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The Effects of Drug Addiction on the Brain and Body

Signs of drug addiction, effects of drug addiction.

Drug addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease that involves complex interactions between a person’s environment, brain circuits, genetics, and life experiences.

People with drug addictions continue to use drugs compulsively, despite the negative effects.

Substance abuse has many potential consequences, including overdose and death. Learn about the effects of drug addiction on the mind and body and treatment options that can help.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

Drug Abuse vs. Drug Addiction

While the terms “drug abuse” and “drug addiction” are often used interchangeably, they're different. Someone who abuses drugs uses a substance too much, too frequently, or in otherwise unhealthy ways. However, they ultimately have control over their substance use.

Someone with a drug addiction uses drugs in a way that affects many parts of their life and causes major disruptions. They can't stop using drugs, even if they want to.

The signs of drug abuse and addiction include changes in behavior, personality, and physical appearance. If you’re concerned about a loved one’s substance use, here are some of the red flags to watch out for:

• Changes in school or work performance
• Secretiveness 
• Relationship problems
• Risk-taking behavior
• Legal problems
• Aggression 
• Mood swings
• Changes in hobbies or friends
• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Unexplained odors on the body or clothing

Drug Addiction in Men and Women

Men and women are equally likely to develop drug addictions. However, men are more likely than women to use illicit drugs, die from a drug overdose, and visit an emergency room for addiction-related health reasons. Women are more susceptible to intense cravings and repeated relapses.

People can become addicted to any psychoactive ("mind-altering") substance. Common addictive substances include alcohol , tobacco ( nicotine ), stimulants, hallucinogens, and opioids .

Many of the effects of drug addiction are similar, no matter what substance someone uses. The following are some of the most common effects of drug addiction.

Effects of Drug Addiction on the Body

Drug addiction can lead to a variety of physical consequences ranging in seriousness from drowsiness to organ damage and death:

• Shallow breathing
• Elevated body temperature
• Rapid heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Impaired coordination and slurred speech
• Decreased or increased appetite
• Tooth decay
• Skin damage
• Sexual dysfunction
• Infertility
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage and cirrhosis
• Various forms of cancer
• Cardiovascular problems
• Lung problems
• Overdose and death

If left untreated drug addiction can lead to serious, life-altering effects on the body.

Dependence and withdrawal also affect the body:

• Physical dependence : Refers to the reliance on a substance to function day to day. People can become physically dependent on a substance fairly quickly. Dependence does not always mean someone is addicted, but the longer someone uses drugs, the more likely their dependency is to become an addiction.
• Withdrawal : When someone with a dependence stops using a drug, they can experience withdrawal symptoms like excessive sweating, tremors, panic, difficulty breathing, fatigue , irritability, and flu-like symptoms.

Overdose Deaths in the United States

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 100,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose in 2021.

Effects of Drug Addiction on the Brain

All basic functions in the body are regulated by the brain. But, more than that, your brain is who you are. It controls how you interpret and respond to life experiences and the ways you behave as a result of undergoing those experiences.

Drugs alter important areas of the brain. When someone continues to use drugs, their health can deteriorate both psychologically and neurologically.

Some of the most common mental effects of drug addiction are:

• Cognitive decline
• Memory loss
• Mood changes and paranoia
• Poor self/impulse control
• Disruption to areas of the brain controlling basic functions (heart rate, breathing, sleep, etc.)

Effects of Drug Addiction on Behavior

Psychoactive substances affect the parts of the brain that involve reward, pleasure, and risk. They produce a sense of euphoria and well-being by flooding the brain with dopamine .

This leads people to compulsively use drugs in search of another euphoric “high.” The consequences of these neurological changes can be either temporary or permanent. 

• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability 
• Angry outbursts
• Lack of inhibition 
• Decreased pleasure/enjoyment in daily life (e.g., eating, socializing, and sex)
• Hallucinations

Help Someone With Drug Addiction

If you suspect that a loved one is experiencing drug addiction, address your concerns honestly, non-confrontationally, and without judgment. Focus on building trust and maintaining an open line of communication while setting healthy boundaries to keep yourself and others safe. If you need help, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

Effects of Drug Addiction on an Unborn Child

Drug addiction during pregnancy can cause serious negative outcomes for both mother and child, including:

• Preterm birth
• Maternal mortality

Drug addiction during pregnancy can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) . Essentially, the baby goes into withdrawal after birth. Symptoms of NAS differ depending on which drug has been used but can include:

• Excessive crying
• Sleeping and feeding issues

Children exposed to drugs before birth may go on to develop issues with behavior, attention, and thinking. It's unclear whether prenatal drug exposure continues to affect behavior and the brain beyond adolescence.  

While there is no single “cure” for drug addiction, there are ways to treat it. Treatment can help you control your addiction and stay drug-free. The primary methods of treating drug addiction include:

• Psychotherapy : Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or family therapy , can help someone with a drug addiction develop healthier ways of thinking and behaving.
• Behavioral therapy : Common behavioral therapies for drug addiction include motivational enhancement therapy (MET) and contingency management (CM). These therapy approaches build coping skills and provide positive reinforcement.
• Medication : Certain prescribed medications help to ease withdrawal symptoms. Some examples are naltrexone (for alcohol), bupropion (for nicotine), and methadone (for opioids).
• Hospitalization : Some people with drug addiction might need to be hospitalized to detox from a substance before beginning long-term treatment.
• Support groups : Peer support and self-help groups, such as 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, can help people with drug addictions find support, resources, and accountability.

A combination of medication and behavioral therapy has been found to have the highest success rates in preventing relapse and promoting recovery. Forming an individualized treatment plan with your healthcare provider's help is likely to be the most effective approach.

Drug addiction is a complex, chronic medical disease that causes someone to compulsively use psychoactive substances despite the negative consequences.

Some effects of drug abuse and addiction include changes in appetite, mood, and sleep patterns. More serious health issues such as cognitive decline, major organ damage, overdose, and death are also risks. Addiction to drugs while pregnant can lead to serious outcomes for both mother and child.

Treatment for drug addiction may involve psychotherapy , medication, hospitalization, support groups, or a combination.

If you or someone you know is experiencing substance abuse or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

American Society of Addiction Medicine. Definition of addiction .

HelpGuide.org. Drug Abuse and Addiction .

Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services. Warning signs of drug abuse .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Sex and gender differences in substance use .

Cleveland Clinic. Drug addiction .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction Drugs and the Brain .

American Heart Association. Illegal Drugs and Heart Disease .

American Addiction Centers. Get the facts on substance abuse .

Szalavitz M, Rigg KK, Wakeman SE. Drug dependence is not addiction-and it matters . Ann Med . 2021;53(1):1989-1992. doi:10.1080/07853890.2021.1995623

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. top 100,000 annually .

American Psychological Association. Cognition is central to drug addiction .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Understanding Drug Use and Addiction DrugFacts .

MedlinePlus. Neonatal abstinence syndrome .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Treatment and recovery .

Grella CE, Stein JA.  Remission from substance dependence: differences between individuals in a general population longitudinal survey who do and do not seek help . Drug and Alcohol Dependence.  2013;133(1):146-153. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.05.019

By Laura Dorwart Dr. Dorwart has a Ph.D. from UC San Diego and is a health journalist interested in mental health, pregnancy, and disability rights.

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Substance Abuse — Impact of Drug Addiction on Society

Impact of Drug Addiction on Society

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Drug Abuse and Its Negative Effects Essay

Introduction, works cited.

One of the consequences of using drugs is, eventually, an individual becoming addicted. Addiction refers to a neuropsychological disorder that involves persistently feeling an urge to engage in particular behaviors despite the significant harm or negative effects. The psychology that explains addiction covers many areas, such as an illness or personal problem, an effect of someone’s lifestyle, family history, or socioeconomic demographics. This paper aims to highlight what the field of psychology says about the negative effects of drugs and why people continue using despite the consequences.

Using drugs once does not necessarily mean someone will never consume them again. In most cases, the drugs contain elements that can cause a person to become addicted. From a psychological perspective, it is important to understand how people enter into addiction. At the root of addictive behavior is a level of emotional stress deeply hidden within someone’s subconscious mind, and addressing it becomes a challenge. To relieve stress, pleasure is discovered in excess (Bechara 100). An example is when people choose to drink alcohol to ease their pain and ultimately find fun.

Stopping the behavior is a danger to someone’s mental state as they fear returning thoughts of the initial source of emotional stress. When a person is addicted, it suggests they lack healthy coping methods for the problem. The only mechanisms are distracting as well as unhealthy such as substance usage. Individuals dealing with addiction do not care about what matters since what is important to them is the desire to do something when that stress appears (Bechara 101). Some can stop their behaviors as their emotional stress does not manifest as among the addictive behaviors. Meanwhile, for others, their drug usage indicates an issue they may not have known and needs treatment. This leads to associative learning, which refers to learning to do something according to a novel stimulus.

Associative Learning

It is regarded as associative learning when an individual finds and takes drugs and ultimately gets high. The concept can be further explained using Ivan Pavlov’s experiment, where he rang a bell to call a dog and then rewarded it with food (Fouyssac and David 3015). A specific part of the brain controls associative learning, which it does via a neurotransmitter named dopamine. Dopamine is produced naturally by the brain when an individual does something rewarding or pleasurable.

The dopamine effect is a survival mechanism whereby eating or drinking feels good. It ensures continuity of life, family, and species in general. The element’s production is among the key drivers behind sex since, as much as the act is rewarding and pleasurable simultaneously, it is needed for survival (Fouyssac and David 3015). The main effect is that it creates a memory of the experience, which pushes people to seek the feeling again. People forget about the negative effects of drugs due to the moments of pleasure. As mentioned earlier, it is most likely that someone who uses the drug once will consume it again. The feeling established, regardless of how long, is enough to convince a person to forget everything they know concerning the negative effects and pursue a minute or two of a great time.

The paper has highlighted what the field of psychology says about the negative effects of drugs and why people continue using despite the consequences. It has been established that, in most cases, individuals experience addiction due to the pursuit of stress relief. Using the logic of the dopamine effect, once someone experiences something pleasurable or rewarding to them, they are most likely to pursue that feeling again. Eventually, it becomes impossible to convince them against the drugs as their desire to end their problem is more than the need to remain healthy.

Bechara, Antoine, et al. “A Neurobehavioral Approach to Addiction: Implications for the Opioid Epidemic and the Psychology of Addiction.” Psychological Science in the Public Interest, vol. 20, no. 2, 2019, p. 96–127.

Fouyssac, Maxime, and David Belin. “Beyond Drug‐Induced Alteration of Glutamate Homeostasis, Astrocytes May Contribute to Dopamine‐Dependent Intrastriatal Functional Shifts That Underlie the Development of Drug Addiction: A Working Hypothesis.” European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 50, no. 6, 2019, p. 3014-3027.

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IvyPanda. (2023, August 26). Drug Abuse and Its Negative Effects. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drug-abuse-and-its-negative-effects/

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IvyPanda . "Drug Abuse and Its Negative Effects." August 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/drug-abuse-and-its-negative-effects/.

Impacts of Drugs on the Society

Drug usage has been a crucial issue worldwide for many decades. It impacts not only the particular individuals addicted to illegal substances but also the surrounding around them, and eventually, it leads to massive social issues. This essay aims to identify drug addiction’s influence on society on the local, national, and global scale. Therefore, it will observe the reasons and causes of the addiction and the ways of preventing it.

The problems with drug addiction, first of all, begin in the local community and family in particular. When some family member becomes addicted, it launches the chain of consequences that affect other spheres of an individual’s life. If the parents face that problem, they start to neglect the child and disregard their parental duties, consequently leading to the worsening of the child’s physical and mental well-being. Often, they lack the necessary care, clothes, shelter, and unsafe living conditions (Alexis). In the worst cases, children eventually can appear in the orphanage.

Otherwise, when the younger member is affected by the illegal substances’ usage, parents struggle to gain their children’s trust while trying to lead them to the path of problem recognition and recovery. In addition to all the problems, children usually develop a co-dependent pattern of relationships. As they become adults, the victims of drug abuse in the family are more likely to get into destructive relationships. Therefore, people addicted to drugs risk sacrificing close relationships with their family, experience the loss of a family member, lower their chances of a successful future, quality education, and profession.

Evaluating the consequences of drug use on the national scale, the most demonstrative example is the overuse of opium among the citizens of the United States. Opium is one of the most common medications that people get addicted to accidentally or purposely use along with other substances. Although the financial expenses of opium overuse have peaked at $78.5 billion in 2013, those are not the only costs to the nation that brought the addiction (Umhau). Eventually, it increases crimes and violations, different kinds of abuse, deaths, and the spread of infections such as HIV/AIDS (Umhau). It results in the workplace’s overall productivity and performance for persons who struggle with addiction failing to fulfill their duties. Those who have any addiction develop an indifference to the significant spheres of life and decrease job involvement resulting in an economic state.

Assessing the impact of drugs addiction on the global scale, the first thing to mention is the massive amount of deaths. In 2019 the drug use caused the death of about half a million people, along with the social, health financial losses that the population has experienced. (World Drug Report 3). Moreover, it contributes to the spread and progression of multiple dangerous illnesses and diseases, for example, Hepatitis C. It becomes evident that this issue affects the population worldwide mainly with the same consequences and outcomes. Drug addiction stops the economy from developing because people are neglecting their education and jobs. At the same time, the governments spend a decent amount of money to fight the drug supply and the population’s addiction. Despite all the danger that illegal substances cause to humans, public perception is changing along with the legislation of cannabis. For instance, the other drugs start to seem less threatening and more socially acceptable.

