The menace of drug use and addiction has been found to intensely plague the society. The effects of drug use and addiction are acutely felt by the modern society since they result in many of the major social problems that range from violence, stress, drugged driving, and child abuse ( Campa, Sales Martinez, & Baum, 2017) . Drug use can be described as the continued use of certain drug substances usually not for medical purposes. Continued drug use is prerequisite for drug addiction which can be viewed as the dependence on given drug substances such that the normal functioning of the body is altered. Drug use and addiction are influenced by numerous factors among them gender, age, race, economic status, mental health status, and family bond. In this essay, the mental health status and economic status will be used to explore the expansive drug use and addiction subject.
Mental health status
Studies have indicated that mental health status and drug use, abuse, and addiction have some relationship. Good mental health status has a positive influence on drug use, abuse, and addiction. Individuals who are of sound mental health status have been shown by studies to desist from drug use unless under prescription given that they have an understanding of the negative effects that drug use, abuse, and addiction can have on individual health status. Moreover, according to Campa et al., (2017) individuals with stable mental health have a better understanding of prescriptions and as such are able to use prescribed drugs according to provided instructions. It can also be argued that mentally stable individuals may be better placed to seek assistance should they find themselves tangled up in drug abuse and possible addiction.
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Negative impact on drug use
Despite the positive impacts that mental health has on drug use, abuse, and addiction there are similar negative impacts. It is worth mentioning that mental health illnesses can range from stress, depression, paranoia, and anxiety disorders ( Salas-Wright, Vaughn, and González, 2016) . Having an unstable mental health status as studies have provided evidence is one of the most significant predisposing factors to drug use. Researchers indicate that individuals suffering from certain mental illness show a tendency of using drugs as a way to self-medicate. Even though some of the drugs these individuals use have proven assistance with mental health illnesses, there is a higher risk of making the illnesses worse. Additionally, according to Salas-Wright et al., (2016) mental health status is a major contributor to deviance which has known a relationship with drug use and subsequent abuse. Deviance resulting from mental health status potentially raises the tendency for individuals suffering from mental health illnesses to indulge themselves in drug use as a way to cope with intolerance and societal disapproval that is meted on them.
Mental health illnesses as studies show have a notable influence on the perception, mood, and consciousness of individuals. As such individuals with unstable mental health consider themselves relatively vulnerable according to the social structures and their individual characteristics’ interaction ( Salas-Wright et al., 2016) . Consequently, the only solace they can find is in drug abuse. Moreover, such individuals do not create a link between their present and their future noting that creating such linkages is considerably affected by mental health illnesses’ influence on perception.
Negative impact on drug addiction
Mental health status does not only have a negative impact on drug use but also drug addiction. Drug addiction can largely be viewed as a dependency on certain substances resulting from continued use. According to Csiernik (2016) , Individuals with mental health issues show tendencies of continuing to use prescribed drugs long after the prescription instructions have been completed thereby leading to dependency. Subsequently, such individuals would continue drugs even when they pose significant negative effects which in many cases the users will not notice due to the disorders that they are fighting.
Studies reveal that some drugs have a pleasurable feeling that temporarily makes mental health issues such as depression and anxiety fade away ( Campa et al., 2017) . In the efforts of these individuals to seek the “good feeling” they end up using more of the drugs ending up in addiction. People with mental illnesses such as depression tend to abuse drugs and end up in addiction while they attempt to alleviate their stress levels coupled with emotional pain even though these practices only end up in worsening their mental health status.
Differences between drug use and addiction factors
Studies postulate that the mental health status factors that play a pivotal role in enhancing drug use and addiction are significantly different. Even though such postulations may be true, there exists a notable correlation between these factors. First, impaired mood and perception which influences drug abuse can be considered equivalent to escapism as well as the need to experience the “good feeling”. The basis of such an argument can be founded on the fact that the end results for these factors are similar albeit one leads to the other. Mental health status has an impact on mood and perception that leads to the desire to escape the realities ( Salas-Wright et al., 2016) .
Additionally, it has been shown that mental health status instability leads to drug abuse as a way of individuals alleviating stress. On the other hand, drug addiction has been attributed to the need for self-medication. Self-medication and alleviation of stress are factors that exhibit consistency with one another and intense interconnectedness ( Knopf, 2017) . Individuals with poor mental health status are prone to these factors that lead to drug abuse and subsequent addiction. On another note, self-medication can to a large extent be connected with escapism which has been discussed earlier. Lastly, deviance can be viewed as featuring in both drug abuse and addiction. As shown, mental health status has notable influence in deviant behavior that contributes to abuse and addiction.
Economic status and drug use
Economic status can be widely viewed as the class or bracket that an individual fits in accordance with their income levels. Drug use, abuse, and addiction take place amongst individuals across all income levels. However, there are other factors affiliated to an economic status that have a profound influence on drug use, abuse, and addiction.
