An Arm and a Leg Behaviors

What have our behaviors cost us? Think about it, not too long. You'll get depressed. How many areas of our lives are negatively impacted by how we behave when influenced by the drugs? Financially, we can add up the cost in lost jobs, lawyer fees, court costs, probation fees, lost pawn tickets, etc. The tally for many of us is enormous. What has the addiction cost us that really can't be measured with money? How has it changed us for the worst? Here are a few:

  • Psychological consequences include personality changes, mood swings, uncontrollable feelings of sadness, memory problems, anxiety, being short tempered, socially withdrawn, panic attacks, irritability, and memory problems.
  • Social and family consequences include more than "normal" conflicts and arguments, feelings of guilt from stealing money or property from family or friends, loss of respect, a separation or divorce(s), and really not having any decent friends left.
  • Medical consequences may include heart problems, Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, lung disorders, sinus problems, eye problems, dental problems, frequent infections, sleeping disorders, and loss of the sex drive or the ability to perform satisfactory sex.

This is a lot, right? And, I haven't even mentioned the effect on our legal situations or our jobs. Why would some one sign up for this kind of hassle? In reality, nobody does sign up for the pain. None of us woke up one morning and asked ourselves, "How can I best screw up my life? I know…. I'll get addicted to something!" Our intentions were not to hurt. Somehow, we thought we were actually going to heal. This is part of the sadness of addiction: What we believed was going to happen.

Rick B.





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Dr. Candace McDaniel
8021 East R.L. Thornton Fwy, Suite A
Dallas, Texas 75228

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