To address the issue of the economic consequences, the case of heroin will serve as an example. In the past decades, the number of young adults using heroin has doubled, and now there are one million users in the united states. As the supplements cocaine and methamphetamine often come as supplements and induce the further over usage of the substances (Umhau). However, trying to measure the costs of the particular opiate heroin has one of the leading positions.

The heroin users themselves cost the government around $44,950, considering all the expenses of dealing with crime, health, and social issues caused by the addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Although the person addicted to heroin gets to jail, the costs increase and result in $74,428 per person when part of it is due to the productivity loss (National Institute on Drug Abuse). The overall costs of heroin addiction take a significant amount of the government budget when the citizen’s taxes could be spent on dealing with critical health or social problems

Since there are many illegal substances and drugs with multiple effects and ways of supply, it takes an individual approach to each case. Considering the misuse of opioids is one of the most widespread issues connected to drug addiction, there are some methods to manage the problem. Firstly, it can be great to start with improving the system of healthcare, specifically – access to treatment and the process of healing. The department might develop more effective alternative ways of accessing medical help and recovering after the treatment so people will not need to use opioids that often. Secondly, the promotion of reverse medication that helps with overdoses would save many people’s lives and prevent multiple deaths.

In addition to the prevention methods, governments should work on better practices for dealing with pain (Thometz). When people have an alternative to medications and painkillers, it will eventually decrease opioid overuse. It is crucial to provide the population with various safe choices to help themselves without being at risk of getting an addiction.

Examining the factors that lead people to use substances, the role of the power dynamics has a significant contribution to it. Considering genders, men usually are more prone to different kinds of addiction, whether it is alcohol, drugs, nicotine, or video games. However, recent research supposes that the gap between male and female addiction is disappearing, particularly among young adults. (Footprints to recovery). While men more often experience overdoses, women are tended to get addicted more quickly and at a younger age. When adolescents start using drugs, their habit has a higher chance of growing into addiction when they become older.

Among the racial groups, the marginal parts of the society suffer from drug use often as well, still, there is no connection between the addiction and race or ethnicity. It can result in systematic racism and oppression (Footprints to recovery). Socioeconomic status is another factor that impacts the predisposition of substance use, especially among teenagers, for they have few material limits and more opportunities for experimentations. Thus, some aspects can cause the reasons and circumstances for drug use, but it still mostly depends on the environment that the person grows and exists.

In conclusion, the problem of drug addiction is still relevant nowadays, and it influences all the spheres of an individual’s life. Moreover, it affects society locally, nationally, and globally because the issue of drug addiction is still widespread all over the world. To prevent the population from addiction, the government should develop measures to prevent people from seeking additional measures of relieving pain or escaping reality with its problems. Despite all the researchers and policies implemented, drug addiction is a massive and challenging global issue that still requires a decent amount of work to reach some progress.

Works Cited

Alexis, Isaac. “How Does Drug Abuse Affect Society and You?” Vertava Health . 2019. Web.

Umhau, John C. “ How Drug Use Affects Our Society. ” Very well mind . 2020. Web.

World Drug Report 2021. United Nations publication , 2021. Web.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Opioids. Web.

Thometz, Kristen. “ Heroin Use Costs Society $51.2 Billion, Says UIC Study ”. WTTW, 2017.

Footprints to recovery. Addiction by Race, Gender, and More: Who Does It Affect? Web.

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Psychological Health and Drugs: Data-Driven Discovery of Causes, Treatments, Effects, and Abuses

Sarah alswedani.

1 Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

Rashid Mehmood

2 High-Performance Computing Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

Saleh M. Altowaijri

3 Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Northern Border University, Rafha 91911, Saudi Arabia

Associated Data

The data is acquired from Twitter under their terms and conditions. Anyone can request the same data from Twitter.

Mental health issues can have significant impacts on individuals and communities and hence on social sustainability. There are several challenges facing mental health treatment; however, more important is to remove the root causes of mental illnesses because doing so can help prevent mental health problems from occurring or recurring. This requires a holistic approach to understanding mental health issues that are missing from the existing research. Mental health should be understood in the context of social and environmental factors. More research and awareness are needed, as well as interventions to address root causes. The effectiveness and risks of medications should also be studied. This paper proposes a big data and machine learning-based approach for the automatic discovery of parameters related to mental health from Twitter data. The parameters are discovered from three different perspectives: Drugs and Treatments, Causes and Effects, and Drug Abuse. We used Twitter to gather 1,048,575 tweets in Arabic about psychological health in Saudi Arabia. We built a big data machine learning software tool for this work. A total of 52 parameters were discovered for all three perspectives. We defined six macro-parameters (Diseases and Disorders, Individual Factors, Social and Economic Factors, Treatment Options, Treatment Limitations, and Drug Abuse) to aggregate related parameters. We provide a comprehensive account of mental health, causes, medicines and treatments, mental health and drug effects, and drug abuse, as seen on Twitter, discussed by the public and health professionals. Moreover, we identify their associations with different drugs. The work will open new directions for a social media-based identification of drug use and abuse for mental health, as well as other micro and macro factors related to mental health. The methodology can be extended to other diseases and provides a potential for discovering evidence for forensics toxicology from social and digital media.

1. Introduction

Several factors are contributing globally to declining social sustainability including people’s health, economic issues, global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and environmental disasters, and increased social division and polarization [ 1 ]. These factors have caused negative impacts on the well-being and future prospects of our societies, leading to declining social sustainability. Social sustainability is closely linked to economic and environmental sustainability, as the economic conditions of a society and the state of the natural environment can both have major impacts on the well-being of its members. In order to address the risk of declining social sustainability, it is important to act to address the root causes of these issues.

Mental health is related to social sustainability because it is an important aspect of overall health and well-being, and mental health issues can have significant impacts on individuals and communities. Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can lead to decreased productivity, absenteeism, suicides, and other negative impacts on social and economic well-being. For example, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is a suicide every 40 s, totaling more than 700,000 per year. This high rate of suicide highlights the deteriorating social conditions around the world [ 2 ].

Moreover, addiction is often related to mental health in that it can be a symptom of, or a response to, underlying mental health issues. For example, people may turn to substances or behaviors such as drugs, smoking, alcohol, gambling, or internet use as a way to cope with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, or stress. However, addiction can also contribute to, or exacerbate, mental health problems, as the use of substances or engagement in certain behaviors can have negative impacts on mental well-being [ 3 ]. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that cigarette smoking results in more than 480,000 deaths annually in the United States, with over 40,000 of these deaths attributed to second-hand smoke exposure. Additionally, over 16 million Americans have experienced severe health issues due to smoking [ 4 ]. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) also reports that more than 19.5 million Americans over the age of 12 struggle with substance use disorders [ 5 ].

There are several challenges facing mental health treatment, including a lack of access to care, stigma, a shortage of mental health professionals, limited treatment options, co-occurring disorders, and a lack of integration with physical health care. These challenges can make it difficult for people to receive the mental health treatment they need, which can have negative impacts on their well-being and overall quality of life. Addressing these challenges is important for promoting mental health and improving the well-being of individuals and communities.

However, more important is to remove the root causes of mental illnesses because doing so can help prevent mental health problems from occurring or recurring, improve the effectiveness of treatment, and reduce the need for ongoing care. Root causes of mental health issues can include trauma, genetics, environmental factors, and physical health issues. A multifaceted approach that addresses social, economic, and environmental factors as well as individual needs is needed to remove the root causes of mental health issues effectively.

There is a significant body of research on the relationship between physical and psychological health. Studies have explored the connection between mental stress and physical diseases such as cancer, lung disease, and kidney disease [ 6 , 7 , 8 ], as well as the impact of physical conditions such as obesity and smoking on psychological health [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. There is also research on specific psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [ 12 ]. In the education field, there is research on the prevalence of psychological illnesses among students and academics and the impact of teachers’ mental health on students’ achievement [ 13 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to research on the effects of the pandemic on psychological health, including the spread of depression, anxiety, and stress among the general population as well as the psychological impact of quarantine and social distancing measures [ 14 , 15 ].

A holistic approach to understanding mental health issues is missing from the existing research. What is needed is to understand mental health and illnesses in the context of socio-economic and environmental contexts, create awareness for the people of the causes and effects of mental illnesses, and develop interventions to bring social behaviors, lifestyle, and root cause changes.

This paper proposes a big data and machine learning-based approach for the automatic discovery of parameters (or factors) related to mental health (or psychological health) from Twitter data. The parameters are discovered from three different perspectives Drugs and Treatments, Causes and Effects, and Drug Abuse. Moreover, we automatically discover associations between the parameters and drugs. We gathered from Twitter 1,048,575 tweets in Arabic about psychological health in Saudi Arabia during the month of October 2022. The tweets were retrieved using various keywords and hashtags related to mental health. We built a machine learning software tool for this work (see Section 3 for details). A total of 52 parameters were discovered for all three perspectives. We defined six macro-parameters to aggregate related parameters. We provide a comprehensive account of mental health, causes, medicines and treatments, mental health and drug effects, and drug abuse, as seen on Twitter, discussed by the public and health professionals.

2. State-of-the-Art

This section provides a review of the works related to our paper. We intentionally keep it short here. An extended version of this paper including the literature review has been made available as a preprint [ 16 ].

A good part of the research on psychological health has investigated the relationship between psychological illnesses and chronic physical diseases (e.g., cancer, lung, and kidney diseases) using different data sources. See for instance [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 17 ]. Studies have also been conducted on investigating the connection between obesity and mental health [ 9 , 10 ]. Some studies have looked into the relationship between smoking and psychological diseases [ 11 , 18 ]. Many works have investigated psychological diseases with a focus on specific factors or disorders such as depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [ 12 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Researchers have also investigated the prevalence of psychological illnesses in students and academics [ 13 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Researchers have also explored the effects of COVID-19 on psychological health [ 14 , 15 , 31 ]. Several works studied the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and the education sector [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ].

Discussing works that used machine-learning methods in studying topics related to mental health, for instance, Iram et al. [ 39 ] utilized random forests algorithm to distinguish between linguistic styles, detect depressive and non-depressive contents, and identify the degree of severity among contents on social media. Islam et al. [ 40 ] used various ML algorithms such as the Decision Tree classifier, SVM, and KNN for depression detection on Facebook. They examined four forms of factors of depression including the emotional, temporal, and linguistic style. Wang et al. [ 41 ] used sentiment analysis models for detecting depression in micro-blogs. Sentiment analysis employs natural language processing (NLP) techniques to discern and extract subjective information from textual data. The primary objective of sentiment analysis is to ascertain the prevailing polarity of the sentiments conveyed in the text, which may be classified as positive, negative, or neutral [ 42 ].

Several studies have utilized Twitter data for studying psychological health. Zhang et al. [ 38 ] developed a pipeline to monitor the trends of depressive users and analyzed depression levels. Fatimah et al. [ 43 ] used tweets posted by Tweeters from Indonesia to detect anxiety and other psychological issues. Some works have focused on the detection of specific psychological illnesses from posted tweets such as depression detection [ 44 , 45 ] and detection of post-traumatic stress disorder [ 46 ]. Roy et al. [ 47 ] investigated the effects of the cannabis drug on psychological health.

Regarding research on mental health using Arabic Twitter data, we have found only a limited number of studies. Alabdulkreem [ 48 ] proposed a deep-learning technique to predict depressive and non-depressive Arabic tweets in Saudi Arabia. Almouzini et al. [ 49 ] proposed a supervised predictive model to detect depression among Twitter posts in the Gulf region using sentiment analysis.

Research Gap

Our work differs from previous research studies from a variety of perspectives including its particular focus, the nature of the dataset (data size, language, time period, and geography), the software design (the pipeline and approach for machine learning), the innovative methodology of using AI for discovering parameters, and the innovative methodology and design of finding associations between parameters and drugs.

3. Methodology and Design

In this section, our methodology and the design of our tool are explained. Figure 1 depicts the proposed system architecture. The architecture consists of five modules: data collection and storage, data preprocessing, parameter discovery, validation, and reporting and visualization. These modules will be covered in the subsequent sections. The methodology overview of the proposed tool will be discussed in Section 3.1 . The architecture’s modules will be discussed in Section 3.2 , Section 3.3 , Section 3.4 , Section 3.5 and Section 3.6 .

System Architecture.

Note that we have used contextual translations and made some adjustments to the translations of original Arabic tweets in order to make them more understandable to English readers. This may include changes to the order of the information in the tweet, the removal of unnecessary or redundant information, and the provision of summaries for tweets that are too long or contain unnecessary information. We have also sometimes omitted parts of the original tweets in order to protect the privacy of the tweeters. Note that Arabic tweets (typically true for any language) tend to be written in an informal style, so a literal translation may not always be clear or convey the intended meaning. Note also that in some tables in the paper, some search terms, or key terms detected by our machine learning models, may appear multiple times. This is because the original terms in Arabic may be different, but their English translations may be identical. The Arabic content (key terms, tweets) is not presented in this paper due to the publisher’s requirements. It can be found in an extended version of this paper made available on a preprint server [ 16 ].