The positive influence of economic status
How poor or rich an individual barely reflects on their propensity to use or abuse drugs. However, economic status has a close link to education as a factor influencing tendencies to use drugs ( Joshua, 2017) . First, it can be argued that education pits individuals in a position to clearly understand prescriptions as well as making appropriate inquiries should the need arise. Additionally, education is critical in providing the much-needed information on the effects of drug abuse among possible addiction. Furthermore, the understanding of addiction brings new knowledge with regard to the adverse effects that loom for individuals who fall victims of drug addiction. As such, economic status helps individuals to achieve such education. On the other hand, economic status provides an individual with the ability to check in for counseling should they be fighting drug abuse and addiction. Having good economic muscle makes it possible for economically able drug addicts to seek the best care even if provided at the highest prices.
The negative impact of economic status on drug abuse
Even though being rich or poor does not have an automatic influence on a person's propensity to abuse drugs there is a correlation between economic status and drug abuse. Studies reveal that families, as well as individuals living in poverty, are most prone to drug abuse. According to studies, there is shown stigmatization and cultural stereotyping directed towards the members of the society who are less economically abled ( Joshua, 2017) . Usually, such societal views may be resulting from the facts that economically poor people cannot afford basic needs. Subsequently, in efforts to escape the stigmatization as well as attempting to find groups they can fit in, economically poor persons end up abusing drugs.
Moreover, as earlier indicated education is a factor of economic status ( Csiernik, 2016) . In many cases, individuals who are poor may miss out on critical opportunities to acquire education. Failure to achieve such dreams may have a profound effect on self-esteem, declining ambitions, and increasing frustrations. As a result, the chances of being lured to drug abuse to alleviate frustrations and seeking acceptance becomes imminent. Even though little documentation has been done, there studies showing that the economically able are more likely to participate in social activities in which drugs such as alcohol are served hence the abuse.
Negative impact on drug addiction
Economic status has been described as a classification according to individual income levels. People with significantly high-income levels have the ability to continue and maintain their drug addiction ( Csiernik, 2016) . The conclusion can be founded on the fact that high-income levels provides people suffering from drug addiction with the purchasing power considering that drugs can be expensive. Therefore, with the ability to make purchases at whatever prices reduces the chances of individuals addicted to drugs to positively cope with drug addiction. According to studies, it has been shown that the upper-class and highly educated are among the individuals most prone to drug addiction.
Proven studies work to contradict the stereotype that low-income individuals are more open to stress ( Knopf, 2017) . According to these studies, the middle and upper-class fight with continued stress from financial concern, parenting issues, and relationship conflicts. The identified factors have been shown to be influential in drug use and subsequent addiction.
According to Joshua (2017) , economic status influences an individual’s societal standing. With higher income levels, society tends to hold persons with higher regard. On the other hand, having societal status from economic muscle may make it difficult for individuals to accept that drug addiction and their need for help. Therefore, it becomes difficult to provide these individuals with assistance especially when the price does not necessarily promise better services.
Differences between drug use factors and drug addiction factors
The factors related to the economic status that influence drug abuse and addiction are not significantly different. To begin with, stress has been shown to be a factor contributing to drug use as well as addiction. Stress can hit individuals from both sides of the economic divide albeit for different reasons. While those with higher income levels may be stressed over financial concerns and relationship conflicts, those on the other side of the divide may be stressed due to cultural as well a societal stereotyping in addition to anxiety over basic requirements such as education and housing ( Joshua, 2017) . Consequently, stress cuts across the board and has an imminent influence on drug abuse and addiction.
Education has also been shown to influence drug abuse and addiction. As individuals with low incomes may miss out on important education with regard to abuse of drugs and the dangers of addiction, there is a reason to support that the highly educated have a tendency of drug abuse leading to addiction. In addition, stereotyping has been shown to affect both drug use and addiction with low-level income earners suffering from stigmatization and cultural stereotyping ( Knopf, 2017) . Purchasing power has also been shown to be one of the negative impacts of economic status on drug abuse and addiction. With higher purchasing power, individuals are able to attend social gatherings and abuse drugs such as alcohol. Additionally, even with increased purchasing power, higher income earners are unwilling to seek help with addiction due to their standing in the society. On the same note, low-income earners do not have the purchasing power to seek counseling services especially when the prices are high.
References
Campa, A., Sales Martinez, S., & Baum, M. (2017). Drug Addiction, Relapse, and Recovery. Journal of Drug Abuse , 03 (01). doi:10.21767/2471-853x.100042
Csiernik, R. (2016). Substance Use and Abuse, 2nd Edition: Everything Matters . Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Joshua, J. (2017). The Economics of Addictive Behaviours Volume II: The Abuse of Alcohol: The Private and Social Costs and Their Remedies . Basingstoke, England: Springer.
Knopf, A. (2017). NIDA's Compton: Addiction stigma decreasing, but continued communication needed. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly , 29 (43), 5-5. doi:10.1002/adaw.31766
Salas-Wright, C. P., Vaughn, M. G., & González, J. M. (2016). Prevailing Conceptions of Drug Abuse and Addiction. Drug Abuse and Antisocial Behavior , 29-52. doi:10.1057/978-1-137-55817-6_2
