Many people are familiar with horror stories of loved ones stealing money, selling others' jewelry and plenty of other cheating and stealing methods to fund an addiction. As this stage of desperation to buy drugs sets in, an addicted person will quickly find that friends become far more distant, and soon after, loved ones will have locked doors and barred windows to them.

The bottom of the barrel comes when an addicted person must resort to criminal activity to pay for the cost of using drugs. Robbery, fraud and violence are very common amongst drug users who are desperate and at their wit's end to locate and pay for their drug of choice. At this point, the costs of addiction are far lengthier than many can imagine. Financial security is no longer existent, important relationships are so far deteriorated that this person may not even have a place to call home anymore; finally, the criminal activity will more often than not end up sending a person to rock bottom, also known as jail or prison.

Drug addiction is an extremely powerful force; it is powerful enough to drive a perfectly functioning being to lose everything of importance and wind up in this worst-case scenario result. It happens every day to hundreds of people and many of them are too helpless to help themselves. If you have a loved one who is exhibiting any of these forms of debt or financial struggle due to a controlled substance, it is vital that they receive professional attention and assistance in stopping the destructive behavior before they find that their entire lives have become a great pool of debt¦grown from none other than the high costs of addiction.

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Unintentional drug overdoses is a serious matter that has led to many family tragedies and loss of loved ones. The notion of losing someone, whether it's a friend, a parent, a sibling, or a son or daughter, is a devastating one. A Center For Addiction Recovery has been dedicated for ever ten years in providing addiction treatment services and programs for thousands of families nation-wide, and has saved numerous lives as a result. Our mission is not only to treat individuals who suffer from various drug addictions, but also those who suffer from mental disorders such as ADD or ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and Post traumatic Stress Disorder.

Center for Addiction Recovery “ Addiction Treatment Center: 1-800-570-4562

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A Center for Addiction Recovery

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MARK KILLAR

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