3.1. Methodology Overview

This study proposes a big data and machine learning-based approach for the automatic discovery of parameters related to psychological health from Twitter data. The proposed approach focuses on psychological disorders in Saudi Arabia but can be applied to other diseases and languages. There are five components in the proposed approach: data collection and storage, data preprocessing, drugs for psychological health parameters discovery, validation, and visualization and reporting. The first step was to use a Python script with a specified search query and a set of keywords and Twitter hashtags related to psychological health in Saudi Arabia. A discovery module was then constructed for data analysis and detection of parameters using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and the scikit-learn library. We discovered the parameters from three different perspectives (Drugs and Treatments, Causes and Effects, and Drug Abuse). The results for each perspective are discussed in detail in Section 4 , Section 5 and Section 6 . The discovered parameters are then presented visually through an intertopic distance map and keyword frequency diagrams. Finally, the results were validated internally and externally by tweets in our dataset and supporting scientific literature.

3.2. Data Collection

We collected Arabic tweets that are related to psychological health in Saudi Arabia using Twitter REST API and Tweepy. The data was obtained using various key terms and hashtags related to psychological health. For instance, the following key terms were used: depression, sadness, panic, mental illness, and others. Additionally, we used various hashtags such as depression month, social anxiety, social phobia, and others. A sample of the keywords used for data collection is as follows: suicide, social phobia, depression, depressed, sadness, fear, anxiety, obsessive, incantation, envy, panic, neurology, psychotherapy, mental health, psychological counseling, and mental illness. Some of the hashtags used include World Suicide Prevention Day, Suicide Awareness Month, suicide prevention, social anxiety, social phobia, depression, depression month, and seasonal depression. The list of Arabic key terms used in data collection can be found in an extended preprint version of this paper [ 16 ]. The data was collected from the 1 to the 31 of October 2022. Approximately, 1,048,575 tweets have been obtained. Tweets were retrieved from Twitter as JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) objects. Every tweet involved several attributes such as “full_text”, “created_at”, “id”, “place”, and “geo”. After that, we extracted these attributes and saved the result in an XLSX file. Duplicate tweets were removed based on Tweet “Id”.

3.3. Data Preprocessing

Data analytics requires the preparation of data as a critical ingredient. Data preprocessing involves a number of methods for cleaning, eliminating noise, improving quality, and, eventually, increasing accuracy. One of the libraries available for preparing textually based data is Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK). Preprocessing includes a number of steps including tokenization, normalization (replacing letters), stop word removal, and the elimination of irrelevant words and characters. Our first step in the preprocessing was eliminating all irrelevant characters and words such as numbers, URLs, different symbols (e.g., &, @, and #), English alphabets, emojis, etc. Moreover, we eliminated non-Arabic characters, repeating characters, and all various forms of punctuation symbols such as brackets and mathematical notations. The next step was tokenization and normalization in which we removed all different types of Arabic diacritics including single marks such as Fatha, Dammah, Kasra, Tashdid, and Sukun as well as double marks such as Tanwin Damm, Tanwin Kasr, and Tanwin Fath. Moreover, we used the normalizer to convert all different shapes of Alif, Yaa, and Taa Murbutah to the basic form bare Alif, dotless Yaa, and Haa, respectively. After that, we removed the list of stop words provided by the NLTK library with an additional list of words in dialectical Arabic developed by us; further details of data-preprocessing of Arabic tweets including a list of Arabic stop words can be found in our earlier work [ 35 ].

3.4. Parameters Discovery

In this section, we discuss the methodology for identifying psychological health parameters through topic modeling analysis of Twitter data. Modeling of topics is a frequently employed AI approach for data analysis and topic discovery, and it contains various algorithms that identify patterns and themes in a collection of documents by clustering word terms [ 48 ]. For topic modeling, one popular unsupervised learning approach is the LDA algorithm. It is a statistical technique for determining the topics that come up most frequently in a group of documents. It works on mapping a group of documents (such as tweets) into a group of themes or clusters, assigning each document a certain likelihood of being related to a specific topic. The parameter discovery was implemented on Google Colab platforms using various Python packages such as Scikit-Learn, Numpy, and Pandas.

We modeled the data from three perspectives: Drugs and Treatments, Causes and Effects, and Drug Abuse. We used a list of keywords to create a subset of the dataset and discover the parameters for each perspective. For instance, for the Drugs and Treatments perspective, we used names of antidepressants, painkillers, and medicines (e.g., Panadol). For the Causes and Effects perspective, we used multiple keywords such as side, effects, and cause. For the Drug Abuse perspective, we used multiple keywords such as abuse and extra. Most of the keywords are in Arabic and few in English because some tweets use some terms in English such as medicine names. We modeled each perspective into different clusters. After extracting the clusters, we allocated each tweet to its cluster based on the highest probability of the tweet association with a cluster. After that, we performed an analysis of the tweets and keywords in each cluster in which we looked at the keywords and examined the context of the keywords in each parameter. This enabled us to name each cluster based on the keywords and tweets using our domain knowledge. We iteratively refined clusters’ names using our domain knowledge and other quantitative measures. The process enabled us to eliminate irrelevant clusters and combine clusters that were similar. We eventually aggregated the parameters based on their common themes into macro-parameters that represent broader areas. This is done separately for each perspective.

3.5. Validation

The discovered parameters were validated internally and externally. For external validation of the data and parameters extracted from the Twitter data, we utilized academic papers, news articles, and online reports. To assess the validity of the discovered data and parameters, internal validation was carried out utilizing tweets from the gathered dataset.

3.6. Visualization and Reporting

In this study, we provide a variety of visualization methods of the parameters we have discovered. These are intertopic distance maps, taxonomies, and keyword frequency diagrams (both cluster-specific and corpus-wide). Python pyLDAvis package was used to compute and depict the terms frequency diagrams and distance maps [ 50 , 51 ]. The intertopic scaling and distances were computed utilizing the Jensen–Shannon divergence. The width of the bars in the diagrams of keyword frequency represents the frequency distributions at the topical and corpus levels, respectively. Matplotlib was one of the other Python libraries we used.

4. Results: Parameter Discovery for Psychological Heath (Drugs and Treatments)

This section focuses on the parameters discovered for the Drugs and Treatments perspective. Section 4.1 presents an overview of parameters and macro-parameters. Section 4.2 , Section 4.3 , Section 4.4 , Section 4.5 and Section 4.6 explain the parameters in detail. The associations between the detected parameters and drugs are provided in Section 4.7 .

As noted in the Introduction Section, we have translated the Arabic content (words and tweets) contextually and made adjustments to the original text, including changes to the information order and the removal of unnecessary or redundant information. We have also omitted parts of the original text that were not useful.

4.1. Overview and Taxonomy

We used a list of Arabic and English keywords to create a subset of the dataset and discover the parameters for the Drugs and Treatments perspective. The subset contains 6717 tweets. The LDA algorithm detected 30 clusters from the subset of the dataset. We merged similar clusters, discovered parameters, and categorized them into five macro-parameters.

The keywords used (translated into English) are as follows: medicine, drugs, pharmaceutical, medicinal, prescribe, prescription, dose, antidepressant, as anti (depression), anti (depressants), tranquilizer, milligrams, pill, pills, reliever, melatonin, Panadol, Rufenac, Celebrex, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, Brintellix, Duloxetine, Faverin, Seroxat, Lyrica, Remeron, Cipralex, Xanax, Benzodiazepine, Valium, Escitalopram, Leponex, Paroxetine, Bupropion, Imipramine, Haloperidol, Reserpine, Tetrabenazine, Clonazepam, Lorazepam, Diazepam, Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline, Mirzagen, Prozac, Serotonin, Cyproheptadine, Salipax, Tramadol, Wellbutrin, Letrozole, Cabergoline, Tranylcypromine, Gomood, Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, Duspatalin, and Omeprazole.

Table 1 provides a list of the detected parameters for the Drugs and Treatment perspective. Column 1 lists the macro-parameters. A total of five macro-parameters are present. The second column presents twenty-four parameters. Some of the parameters that are related to one another are merged. The cluster numbers (created by LDA clustering) are provided in the third column. In Column 4, the keywords’ percentage of the parameters are presented. The top 20 keywords related to each parameter are listed in the fifth column.

Macro-parameters and parameters (perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

A taxonomy (see Figure 2 ) illustrating the Drugs and Treatments perspective was created using the parameters detected by our software. The parameters and their macro-parameters are displayed in the taxonomy. The macro-parameters Diseases and Disorders, Individual Factors, Social and Economic Factors, Treatment Options, and Treatment Limitations are represented at the first level. Second-level branches display the discovered parameters such as anxiety, sadness, poor concentration, etc.

Taxonomy (perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

Figure 3 presents the intertopic distance map and the overall term frequency of the top 30 keywords for the dataset of the Drugs and Treatments perspective. An intertopic distance map is a graphical representation of the relationships between topics (clusters) in a text or corpus. It is a useful representation which shows the overall structure of topics (clusters), their sizes, and how they are related to each other. The intertopic distances and the scaling for the set of intertopic distances are computed using the default options Jensen–Shannon divergence and principal components, respectively. The left-hand side of the figure depicts a representation of the 30 detected clusters, encompassing their sizes and interrelationships. The lower-left side of the diagram shows a key that denotes the size of the clusters. The blue bars on the right side give the top keywords’ overall term frequency. The highest frequency is for depression keyword, which is more than 3000.

The intertopic distance map of the parameters.

4.2. Diseases and Disorders

In this section, we discuss the parameters related to the macro-parameter Diseases and Disorders. Figure 4 shows the top 10 key terms according to term frequency (for further details see Section 3.6 ).

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Diseases and Disorders, perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

Postpartum Depression

This parameter is about postpartum depression which is a form of depression that develops in women after giving birth to a child. The parameter is represented by keywords such as depression, birth, gloom, death, mother, afflict, women, sadness, husband, hate, and postpartum. Several tweets in this parameter discuss the symptoms of this disease such as exhaustion and lack of energy, sleep disturbance, anorexia disorder, weakness in concentration, and thinking about death.

4.3. Individual Factors

In this section, we discuss the parameters related to the macro-parameter Individual Factors including anxiety, sadness, poor concentration, poor memory, loss of appetite, and fear of medicine. Figure 5 shows the top 10 key terms for each parameter in Individual Factors macro-parameter.

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Individual Factors, perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

4.3.1. Anxiety

This parameter relates to anxiety, a common emotion characterized by worry, nervousness, and unease about an uncertain outcome. It is a normal reaction to stress that everyone experiences at some point, but anxiety disorders are more than short-term worries or fears. Anxiety can have a negative impact on daily activities such as work, school, and interpersonal relationships [ 52 ]. Common indications of anxiety may include feeling uneasy, agitated, or restless; experiencing a sense of panic or dread; having an accelerated heart rate; hyperventilating; feeling fatigued; difficulty focusing on anything other than the current concern; and having difficulty sleeping [ 53 ]. There are various types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and phobias [ 52 ]. This parameter covers various issues, including medicines; treatment plans and doses; and effects on sleep, pain, and overall health.

4.3.2. Sadness

This parameter relates to sadness. It includes the following keywords: depression, treatment, sadness, time, psychological, anti (depression), symptoms, psychological, pills, treatment, deep, disappointed, hopes, wound, and heal. Many tweets in this parameter initiate sad thoughts. Some of the tweets are poems. We found several tweets that contain poems focusing on sadness due to love. They initiate sad thoughts in people; although people may enjoy it first, it can lead to severe depression and suicide like any other intoxication. It is well known that sad songs may give enjoyment to lovers, but they may also become a source of depression.

4.3.3. Poor Concentration

The poor concentration parameter regards the difficulties in concentration and the issues related to it. This parameter contains the following keywords: depression, medication, treatment, disorder, anti (depression), self, causes, pills, diabetes, deficiency, anxiety, prescription, treatment, psychological, and dangerous. Although these keywords do not directly mention concentration, they are about diseases related to concentration. Most of the tweets are about causes of poor concentration including depression and anxiety.

4.3.4. Poor Memory

The poor memory parameter discusses the negative effects of depression on memory and focus. People and experts discussed how depression affects memory and one’s ability to concentrate and remember. Moreover, some tweets have highlighted that some people fear using antidepressants because they think that it will cause issues with memory and concentration.

4.3.5. Loss of Appetite

This parameter is about loss of appetite, which can happen because of depression. Some of the keywords in this parameter are biscuits, psychological, treatment, medication, depression, eating, taking, alone, light, coffee, chocolate, and food. Some people have mentioned loss of appetite among the negative effects of antidepressants.

4.3.6. Fear of Medicine

This parameter regards fear of medicine. Individuals with this fear may feel intense fear and worry when considering taking medication or going to a doctor or hospital. The parameter covers some factors of fear, including the length of medicine (duration of treatment), side effects, fear about taking the incorrect medication, worry about being incorrectly diagnosed, concern about becoming dependent on medication, and fear about medical procedures or treatments.

4.4. Social and Economic Factors

Here, we cover the parameters related to the macro-parameter Social and Economic Factors including poverty, unemployment and insufficient finances, high cost of healthcare, loss of loved ones, forensic psychiatry, and social depression. Figure 6 shows the top ten key terms in each parameter.

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Social and Economic Factors, perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

4.4.1. Poverty

This parameter relates to poverty as an economic factor that can cause mental health issues. This parameter captures various dimensions such as low household income, medical care, children, stealing, sadness, fear, depression, and psychological diseases. Some tweets under this parameter have highlighted how stealing money from poor people can have a devastating impact on their mental health. It can have a disastrous effect on the livelihoods of those affected, depriving them of the basic necessities such as food, shelter, and medical care that their families and children require for survival. Eventually, it can lead to feelings of despair, depression, and mistrust in others.

4.4.2. Unemployment and Insufficient Finances

This parameter discusses inadequate finances and unemployment as social and economic factors for depression and mental health issues. This parameter includes various dimensions detected by our model such as work conditions, unemployment status, children, prison, depression, and committing suicide.

4.4.3. High Cost of Healthcare

This parameter relates to the high cost of healthcare as one of the socioeconomic causes of depression. This parameter involves various dimensions such as low income; healthcare expenses; chronic diseases; healthcare expenses for elderly parents; and stress and pressure. Some tweets discussed how low-income elderly people with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes or hypertension, tend to incur greater expenses for medical services. This may result in inadequate housing and nutrition, which may worsen health outcomes. All of these factors may lead to higher healthcare costs for those who are poor. This can contribute to feelings of stress and pressure.

4.4.4. Loss of Loved Ones

This parameter highlights one of the social causes of depression, the loss of loved ones. The parameter is represented by keywords such as pills, depression, period, feeling, lost, most important, depression, best, sleep, matter, medicine, even, life, living, death, friend, desire, and Iniesta. Some tweets related to the depression experience of the football player Iniesta who got depressed from the death of his close friend. The following tweet is an example: “When I was fighting depression, my best time was when I swallowed pills and went to sleep. Even hugging my wife was like hugging a pillow, without feeling.”.

4.4.5. Forensic Psychiatry

This parameter is about forensic psychiatry, defined as “the branch of psychiatry that deals with issues arising in the interface between psychiatry and the law, and with the flow of mentally disordered offenders along a continuum of social systems” [ 54 ]. It is “applied to legal issues in legal contexts embracing civil, criminal, correctional or legislative matters” [ 55 ]. The parameters involve treatment services in legal proceedings, the role of forensic psychiatry, consultation services, and the efficiency of legal proceedings.

4.4.6. Social Depression

This parameter is about social depression. This parameter highlights various dimensions such as stressful life events, stigmatization of medicines, weight increase, and lifestyle. This parameter emphasizes the fact that society is living in a time when the cost of living and healthcare has increased, and high achievement has become a necessity leading to social depression and anxiety.

4.5. Treatment Options

The parameters associated with Treatment Options macro-parameter are discussed in this section. Figure 7 depicts the top 10 key terms based on term frequency.

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Treatment Options, perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

4.5.1. Walking

This parameter discusses walking as a treatment for psychological diseases. It is represented by keywords such as prescribe, body, walking, negativity, psychological, energy, nature, anxiety, needs, medications, diseases, fear, equivalent, work, painkillers, emptying, endorphins, sedatives, and reduce. The tweets in this parameter discuss a range of benefits of walking such as triggering the body’s whole muscular system and reducing relapses of mental illnesses.

4.5.2. Optimism

This parameter is regarding optimism, which is a psychological approach or outlook that emphasizes the beneficial aspects of life and anticipates positive results. Optimism is often regarded as a form of resilience, allowing individuals to manage challenging circumstances and recover from adversity [ 56 ]. This parameter involves optimistic poems, happiness, fighting sadness, and environmental influences.

4.5.3. Good Company

This parameter is about good company and the importance of good friends for mental health issues. Some of the keywords for the parameter are depression, anti (depression), best, friend, anti (depressants), normal, good, and defect. People discussed how good friend can be as an antidepressant for depression. There are many tweets in this parameter such as the following, “Best antidepressant: (a good) Friend”.

4.5.4. Pendulum Technique

This parameter focuses on the pendulum technique. It contains the following keywords: fear, then, question, pendulum, yourself, effectiveness, know, answer, write, ask, feelings, attachment, ready, mention, answer, sharp, intention, depression, anti (depressants), and sun. It was detected as a treatment for psychological issues.

4.5.5. Spirituality

This parameter covers spirituality as a treatment for sadness and depression. People discussed how spirituality is used to treat people from sadness and depression. For example, doing good actions, remembering God, and praying the morning prayer.

4.5.6. Antioxidants

The antioxidants parameter focuses on the role of antioxidants in fighting depression and mental illnesses. It is represented by key terms such as coffee, psychological, depression, oxidation, treatment, anti (depression), condition, people, helps, most, moods, relieve, improve, anti (oxidants), richness, fruits, combined, plus, and vegetables. The tweets in this parameter have discussed natural sources of antioxidants. Moreover, many tweets have mentioned how coffee is rich in antioxidants and how it can help relieve depression and improve mood state.

4.5.7. Painkillers and Antidepressants

The painkillers and antidepressants parameter highlights the difference between painkillers and antidepressants in terms of their use. This parameter contains the following keywords: depression, medications, disease, treatment, patient, psychiatric, medication, psychological, anti (depression), instead of, doctor, depression, for a patient, Cipralex, painkiller, body, give, Celebrex, and hurt. Some tweets have mentioned that antidepressants can be prescribed for physical illnesses. It is not clear from the tweets why an antidepressant is prescribed. Doctors may see some symptoms of depression.

4.5.8. Community-Supported Therapies

This parameter is about community-supported therapies. This parameter includes various dimensions such as community support groups, society programs, faith, successful treatment factors, etc. Here is an example of a related tweet: “Psychological diseases involve a set of genetic, familial and social factors, and therefore recovery from them also requires a combination of all these factors, such as regular use of medication, adherence to healthy habits and lifestyle “sports”, family support, community awareness and embrace and not to reject those who suffer from it, or to stigmatize them as weak or lacking in faith!”.

4.5.9. Psychotherapy and Medication

This parameter is about the types of medical treatments for psychological illnesses, which are Cogitative Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the use of medications/drugs. A number of tweets discuss psychotherapy and medication. For example, a tweet stated that “in mental illness, each case is different from the other. And depends on the condition and depression degrees. Medicines are used in severe cases and behavioral therapy benefits most people. Therefore, first, you must visit a doctor, who will examine you and let you know whether you need to take medicine or undergo behavioral therapy”. In addition, some tweets highlighted the importance of lifestyle for mental health.

4.6. Treatment Limitations

The parameters related to the macro-parameter Treatment Limitations are covered in this section. Figure 8 shows the top 10 key terms, in each parameter, based on term frequency.

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Treatment Limitations, perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

4.6.1. Antidepressant Limitations

This parameter discusses antidepressant limitations. It is represented by keywords including depression, medicine, truth, relieve, reality, natural, dealing, mind, crises, right, exaggerating, delight, emotion, happiness, nervousness, etc.

4.6.2. Negative Effects of Antidepressant

The parameter is about the negative effects of antidepressants. It is represented by keywords such as depression, medicine, anti (depressants), people, psychological, sadness, possible, pill, condition, psychological, actually, disease, nervousness, causes, etc. There are many tweets that mention the side effects of antidepressants. As previously noted, we have translated the Arabic content (words and tweets) contextually and made adjustments to the original text, including changes to the information order and the removal of unnecessary or redundant information. We have also omitted parts of the original text that were not useful. Here is an example tweet: “If the psychiatrist is incompetent, he will give the patient pills that ruin a person’s life”. A tweeter stated that one of her siblings committed suicide after a doctor convinced him that his depression doesn’t have a solution and there is no treatment for it. In addition, in another case, it was reported in a tweet that someone’s close relative was prescribed so many strong pills that if he forgot to take them for a day or two he would have a bout of screaming and crying.

A number of tweets mentioned some diseases that were detected by our tool as side effects of antidepressants such as obesity, drowsiness, bruxism, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some tweets have discussed the positive sides of using antidepressants. For example, the following tweet: “… some mental illnesses are chronic like some physical illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Therefore, you may need to take antidepressants for long periods or all of your life”. Several tweets have mentioned other ways of treating depression such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), St. John’s wort, and magnesium.

4.7. Parameter-Drug Associations (Drugs and Treatments)

In this section, we provide the associations between the detected parameters and drugs for the Drugs and Treatments perspective. These are shown in Figure 9 . For example, for the sadness parameter the associated drugs included Prozac, Cipralex, Remeron, and Bupropion. These are antidepressants and their association with the sadness parameter shows that sadness, which is related to depression, may have led to the use of these drugs. Sadness can be a symptom of depression or a cause for it. Gartlehner et al. [ 57 ] discussed how second-generation antidepressants could be used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) among adults and reduce the severity of its symptoms, including sadness. Leventhal [ 58 ] discussed how sadness can cause depression and mentioned that sadness is a normal emotion that can result in depression if it is not managed appropriately. The parameters and macro-parameters are the same as those listed in Table 1 and discussed earlier in this section ( Section 4 ). Similar to Figure 2 , in Figure 9 , the first-level branches show the macro-parameters and the second-level branches show the detected parameters. The drugs associated with each parameter are shown on the third-level branches, where available.

Parameter-drug associations maps (perspective: Drugs and Treatments).

These parameter-drug associations can be discovered automatically as follows: we built a vocabulary of all medicines used for the treatment of psychological illnesses, and we searched for these medicines against tweets in each parameter and recorded the associations with the drugs found through the search for each parameter.

5. Results: Parameter Discovery for Psychological Heath (Causes and Effects)

This section discusses the parameters discovered for the Causes and Effects perspective. An overview of parameters and macro-parameters is provided in Section 5.1 . The parameters are explained in Section 5.5 , Section 5.3 , Section 5.4 and Section 5.5 . Section 5.6 presents the associations between the detected parameters and drugs.

5.1. Overview and Taxonomy

We created a list of Arabic keywords to build a subset of the dataset and identify the parameters for the Causes and Effects perspective. The dataset obtained contains 88,566 tweets. The parameters and other information on the Causes and Effects perspective are provided in Table 2 . The taxonomy is given in Figure 10 .

Taxonomy (perspective: Causes and Effects).

Macro-parameters and parameters (perspective: Causes and Effects).

The keywords employed are side, effects, because of, cause it, it causes, caused by, cause, brought, result, weight, my weight, cholesterol, disorders, lethargy, migraine, appetite, metabolism, memory, concentration, dizziness, sleep, insomnia, headache, crying, stomach, hyperactivity, attention, deficit, depression, and addiction.

5.2. Diseases and Disorders

In this section, the parameters that belong to the macro-parameter Diseases and Disorders are discussed including attachment disorder, insomnia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Figure 11 depicts the top 10 key terms, in each parameter, according to term frequency (for further details see Section 3.6 ).

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Diseases and Disorders, perspective: Causes and Effects).

5.2.1. Attachment Disorder

This parameter is about attachment disorder, which is a form of mental illness or behavioral condition that interferes with a person’s capacity to establish and sustain relationships. It relates to the challenges involved in understanding emotions, expressing affection, and placing one’s trust in others. The parameter is represented by keywords such as psychological, health, family, live, your life, hospital, person, reality, well-being, success, locked up, lost, attachment, money, etc. People discussed that someone should avoid excessive attachment to loved ones as it can destroy person’s life. Furthermore, a case of a celebrity who was deceived by a loved one was discussed.

5.2.2. Insomnia

This parameter focuses on insomnia, which can be a cause or an effect of other psychological issues. This parameter is characterized by keywords such as sleep, sadness, anxiety, doctor, eye, fear, depression, symptoms, fear, diaspora, matter, etc. People discussed different reasons for insomnia such as excessive worry, fear, depression, anxiety about events or people, sadness, excessive thinking, exhaustion, or loss and nostalgia.

5.2.3. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

This parameter regards obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is a prevalent mental health problem characterized by compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts. People discussed the symptoms of OCD, the causes and treatment. For example, someone tweeted: “Obsessive-compulsive disorder is the control of an idea that its owner knows is absurd, forcing him to repeat actions, such as making sure the door is locked, cleanliness, or purity, to a degree that may affect the productivity of the individual. This indicates underlying anxiety and can be treated with some medication and dialogue...”.

5.2.4. Post-Surgery Depression

This cluster is about post-surgery depression, and it focuses on surgeries as a cause of depression. The tweets associated with this parameter are mostly related to the depression that occurs after Sleeve gastrectomy surgery because the stomach is restricted to a certain food, and this has a negative effect, such as feeling lonely or that the person cannot go out and eat a variety of foods like before. However, depression can happen as a side effect of any other surgery.

5.2.5. Chronic Physiological Diseases

The chronic physiological diseases parameter discusses various diseases that could lead to depression. The following keywords were detected by our model: depression, depression, cause, psychological, sick, chronic, king, medical, brain, fear, diseases, Salman, suffering, surgical, cause, city, relationship, psychological, nerves, and compensate. When a person suffers from a disease that affects his ability to move and could lead to some changes in lifestyle, this could result in depression. A tweet mentioned five chronic diseases which cause depression and sadness including diabetes mellitus, arthritis, heart disease, kidney failure, and thyroid gland. Some other tweets linked COVID-19 infection to a range of chronic neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, memory problems, and Parkinson’s disease-like disorders.

5.3. Individual Factors

We highlight here the parameters under the macro-parameter Individual Factors. There are eight parameters. Figure 12 depicts the top 10 keywords, in each parameter, based on term frequency.

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Individual Factors, perspective: Causes and Effects).

5.3.1. Fear

This parameter is about fear as a cause or effect of psychological illnesses. Our model detected the following keywords: leave, care, fear, weight, gain, about you, subject, sleep, diseases, poverty, keep away, think, difference, fear, doctor, health, face, your fear, and sources. The tweets highlighted different kinds of fear including fear of losing persons, fear of diseases, fear of poverty, and others.

5.3.2. Sadness

This parameter is about sadness which could be a symptom, a cause, or an effect of psychological diseases. It is represented by keywords including world, depression, wish, real, people, complete, me, normal, age, try, need, needs, work, fear, person, years, time, stay, etc. This parameter is similar to a parameter covered in the previous perspective. For more details see Section 4.3.2 .

5.3.3. Loneliness

This parameter is about loneliness, which is characterized by keywords such as wish, heart, alone, sadness, complete, pass, loneliness, mind, stage, fear, focus, nights, human, thinking, anxiety, unknown, details, compensate, trust, and calm down. Someone tweeted: “I hope that God will compensate me for all the nights of loneliness, sadness and misery, and reassure my heart …”.

5.3.4. Lacking Passion

This parameter is about people who lost their sense of value and pleasure in everything and wish for death. This parameter includes the following keywords: depression, want, need, myself, times, moment, desire, overwhelming, disappear, the world, have, presence, heavy, exist, feel, want, depression, sadness, and view. People discussed different symptoms associated with lacking passion such as a feeling of helplessness, low energy and exhaustion, constant pain, and the feeling of guilt. Other tweets have mentioned other symptoms including a lack of self-esteem, self-loathing, lack of focus, loss of hope, and the desire to disappear.

5.3.5. Suppressing Emotions

This parameter is about the suppression of emotions either positive or negative, which can lead to depression and other psychological illnesses. Based on our model, the following keywords were detected: sadness, sorrow, physical, cause, after, able, personality, disease, experience, sleep, possible, upset/angry, need, your chest, was not, wish, tell, say, inside, and live. Some tweets highlighted some of the effects of suppressed emotions such as anxiety, depression, and other stress-related illnesses. Other tweets mentioned the importance of discussion and expressing emotions for psychological health.

5.3.6. Negative Emotions

The negative emotions parameter is about people who talk about and share their personal negative experiences and generalize them, causing depression for themselves and others in society. It is represented by keywords such as depression, condition, people, friendliness, because, human, life, depression, psychological, crying, sleep, conversation, life, yourself, have, sadness, anxiety, permanent, phrase, and love.

5.3.7. Devil (Negative Thoughts)

This parameter regards the devil and negative thoughts. It is characterized by keywords such as most important, sadness, anxiety, whirlpool, fear, heart, devil, life, comfortable, bad, sorrows, stable, caused, current, last, past, make, tense, and destroy. People discussed how the devil negatively affects people’s mental health. The following tweet is an example: “Remember that one of devil’s most important goals is to cultivate sadness and fear in the heart, so that he does not make you stable or comfortable, but rather discontented, anxious, and pessimistic. He links you to the past, its pains, and the sorrows it causes you, and links you to the future, its fears and anxieties; To make you always in a tense spiral and mistrust, and his goal is to destroy your current moment and spoil your life.”.

5.3.8. Lacking Inner Peace

This parameter is about lacking inner peace. The following keywords were detected by our model: life, peace, anxiety, insomnia, stay away, in you, people, many, things, topic, anger, inside me, focus, your Lord, struggle, urgency, fear, anxiety, psychological, and joy. This parameter focuses on the importance of inner peace for fighting depression. People discussed different things such as how to get inner peace by avoiding passing judgment on people. Following is an example tweet: “If you do not feel peace within you, you will find many things in life that cause you anger, chaos, grumbling, anxiety, and conflict. How do I find peace inside me? get closer to your Lord; avoid passing judgment on people; stay away from focusing on any disturbing topic; live life with grace, not with complexity.”.

5.4. Social and Economic Factors

There are five parameters under the Social and Economic Factors macro-parameter. Figure 13 shows the ten top 10 keywords, in each parameter, based on term frequency.

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Social and Economic Factors, perspective: Causes and Effects).

5.4.1. Study

This parameter covers various study-related issues which could cause psychological illnesses such as studying for long hours, studies-related depression, and bullying in schools. The parameter contains the following keywords: concern, problem, subject, permission, fear, cause, psychological, lead, schools, academic, level, impact, delay, space, going, coming, elite, to school, disability, and counsellors. The tweets discussed the causes of psychological illness. For instance, the following tweet highlights different causes of psychological illnesses and some solutions which don’t lie in drugs: “When the psychologist’s tweets highlight how some psychological disorders, such as depression, anxiety, etc., develop as a result of people’s exposure to psychological trauma, abused childhood, or some social problems such as divorce and others. It is natural to find that the solution to these problems does not lie in drug treatment”.

Furthermore, a tweet stated a list of disorders which are related to certain causes. These disorders include anxiety disorders, especially panic attacks and anxiety about disease, depression and mood disorders, traumatic disorders, personality disorders, dissociative disorders, and internal psychological struggle due to social pressure. Another tweet highlighted various socioeconomic causes of depression and psychiatric disturbances. A tweet reported that “the poor economic state of the family may cause social problems and bad psychological effects that lead to excessive thinking and eventually lead to mental illnesses”.

A number of tweets reported that universities and schools cause fear and depression. Moreover, several tweets discussed the issues of bullying in schools and how it affects the academic progress of students. For example, a tweet mentioned that bullying in schools can cause depression, anxiety, social shyness, social phobia, and eventually delay in the academic level.

5.4.2. Work

This parameter focuses on work as a cause of psychological issues. Among the keywords that our model detected are depression, limit, need, possible, permanence, depressed, length, fear, offender, no one, praise be to God, literally, still, life, sufficiency, society, coming, and deficiency. People discussed how long working hours affect mental health and how leaving very little time for family and social relationships can result in depression and family breakup.

5.4.3. Lifestyles

This parameter is about the lifestyle as a cause of psychological illness including eating and thinking patterns. The parameter is represented by keywords such as time, depression, sadness, cause, grace, speech, problems, know, silence, understood, inside, pretended, stupid, committed, smiled, answered, wellness, weight, in relation to, and hospital. Here are some example tweets about maintaining a good lifestyle. For example, the following tweet: “Most people write about pain and talk about fatigue until their minds are programmed to be depressed and think negatively which cause them illnesses”.

Following is another example tweet: “Malnutrition is the cause of mental illness, which can be treated with diet, exercise, cupping, and good company rather than medicine. The consumption of indomie, soft drinks, and drinks containing stimulants causes fear. Alcohol, smoking, and sweets cause anxiety and depression.”.

5.4.4. High Cost of Healthcare

This parameter is about the high cost of healthcare as a socioeconomic factor for psychological illnesses. This parameter includes the keywords depression, knew, make, have, session, psychological, period, good, for depression, seasons, diseases, suffering, fear, difficult, home, street, family, and life. This parameter is similar to a parameter covered in the previous dimension. For further details see Section 4.4.3 .

5.4.5. Seasonal Depression (Seasonal Effective Disorder)

This parameter is about seasonal depression which is a type of depression that occurs as a result of the change of seasons. This parameter is represented by keywords such as depression, Saturday, gloom, depression, severe, I have, birth, feel, winter, weather, spray, period, know, month, offender, people, cause, feel, atmosphere, and inside. In tweets and keywords, different types of depression were mentioned such as post-weekend depression, postpartum depression, and winter depression.

5.5. Treatment Options

Figure 14 displays the most frequent keywords in each parameter in the Treatment Options macro-parameter.

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Treatment Options, perspective: Causes and Effects).

5.5.1. Emotional Release (Psychotherapy)

This parameter regards emotional release (catharsis) as part of psychotherapy. The following keywords were detected by our model: depression, life, fear, hair, remove, cut, winter, sleep, name, family, wake up, satiate, inside, side, entered, smell, bring, come, answer, and people. Many tweets have talked about cutting hair as a way of emotional release. The following tweet, for example: “Cutting hair removes 100% of life’s depression”.

5.5.2. Good Friends

This parameter is about good friends and is described by the following keywords: depression, better, anxiety, person, can, deeper, seriously, kidding, inside you, collect, spontaneity, quest, reach, continuity, wonderful, include you, the two things, the mother, cause, and not happened. People discussed the importance of good friends for psychological health. Following is an example tweet: “When you talk to good friend while you are in a state of anxiety and fear, you become reassured because of his deep words and great actions”.

5.5.3. Spirituality

This parameter covers spirituality as a treatment for psychological illnesses. This parameter is similar to a parameter covered in the previous perspective. For further details see Section 4.5.5 .

5.5.4. Surgery

This parameter is about surgery as a treatment for psychological diseases. Among the keywords that our model detected are operation, depression, sadness, hours, surgery, success, suffering, future, sleep, psychological, medical, patient, mood, Salman, natural, first, thinking, anxiety, excess, and permanent. Several tweets have talked about the success of a surgical operation to treat a patient suffering from chronic depression.

5.6. Parameter-Drug Associations (Causes and Effects)

Similar to Section 4.7 , here we provide the associations between the detected parameters and drugs for the Causes and Effects perspective. These are shown in Figure 15 . For example, for the insomnia parameter, the associated drugs include Cipralex which is an antidepressant. Their association with the insomnia parameter shows a direct relationship between insomnia and depression in which either one of them can be a trigger for the other [ 59 ]. Insomnia, for example, may raise a person’s risk of developing depression tenfold compared to people who sleep well at night. On the other hand, depression is linked to sleep problems like getting less beneficial slow-wave sleep each night [ 60 ]. Moreover, the association between melatonin and the insomnia parameter is because people commonly use it for insomnia conditions [ 61 ].

Parameter-drug associations maps (perspective: Causes and Effects).

Furthermore, we found that some painkillers, such as Panadol, are associated with the Insomnia parameter. The research highlights that the use of painkillers may be associated with an increased risk of developing insomnia. Opioid use is likely to be a contributing factor to insomnia due to the sedative effects of opioids, which can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep [ 62 ]. Furthermore, long-term opioid use has been associated with changes in sleep patterns and disruption of the circadian rhythm, both of which can lead to insomnia [ 62 ].

It is possible that individuals who experience pain or headaches and have difficulty sleeping may benefit from the use of painkillers. Research has demonstrated that individuals suffering from chronic pain often experience sleep disturbances [ 63 ], including insomnia, which can intensify the pain [ 64 ].

6. Results: Parameter Discovery for Psychological Heath (Drug Abuse)

In this section, we discuss the parameters discovered for the Drug Abuse perspective. An overview of parameters and macro-parameters is provided in Section 6.1 . The parameters are explained in Section 6.2 . In Section 6.3 , the associations between the detected parameters and drugs are provided.

6.1. Overview and Taxonomy

In this section, we discuss the Drug Abuse perspective. We employed a list of keywords to build a subset of the dataset and identify the parameters for the Drug Abuse perspective. The following is a translation of the list of keywords utilized: abuse, mood, trance, without a recipe, pill, and extra. The dataset that we got after filtering data contains 2,701 tweets.

The LDA algorithm detected 30 clusters for the Drug Abuse perspective. We excluded twenty clusters from the results as they were irrelevant to the focus of this perspective. We merged similar clusters, discovered parameters, and categorized them into five macro-parameters. Table 3 has structure similar to Table 1 and Table 2 .

Macro-parameters and parameters (perspective: Drug Abuse).

Using the discovered parameters for Drug Abuse perspective, a taxonomy was created (see Figure 16 ).

Taxonomy (perspective: Drug Abuse).

6.2. Drug Abuse

In this section, we discuss the parameters related to the macro-parameter Drug Abuse. Figure 17 shows the top 10 key terms, in each parameter in the Drug Abuse perspective, according to term frequency (for further details see Section 3.6 ).

Keyword frequencies (macro-parameter: Drug Abuse, perspective: Drug Abuse).

6.2.1. Bipolar Disorder

This parameter relates to bipolar disorder, known as manic depression, which is defined as “a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and ability to carry out day-to-day tasks” [ 65 ]. It involves various dimensions such as depression degree, mood swings, sadness waves, tears, and others.

6.2.2. University Exams

This parameter regards university exams and is described by the following keywords: depression, condition, fine, pills, work, tried, unfortunately, help, peace, family, suicide, prison, answer, mercy, cut, tired, have, difficult, and see.

6.2.3. Death of Loved Ones

This parameter relates to the death of loved ones as a cause of drug abuse. The following keywords were detected by our model: pills, depression, matter, feeling, period, depression, life, better, more important, medicine, even, death, lived, lost, sleep, go, desire, resistance, Kharkhi, etc. Some tweets relate to the depression of football player Iniesta and the death of his close friend which caused him depression.

6.2.4. Addiction

This parameter discusses addiction, known as substance use disorder. It is a condition characterized by an impaired ability to control the use of legal or illicit drugs, alcohol, nicotine, or other substances, resulting in changes in brain function and behavior [ 66 ]. This parameter covers narcissism and addiction, health and risk factors, ecstasy, happiness, and others.

6.2.5. Suicide

This parameter is about abusing drugs and committing suicide as an effect of psychological issues. The following keywords were detected by our model: psychological, potion, treatment, heart, one, long, love, doctor, take, pass, fear, depression, bad, etc. Some people mentioned that they have tried to commit suicide by using an overdose of medicine.

6.2.6. Flakka Drug

This parameter is about the Flakka drug. The following keywords were detected by our model: depression, fear, love, potion, intensity, newness, intake, feeling, problem, desire, alone, therefore, withdrawal, dope, lethargy, drug, to withdraw, attempt, symptoms, and depression. Many tweets mentioned that this drug is spread among young people and the reason for its spread is that it is cheap. People have also discussed the effects of using the Flakka drug such as hallucinations, madness, strange behavior, loss of control over mental abilities, and a mad start to a dark path. Many tweets have also mentioned the withdrawal symptoms of the drug such as feeling lethargy and suffering severe depression.

6.3. Parameter-Drug Associations (Drug Abuse)

This section highlights the associations between the detected parameters and drugs for the Drug Abuse perspective. Figure 18 shows a taxonomy of associations between detected parameters and the drugs detected automatically by our tool. For example, in the figure, the Flakka drug is associated with the Flakka Drug parameter, which is a dangerous synthetic cathinone [ 67 ]. In addition, the melatonin drug is associated with the addiction parameter. This could be because melatonin can be used in addiction management [ 68 ]. Research has demonstrated that melatonin can reduce the pleasurable effects of drugs, decrease drug-seeking behavior, and decrease the relapse rate. Furthermore, melatonin may play a role in controlling stress responses related to drug addiction [ 69 ]. Escitalopram is also associated with the addiction parameter which is an antidepressant and it can be used in the recovery stage from addiction [ 70 ].

Parameter-drug associations maps (perspective: Drug Abuse).

7. Discussion

In this research, we proposed a big data and machine learning-based approach for the automatic discovery of parameters related to psychological health from Twitter data. The parameters are discovered from three different perspectives: Drugs and Treatments, Causes and Effects, and Drug Abuse. Moreover, we automatically discovered associations between the parameters and drugs. The parameters were discussed in detail in Section 4 , Section 5 and Section 6 , respectively. We discussed the use of Twitter to automatically discover what drugs are used for psychological health, what the causes and effects of psychological issues are, what the side effects of drugs are, and how drugs are abused.

We discovered twenty-four parameters from the Drugs and Treatments perspective and grouped them into five macro-parameters: Diseases and Disorders, Individual Factors, Social and Economic Factors, Treatment Options, and Treatment Limitations. A total of twenty-two parameters were detected from the Causes and Effects perspective and we grouped them into four macro-parameters: Diseases and Disorders, Individual Factors, Social and Economic Factors, and Treatment Options. We detected six parameters from Drug Abuse perspective, namely, bipolar disorder, university exams, death of loved ones, addiction, suicide, and flakka drug.

A multi-perspective view of psychological health data is depicted in Figure 19 . It is a combination of all three perspectives: Drugs and Treatments, Causes and Effects, and Drug Abuse. It includes six macro-parameters: Diseases and Disorders, Individual Factors, Social and Economic Factors, Treatment Options, Treatment Limitations, and Drug Abuse. We merged similar macro-parameters together. For example, we have two Diseases and Disorders macro-parameters, one from the Drugs and Treatments perspective with one parameter (postpartum depression), and another one from the Causes and Effects perspective with five parameters (attachment disorder, insomnia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-surgery depression, and chronic physiological diseases). We merged all these parameters in one Diseases and Disorders macro-parameter as shown in Figure 19 .

Taxonomy (perspectives: Drugs and Treatments, Causes and Effects, and Drug Abuse).

This work makes important theoretical and practical contributions to the area. The earlier research (see Section 2 ) has looked into the relation between physical illnesses and mental health, specific mental health disorders and factors, effects of education on mental health, COVID-19 and mental health, machine learning in mental health, and the use of Twitter data in mental health. This study offers a comprehensive examination of mental health, including causes, treatments, and the impact of drug use and abuse, as seen on Twitter and discussed by both the public and health professionals. Additionally, this study identified associations between various drugs and mental health. This is the first study to take such a holistic approach to understand mental health.

This work sheds new light on the social and environmental factors that impact mental health and makes significant contributions to the field of toxics. Through the use of big data and machine learning, the study was able to identify the root causes of mental health issues from Twitter data and analyze parameters related to drugs and treatments, causes and effects, and drug abuse. As a result, this work provides a more comprehensive understanding of the complex social and environmental factors that contribute to mental health issues. This research seeks to identify and address the harmful social and environmental factors that can cause or worsen mental health issues, making it an important contribution to the field of toxics. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights into the relationship between mental health and various factors, which has the potential to inform the development of effective interventions that can improve public health and social sustainability. Our approach of focusing on different perspectives and aggregating identified parameters into macro-parameters is a powerful method that allows for a more nuanced and detailed understanding of mental health and its contributing factors. By identifying these factors, this study has the potential to contribute to the development of strategies to reduce exposure to harmful substances and mitigate the negative impacts of social, economic, and environmental factors on mental health. Therefore, the findings of this study have significant implications for the improvement of public health and social sustainability.

The findings have the potential to open new avenues for identifying drug use and abuse for mental health, as well as other micro and macro factors related to mental health through social media. The methodology can also be applied to other diseases and may have the potential for forensic toxicology research. However, more research is needed to fully explore the potential of social media for forensic purposes. Moreover, our approach can serve as an autonomous real-time surveillance system that captures crucial system parameters related to mental health, socio-economic factors, and the environment. By detecting opportunities, challenges, and risks, we can take proactive steps toward optimizing society for better, sustainable health outcomes. Moreover, our system’s ability to monitor and analyze a variety of factors in real-time allows for swift and effective action to be taken in response to potential threats to mental health. By continually tracking and assessing these parameters, we can proactively identify potential risks and take steps to mitigate them. This not only improves individual well-being but also helps to create a healthier, more resilient society.

The work presented in this paper is the beginning, many more works are needed to investigate the potential of social media for forensic and other purposes. This research is part of our broader work on data-driven parameter discovery from Twitter and other data sources applied previously to different research areas including the education sector in KSA during COVID-19 [ 35 ], the discovery of cancer-related healthcare services [ 71 ], families and smart homes [ 72 ], transportation [ 73 ], tourism [ 74 ], multi-generational labor markets [ 75 , 76 ], and COVID-19 governance measures [ 77 ].

This work is scientifically valid as it uses a systematic approach to gather data from Twitter and applies big data and machine learning techniques to analyze the data. The study collected a large sample of over one million tweets in Arabic about psychological health in Saudi Arabia. The use of a large sample increases the statistical power of the study, making it more representative of the population of interest. The study used machine learning algorithms to discover parameters related to mental health from the tweets, which ensures a consistent and replicable approach to the data analysis. The methodology used in the study is comprehensive and transparent. The paper provides a detailed account of how the study was conducted, including the data collection process, machine learning algorithms, and the parameters discovered. This allows other researchers to replicate the study and verify the results. Furthermore, this study identifies the potential for extending the methodology to other diseases and forensic toxicology, further demonstrating the robustness of the methodology. Our methodology and results are applicable to other research domains beyond mental health; therefore, our findings have a level of generality and transferability. This implies that results are not limited to the specific sample, population, or context used in this paper but can be extended to other contexts or populations. This study’s results provide a comprehensive account of mental health from different perspectives, including drugs and treatments, causes and effects, and drug abuse. This study identified 52 parameters from different perspectives related to mental health, which were further aggregated into six macro-parameters. This study’s findings were based on social media discussions by both the public and health professionals, which provides insight into the social and environmental factors that impact mental health. Furthermore, this study identified the associations between different drugs and mental health, which has implications for the effectiveness and risks of medication for treating mental health issues. In conclusion, this study’s comprehensive methodology, large sample size, and use of machine learning algorithms make it scientifically valid. This study’s results provide a valuable contribution to understanding mental health issues from a social and environmental perspective, and the potential for extending the methodology to other diseases and forensic toxicology provides a promising avenue for future research.

8. Conclusions

Mental health issues can have significant impacts on individuals and communities, and addressing root causes can help prevent mental health problems. The big data and machine learning approach proposed in this paper can be used to automatically discover parameters related to mental health from Twitter data, including information on drugs and treatments, causes and effects, and drug abuse. This can provide a comprehensive understanding of mental health as seen on social media, discussed by the public and health professionals, and can also identify associations with different drugs. The methodology can be extended to other diseases and has the potential for discovering evidence for forensic toxicology from social and digital media. Additional research is necessary to fully explore the potential of social media for forensic purposes; this paper is just the beginning and it will form our future work.

The conclusions drawn in this work are confirmed by scientific data and objectivity in several ways. First, the paper identifies mental health as a significant issue with impacts on individuals and communities and highlights the need for a holistic approach to understand its root causes. This understanding is supported by scientific research on mental health and the impacts of social and environmental factors on mental health outcomes. Second, we propose a data-driven approach for discovering parameters related to mental health from Twitter data. The use of big data and machine learning tools is a well-established methodology for data analysis and can provide insights into complex problems, including mental health. Third, we report the results of this study that collected over one million Arabic tweets about psychological health in Saudi Arabia. The use of Twitter data provides an objective and real-time view of mental health issues, as discussed by the public and health professionals. The analysis of the Twitter data provides a comprehensive account of mental health, causes, medicines and treatments, mental health and drug effects, and drug abuse.

Although our work on using big data and machine learning to automatically discover parameters related to mental health from Twitter data is innovative and insightful, there are limitations to the study that must be considered. Firstly, the study solely relies on Twitter data, which may not represent the entire population and may suffer from selection bias. Additionally, the study only focuses on Arabic tweets related to mental health in Saudi Arabia during a specific period, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. To address this limitation, more data should be collected and analyzed in Saudi Arabia and internationally. Secondly, the study collected a substantial number of tweets, but further research is needed to capture relevant tweets comprehensively, such as through additional keywords and hashtags. Thirdly, the research focused on three perspectives, and more research is needed to ensure that all perspectives are captured to provide more comprehensive information. Fourthly, there is a need to incorporate other sources of digital media and scientific data to enhance the diversity and richness of the discovered information. Finally, while machine learning algorithms are powerful tools for data analysis, they are not infallible and may produce inaccurate or biased results. We are confident that all the limitations we have identified can be overcome in our future work. As we move forward, we invite the community to join us in improving the proposed approach and enhancing its robustness and impact. Working together, we can achieve our goals and realize the full potential of our efforts.

Acknowledgments

The work carried out in this paper is supported by the HPC Center at King Abdulaziz University. The training and software development work reported in this paper was carried out on the Aziz supercomputer.

Funding Statement

The authors acknowledge with thanks the technical and financial support from the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at the King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under Grant No. RG-6-611-40.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, S.A. and R.M.; methodology, S.A. and R.M.; software, S.A.; validation, S.A. and R.M.; formal analysis, S.A., R.M., I.K. and S.M.A.; investigation, S.A., R.M., I.K. and S.M.A.; resources, R.M. and I.K.; data curation, S.A.; writing—original draft preparation, S.A. and R.M.; writing—review and editing, R.M., I.K. and S.M.A.; visualization, S.A.; supervision, R.M. and I.K.; project administration, R.M. and I.K.; funding acquisition, R.M. and I.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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The deep, energetic and sonorous voice of Whitney Houston that graced our ears will truly be missed. She was found dead in her house as a result of cocaine overdose. She was about 48 when she died. So will young Mac Miller and Lil Peep- talented celebrities who died of accidental fentanyl overdose at a very young age. Their stories, we heard due to the status they have achieved in the society. There are millions of other young people all […]

Drug Abuse in the Community i Live in

The overwhelming problem of drug abuse in Decatur, Illinois has developed into a major issue. For example, Heroin, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, prescription opioids, marijuana, and meth are being sold and used at an epidemic rate. Some cities drug problems might be worse than Decatur's, however, for the small size of this city, the drug abuse is phenomenal. Although some people might not see drug addiction as an illness, people are not drug addicts by choice, but after trying the […]

Drug Abuse and Overdosing Deaths

Drug abuse and overdosing are a grave issue that is affecting the nation. The death rate has increased intensely in recent years in United States due to Overdosing on drugs with number of deaths doubling every nine years including accidental and unintentional deaths. (Cunningham, 2018). The abuse and dependence to opioids- including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription drugs for pain relief is a serious nationwide catastrophe that disturbs communal health and as well as economical, psychological, social, and physiological welfare. The […]

The Drug Abuse Across the United States of America

The drug abuse across the United States of America has been noticed as a tremendous problem since the past thirty years, whether it being the use of prescription drugs or illicit drugs. According to the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, (NIDA, 2015) it is estimated that 24.6 million Americans, in 2013, from ages twelve and older had used illicit drugs. Americans generally take drugs for variety reasons, that being to feel better, be better, or do better. […]

Most Drugs and Medicated Substances Can be Beneficial

People do misuse drugs and medications. Drug abuse occurs when an individual excessively exploits a drug or medication outside of its original function, which could result in harm to the user, their families, and even their community (Huffman & Dowdell, 2015). Abusing drugs can cause hazardous consequences that will affect a person from a biological, psychological, and social standpoint. Fortunately, drug abuse can be prevented and treated. The Foundation Recovery Network (2018) expresses that drug abuse and drug addiction are […]

Effects of Parental Alcoholism and Drug Abuse on Teens

Addiction is a word very common in our day to day lives, but not very many people actually know what it is or how to treat it. It is an individualistic disease that can infect everybody, not just a certain group of people, with damages that can ripple through families for years to come. Addiction within parents can have effects lasting lifetimes within the family and can also have a huge societal impact. For many, addiction is a scary word, […]

Student: Drug Abuse, Struggle, and Health Risks.

Today’s student faces many risks, including drug abuse, struggle, and health risks. Reacting to these risks before they become more serious dilemmas can be difficult. One of the purposes of dealing with drug abuse is to encourage the public to understand the causes of drug abuse and to prevent its onset. Drug abuse has serious consequences in our homes, schools, and communities. The use of all illegal drugs and the inappropriate use of licit drugs is considered drug abuse. Teens […]

Drug Abuse Among Students

Medication manhandle is these days one of the gravest social damages. Late years have encountered an extreme ascent in sedate manhandle among school and college understudies. In America today, more people struggle with some kind of addiction to drugs than in the past. Alcohol use is high among college students and places them at risk for health problems, injuries, and poor academic performance. Drugs have a chemical effect that damage the brain and body. Drugs have shown to interfere with […]

The Correlation between Adult Drug Abusers and Children

The National Institute on drug abuse estimates that a quarter of children in the U.S. grow up in households where there is substance abuse. It makes them 8 times more likely to develop an addiction of their own. Many children are unfortunate enough to have to pay the consequences that drug abusing adults indirectly throw at them. Many of these children grow up to be adults who have, over time, developed the same habits. Others have no control over the […]

Substance Abuse and Development

Substance abuse can be defined as the overindulgence in addictive substance or the reliance on an addictive substance, especially illicit drugs like crystal methamphetamine and others. Methamphetamine, or meth, as it is popularly called is a highly addictive stimulant that creates a feeling of energy, heightened alertness and euphoria. It is synthetically prepared, using toxic and flammable chemicals and side effects include irregular and rapid heartbeat, hyperthermia, convulsions, stroke, insomnia, high blood pressure, restlessness, and tremors . Meth can be […]

Prescription Drug Abuse

In reading the articles 'Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use Among US Young Adults by Educational Attainment,' 'Ethnic/Racial Differences in Peer and Parent Influence on Adolescent Prescription Drug Misuse,' and 'Influences of Motivational Contexts on Prescription Drug Misuse and Related Drug Problems', they all highlight the misuse of prescription drug use by young adults. Each article provides its unique interpretation of studies concerning how and why youth misuse prescription drugs on an ethnic level. The articles also discuss the risks of prescription […]

Drug Abuse in Athletes

Is taking drugs to boost yourself up just to win or maybe even break a record really worth losing your career over? All the hard work you put in over the years, just for it to be taken away from you in a second over performance enhancing drugs because you wanted to win. Maybe your injury was so bad that you need to use illegal drugs to cure it without doctor orders. As a result, to this you could risk […]

Investigation of the Effects of Drug Abuse

ABSTRACT In investigation of the effects of drug abuse on adolescents' academic performance various theoretical perspectives were utilized and strategies to curb drug use were also identified. The study was conducted in Triangle: Chiredzi; Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe. The participants were from 3 High schools. The students' ages were ranging from 12 to 21 years. A descriptive survey design combining both qualitative and quantitative research strategies was employed. The researcher used a purposive sampling technique. The sample size represented 10% […]

The Truth of Drug Abuse

As Nathan Driskell once said, Addiction is the only prison where the locks are on the inside. Addiction is a common issue and numerous people don't realize. Over twenty million Americans under the age of 18 are already addicted to a drug. Drug abuse is a major concern despite a person's race, gender, national origin, ethnicity, social status, or religion. Addictions can affect anyone and can be caused by a variety of reasons. To overcome an addiction and staying drug […]

People with an Addiction have a Mental Illness

6.8 million people with an addiction have a mental illness. When people think about addictions they automatically think about a drug addiction. Although it is the most common addiction in America, there are plenty of other addictions. For example, Food addiction, video game addiction, working addiction, and an exercising addiction just to name a few. An addiction is abusing the use of a substance and that can be bad for you if you use too much of it. There are […]

What is Drug and Drug Abuse?

Drugs are substances that can affect the body’s function either physically or mentally, and also kill many cells in our body when we consume them. There are many factors that contribute to drug addiction. One of these factors is peer pressure. Many people succumb to peer pressure, but this is particularly prevalent among teenagers and children, as they are not yet mature mentally, and tend to emulate their surroundings. As an example, if a person has loved ones or friends […]

Reflection of Motivation of Early Dropout from Drug Abuse Treatment

The correlation between early dropout addicts and lack of motivation. Simpson created three scales used to determine the stages of cognitive treatment. Simpson and Joe constructed a theory that different lifestyles can influence how the client will succeed in the treatment program. This study's motive is to test the accuracy of three motivation levels for early treatment dropouts. This study consist of 311 clients, addicts, with diverse socio demographics that are located in Corpus Christi, Dallas, And Houston. The clients […]

Drug Abuse: War on Drugs

Drug abuse has been happening over so many years and it’s bad for our community. A drug isn't a good thing to mess with it understandable if its used for reasonable reasons but more than needed is drug abuse. Some people disagree with this and opposed to other side drugs are good for our community. Many people coming back from the war will be addicted to drugs and alcohol due to the massage amount of drugs that is given to […]

Additional Example Essays

• Substance Abuse and Mental Illnesses
• Drunk Driving
• Homelessness Problem In LA
• Driving While Intoxicated Persuasive Essay
• War On Drugs and Mass Incarceration
• Why the Drinking Age Should NOT be Lowered
• The Great Gatsby and Prohibition
• Leadership and the Army Profession
• Why College Should Not Be Free
• Shakespeare's Hamlet Character Analysis
• A Raisin in the Sun Theme

How To Write an Essay About Drug Abuse

Understanding the complexity of drug abuse.

When tackling an essay about drug abuse, it's essential to first comprehend the intricacies of the topic. Drug abuse, a prevalent issue globally, involves the chronic or habitual use of drugs for non-medical purposes, leading to health hazards and socio-economic problems. In your introduction, define drug abuse and distinguish it from drug use and addiction. Address the multifaceted nature of the issue, encompassing psychological, physiological, and societal dimensions. This foundation is crucial for guiding your exploration of drug abuse, its causes, effects, and potential solutions. Recognizing the sensitivity and complexity of this topic is key to writing an insightful and respectful essay.

Analyzing Causes and Effects

The body of your essay should delve into the causes and effects of drug abuse. Explore the various factors that can lead to drug abuse, such as psychological distress, peer pressure, socio-economic status, and exposure to drugs in the family or community. Then, discuss the ramifications of drug abuse on individuals, families, and society. These effects can include health issues, strained relationships, financial problems, and societal costs like increased crime and healthcare expenses. Use specific examples and data to support your points, while maintaining a compassionate tone, acknowledging that individuals suffering from drug abuse often face a complex interplay of challenges.

Addressing Prevention and Treatment

In this section, shift your focus to prevention and treatment strategies for drug abuse. Discuss different approaches to preventing drug abuse, such as education and awareness programs, policy changes, and community support initiatives. Then, examine the various treatment options available, including medical interventions, counseling, rehabilitation programs, and support groups. It's crucial to discuss the importance of a holistic approach to treatment, which addresses not just the physical aspect of addiction but also the psychological and social factors. This part of your essay should highlight the importance of compassion and support in addressing drug abuse, rather than solely punitive measures.

Concluding with a Call to Awareness and Action

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points and emphasizing the importance of addressing drug abuse in society. Reflect on the need for increased awareness, better prevention strategies, and effective treatment programs. Encourage readers to consider the role they can play in combating drug abuse, whether through personal support, advocacy, or policy change. A strong conclusion will not only provide closure to your essay but also inspire a sense of responsibility and urgency in dealing with this critical issue.

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How Drug Addiction Affects Your Life

Most drug addicts confess that they started taking drugs due to peer pressure. It was a harmless experimental phase but escalated to a dependency on drugs. The euphoria associated with the ‘high’ of drug use becomes an obsession, and eventually, addiction takes over. A person’s life then revolves around the need to procure and use drugs, regardless of the consequences. The physical and mental effects of drug addiction include:

Deterioration of physical health

Regular drug use leads to physical dependence and tolerance. As the body adapts to the presence of the drug, it requires more of the substance to achieve the desired effect. More usage can lead to heart problems, lung damage, liver disease, and brain damage.

Drug addicts have a poor appetite, leading to malnutrition and other health problems. Finding a drug rehab near me before the issues escalate is a sure way to protect your health.

Psychological problems

Drug addiction causes psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and paranoia. These can worsen with time and lead to suicidal thoughts. Drug addicts often have low self-esteem and are easily manipulated by others.

Psychological problems escalate as drug addicts are more prone to physical and sexual abuse. They also tend to neglect their responsibilities , leading to job loss and financial instability.

Impaired judgement

The most dangerous effect of drug addiction is impaired judgment. It leads to poor decision-making, which can have life-threatening consequences. Drug addicts take unnecessary risks, engage in criminal activities, and put their lives and the lives of others at risk. Impaired judgment leads to family neglect, social isolation, and loss of relationships.

Relationship problems

The most apparent sign that drug addiction is taking over your life is its impact on your close relationships. Drug addicts will do anything to get their hands on drugs, even stealing from friends and family, lying, and cheating. They become isolated from the people who care about them and often have trouble maintaining healthy relationships. Drug abuse leads to divorce, child abuse, and domestic violence.

Work-related problems

Drug addiction can lead to job loss, as addicts often cannot maintain a steady job. They may call in sick often, show up late, or be unable to focus on work. As their addiction worsens, they may start to steal from work or engage in other criminal activities. These behaviors can lead to a downward spiral, as addicts become unemployed and homeless. It gets harder to find employment when you have a criminal record.

Financial problems

Drug addiction is an expensive habit, as addicts often spend large amounts of money on drugs. This can lead to financial instability and even bankruptcy. Drug addicts may also steal money from loved ones or engage in other criminal activities to get cash for drugs.

Lack of employment or the inability to hold down a job makes it difficult to pay for drugs, take care of responsibilities and live a meaningful life. Some end up becoming homeless.

Social problems

Drug addiction can cause social problems such as isolation, lack of friends, and social anxiety. Drug addicts often feel uncomfortable in social situations and find it hard to make friends. As their addiction progresses, they may become more withdrawn and spend more time alone. Drug addicts may also engage in risky behaviors, putting themselves and others in danger.

Legal problems

Drug abuse can lead to legal problems such as arrest, jail time, and loss of driver’s license. Addicts often engage in criminal activities to get money for drugs. Once they’re released, it isn’t easy to find employment and housing. It can lead to a life of crime, as they find it a challenge to break the cycle.

The most severe consequence of drug addiction is death. This can be from an overdose, accidents, or health problems related to drug use. In 2019, atleast 7,000 people died from a drug overdose.

Drug addiction is a serious problem

Drug addiction can have a devastating effect on your life. The short-term happiness quickly fades after long-term use. Dont take a drug addiction lightly. It can turn into a life-threatening addiction fast. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug addiction, get help as soon as possible.

Adam Mulligan did his degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.

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Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction Drugs and the Brain

Introducing the human brain.

The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. This three-pound mass of gray and white matter sits at the center of all human activity—you need it to drive a car, to enjoy a meal, to breathe, to create an artistic masterpiece, and to enjoy everyday activities. The brain regulates your body's basic functions, enables you to interpret and respond to everything you experience, and shapes your behavior. In short, your brain is you —everything you think and feel, and who you are.

How does the brain work?

The brain is often likened to an incredibly complex and intricate computer. Instead of electrical circuits on the silicon chips that control our electronic devices, the brain consists of billions of cells, called  neurons,  which are organized into circuits and networks. Each neuron acts as a switch controlling the flow of information. If a neuron receives enough signals from other neurons that it is connected to, it fires, sending its own signal on to other neurons in the circuit.

The brain is made up of many parts with interconnected circuits that all work together as a team. Different brain circuits are responsible for coordinating and performing specific functions. Networks of neurons send signals back and forth to each other and among different parts of the brain, the spinal cord, and nerves in the rest of the body (the peripheral nervous system).

To send a message, a neuron releases a  neurotransmitter  into the gap (or  synapse)  between it and the next cell. The neurotransmitter crosses the synapse and attaches to receptors on the receiving neuron, like a key into a lock. This causes changes in the receiving cell. Other molecules called  transporters  recycle neurotransmitters (that is, bring them back into the neuron that released them), thereby limiting or shutting off the signal between neurons.

How do drugs work in the brain?

Drugs interfere with the way neurons send, receive, and process signals via neurotransmitters. Some drugs, such as marijuana and heroin, can activate neurons because their chemical structure mimics that of a natural neurotransmitter in the body. This allows the drugs to attach onto and activate the neurons. Although these drugs mimic the brain’s own chemicals, they don’t activate neurons in the same way as a natural neurotransmitter, and they lead to abnormal messages being sent through the network.

Other drugs, such as amphetamine or cocaine, can cause the neurons to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters or prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals by interfering with transporters. This too amplifies or disrupts the normal communication between neurons.

What parts of the brain are affected by drug use?

Drugs can alter important brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining functions and can drive the compulsive drug use that marks addiction. Brain areas affected by drug use include:

• The basal ganglia,  which play an important role in positive forms of motivation, including the pleasurable effects of healthy activities like eating, socializing, and sex, and are also involved in the formation of habits and routines. These areas form a key node of what is sometimes called the brain’s “reward circuit.” Drugs over-activate this circuit, producing the euphoria of the drug high. But with repeated exposure, the circuit adapts to the presence of the drug, diminishing its sensitivity and making it hard to feel pleasure from anything besides the drug.
• The extended amygdala  plays a role in stressful feelings like anxiety, irritability, and unease, which characterize withdrawal after the drug high fades and thus motivates the person to seek the drug again. This circuit becomes increasingly sensitive with increased drug use. Over time, a person with substance use disorder uses drugs to get temporary relief from this discomfort rather than to get high.
• The prefrontal cortex  powers the ability to think, plan, solve problems, make decisions, and exert self-control over impulses. This is also the last part of the brain to mature, making teens most vulnerable. Shifting balance between this circuit and the circuits of the basal ganglia and extended amygdala make a person with a substance use disorder seek the drug compulsively with reduced impulse control.

Some drugs like opioids also disrupt other parts of the brain, such as the brain stem, which controls basic functions critical to life, including heart rate, breathing, and sleeping. This interference explains why overdoses can cause depressed breathing and death.

How do drugs produce pleasure?

Pleasure or euphoria—the high from drugs—is still poorly understood, but probably involves surges of chemical signaling compounds including the body’s natural opioids (endorphins) and other neurotransmitters in parts of the basal ganglia (the reward circuit). When some drugs are taken, they can cause surges of these neurotransmitters much greater than the smaller bursts naturally produced in association with healthy rewards like eating, hearing or playing music, creative pursuits, or social interaction.

It was once thought that surges of the neurotransmitter  dopamine  produced by drugs directly caused the euphoria, but scientists now think dopamine has more to do with getting us to repeat pleasurable activities (reinforcement) than with producing pleasure directly.

How does dopamine reinforce drug use?

The feeling of pleasure is how a healthy brain identifies and reinforces beneficial behaviors, such as eating, socializing, and sex. Our brains are wired to increase the odds that we will repeat pleasurable activities. The neurotransmitter dopamine is central to this. Whenever the reward circuit is activated by a healthy,

pleasurable experience, a burst of dopamine signals that something important is happening that needs to be remembered. This dopamine signal causes changes in neural connectivity that make it easier to repeat the activity again and again without thinking about it, leading to the formation of habits.

Just as drugs produce intense euphoria, they also produce much larger surges of dopamine, powerfully reinforcing the connection between consumption of the drug, the resulting pleasure, and all the external cues linked to the experience. Large surges of dopamine “teach” the brain to seek drugs at the expense of other, healthier goals and activities.

Cues in a person’s daily routine or environment that have become linked with drug use because of changes to the reward circuit can trigger uncontrollable cravings whenever the person is exposed to these cues, even if the drug itself is not available. This learned “reflex” can last a long time, even in people who haven’t used drugs in many years. For example, people who have been drug free for a decade can experience cravings when returning to an old neighborhood or house where they used drugs. Like riding a bike, the brain remembers.

Why are drugs more addictive than natural rewards?

For the brain, the difference between normal rewards and drug rewards can be likened to the difference between someone whispering into your ear and someone shouting into a microphone. Just as we turn down the volume on a radio that is too loud, the brain of someone who misuses drugs adjusts by producing fewer neurotransmitters in the reward circuit, or by reducing the number of receptors that can receive signals. As a result, the person's ability to experience pleasure from naturally rewarding (i.e., reinforcing) activities is also reduced.

This is why a person who misuses drugs eventually feels flat, without motivation, lifeless, and/or depressed, and is unable to enjoy things that were previously pleasurable. Now, the person needs to keep taking drugs to experience even a normal level of reward—which only makes the problem worse, like a vicious cycle. Also, the person will often need to take larger amounts of the drug to produce the familiar high—an effect known as tolerance.

How Do Drugs Affect Your Life?

Substance use disorder is characterized as a progressive disease that can cause a person to lose control of their lives in ways they never thought possible. The effects of substance misuse and abuse can have a critical impact on several aspects of a person’s life. As a complex disorder, it can cause more than health issues. But just how do drugs affect your life?

For anyone dealing with substance use disorder or caring for someone who suffers from it, you’ll know how invasive the effects can be on everyday life . The impact of substance use can lead to dependence, tolerance, and addiction which can become a catalyst for a host of negative effects that hold the potential to affect all areas of life from relationships to financial stability. This article will explore the changes which can happen in relation to substance misuse, how it impacts life, and how to get the right help to help you focus on getting life back on track.

How Drug Affect Your Life & Relationships

Battling with substance abuse is a daily struggle and sometimes without realizing it, the effects of the way the substance interacts with the body can begin to impact multiple areas of life.

The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics states that out of 8.1 million people using drugs, 25.4% of them suffer from a substance use disorder.

Substances are used in various ways. Sometimes used as prescribed, sometimes for self-medicating, and other times for recreational purposes. Whatever the reason, there is a risk of substance misuse regardless of whether the use of the substance was initially a form of healing a physical wound or used as a way to relax. The misuse of substances is unfortunately common.

The disease of addiction isn’t a simple one. In fact, it’s incredibly complex and can effectively impact all areas of life. However, many of the effects of substance abuse are not always explicit, hence it can be difficult for family and friends to recognize that someone they love may be suffering from a substance use disorder.

For some who are suffering from substance abuse, they experience a state of denial in which they too are unaware of the effects the substance use is causing in their life. It is at this point that loved ones need to step in to recognize the symptoms and ultimately get the required help for recovery. Some of the most common symptoms and signs of a person suffering from substance use disorder include:

• Having a lack of motivation
• Changes in appetite
• Frequently disrupted sleep
• Feelings of paranoia
• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Bloodshot eyes
• Experiencing tremors
• Increased irritability
• A decline in performance or attendance

There are often noticeable signs of addiction, however, understanding how to help a loved one suffering from substance use disorder can be extremely challenging. AspenRidge Recovery can help in offering the right support for you and your loved one.

Physical Impacts Of Substance Abuse

Left untreated, continued substance misuse can have a critical impact on physical health-damaging both the mind and the body. The negative effects of substance misuse can include:

• Experiencing circulation problems
• Organ failure
• Digestive problems
• Sleep disruptions

Not only do drugs work to interact directly with the body causing such effects as the above, but many also directly interact with the central nervous system which has critical psychological effects that negatively impact mental health. Some symptoms of mental impacts include:

• Reduction of cognitive abilities
• Memory loss
• Increased cravings
• Lack of concentration and focus
• Poor decision making

Some of the effects listed can become long-term effects as well as catalysts of having negative effects on other areas of life. Many who suffer from substance use disorder experience entering a cycle of negativity. From physical symptoms of lack of sleep and increased fatigue, they may become irritable, this can become a catalyst for performing poorly at work as a result of a lack of concentration. Not only is their performance at work affected, but also their relationships with their colleagues. Hence, each symptom has the potential to become a catalyst in another area of life from financial stability to how one interacts with their relationships.

Significant Impacts of Substance Abuse

Substance use disorders are associated with a wide range of short- and long-term health effects. They can vary depending on the type of drug, how much and how often it’s taken and the person’s general health. Overall, the effects of drug abuse and dependence can be far-reaching. They can impact almost every organ in the human body.

Emotional and Psychological Effects:

• Increase in suicidal thoughts
• Irrational thinking
• Experiencing depression and anxiety
• Tolerance and dependence

Effects On Financial Stability:

• Increase in poor decision-making

Social Impact:

• Breakdown in intimate relationships
• Lack of respect and trust
• Lack of commitment in other relationships
• Legal implications after an outburst of negative behavior
• Lack of interest in previous hobbies

Taking Back Control With Addiction Treatment

Substance use disorder is a disease and should be treated as such. Though its effects can have a significantly negative impact, it’s important to understand that the behaviors exhibited by those suffering from substance misuse do so because of the substances’ chemical reactions.

The journey to recovery is a tough one and requires support from loved ones. Hence, though the effects can be damaging, it’s never too late to turn over a new leaf and rebuild bridges. The first step to recovery is recognizing the signs of substance abuse and getting the relevant help, whether this is for yourself or someone you care for.

How AspenRidge Recovery Can Help in Recovery

AspenRidge Recovery is a leading addiction treatment facility that is dedicated to offering clients and their families the support they need to reach recovery. AspenRidge Recovery consists of a dual diagnosis approach that works to tackle both the physical and psychological effects of substance misuse. The addiction center provides evidence-based treatment programs that include counseling for clients and their families, partial hospitalization, or intensive in-patient hospitalization. For more information on the treatments available and when you can get started, call us today at (855) 281-5588 to get started on making a change.

Learn more about the effects of alcohol use disorder at Reasons to quit drinking .

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Essay on Harmful Effects of Drugs

Students are often asked to write an essay on Harmful Effects of Drugs in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Harmful Effects of Drugs

Introduction.

Drugs are substances that can alter the way our body functions. While some are beneficial, many have harmful effects.

Physical Harm

Drugs can damage our organs, like the heart and liver, lead to diseases, and cause physical addiction.

Mental Impact

They can also affect our brain, causing memory loss, anxiety, depression, and in severe cases, even psychosis.

Social Consequences

Drug abuse can lead to broken relationships, poor performance in school, and legal troubles.

Understanding the harmful effects of drugs can help us make better choices and lead healthier lives.

250 Words Essay on Harmful Effects of Drugs

Drugs, both legal and illegal, have been a part of human societies for centuries. While they can have medicinal and recreational benefits, the misuse and abuse of drugs can lead to harmful consequences, affecting the individual, their families, and society at large.

Physical Health Implications

The misuse of drugs can lead to a multitude of physical health problems. These range from short-term effects such as impaired judgment, nausea, and increased heart rate to long-term complications like liver damage, heart disease, and cancer. Intravenous drug use can also lead to infectious diseases like HIV and Hepatitis.

Mental Health Consequences

Drugs can have a profound impact on mental health. They can induce psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis. Additionally, the dependency created by drug abuse can lead to a cycle of addiction, causing significant psychological distress.

Societal Impact

The societal impact of drug abuse is vast. It can lead to increased crime rates, as individuals may resort to illegal activities to fund their addiction. The cost of healthcare, law enforcement, and lost productivity due to drug abuse places a significant financial burden on society.

Understanding the harmful effects of drugs is crucial in promoting healthier choices. Education, prevention, and treatment programs are key to mitigating these effects and fostering a healthier society. The misuse of drugs is not just an individual problem; it is a societal issue that requires collective action.

500 Words Essay on Harmful Effects of Drugs

Drugs, both legal and illegal, have a significant impact on the human body and society at large. While some drugs are used for medical purposes and can contribute positively to health when used correctly, misuse or abuse can lead to a myriad of harmful effects. The harmful effects of drugs range from physical and psychological health problems to societal issues such as crime and broken families.

Physical Health Effects

Drugs affect almost every organ in the human body. They interfere with the body’s ability to function normally and can lead to severe health complications. For instance, the use of opioids can lead to respiratory depression, while stimulants like cocaine can cause heart attacks. Long-term drug use can also lead to chronic diseases such as liver cirrhosis, lung cancer, and HIV/AIDS due to shared needles among drug users.

Psychological Health Effects

The mental health impact of drugs is equally devastating. Many drugs alter the brain’s structure and function, leading to changes in perception, mood, and behavior. They can lead to mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and psychosis. Furthermore, drug dependency can result in addiction, a chronic disease characterized by uncontrollable drug-seeking behavior despite harmful consequences.

Societal Impacts

The societal impacts of drug abuse are far-reaching. Drug addiction can lead to broken relationships and families, as the addict’s behavior becomes unpredictable and destructive. It can also result in unemployment due to decreased productivity and inability to maintain regular work schedules. Moreover, drug-related crimes, such as theft and violence, are common as addicts often resort to illegal activities to fund their addiction.

Economic Consequences

The economic burden of drug abuse is enormous. It includes direct costs related to healthcare, law enforcement, and lost productivity, as well as indirect costs such as those associated with premature death and social welfare programs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the economic impact of substance abuse in the United States alone is estimated to be over $600 billion annually.

In conclusion, the harmful effects of drugs are multifaceted, affecting individuals’ physical and mental health and rippling out to impact families, communities, and society at large. The economic toll is also substantial. Therefore, it is crucial to invest in comprehensive prevention and treatment strategies to mitigate these effects. The battle against drug abuse is not just a personal struggle; it is a societal challenge that requires a collective response.

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• Essay on Drug Awareness
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INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH

Unraveling the drug crisis: providing timely data to break the cycle.

IPR’s Lori Ann Post is leading a drug data research center to combat overdose deaths

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The problem is that we're too late. Data were just released for 2021; it's 2024. It's as helpful to me today to combat drug overdose deaths to study the year 2021 as it is 1850. It's just a whole different ballgame out there.”

Lori Ann Post Demographer, epidemiologist, and IPR associate

Throughout its history, the U.S. has battled waves of widespread drug addiction. From painkiller addictions on Civil War battlefields to the 1980s era of crack cocaine, each crisis gives way to a new one.

Today, however, with new drugs constantly emerging, it's becoming harder to keep up with creating drug screenings and medicine to reverse overdoses. This lag leads to more overdose deaths, according to demographer, epidemiologist, and IPR associate Lori Ann Post.

Post emphasizes that we are not in a drug epidemic: We’re in a continuous, evolving drug crisis. Pandemics and epidemics have a clear beginning, middle, and end, she says, but the shape-shifting nature of the drug crisis leaves no end in sight.

The Ohio River Valley Corridor Regional Drug Data Research Center (ORVC-C) , led by Post, aims to keep history from repeating itself. The center aims to support prevention, harm reduction, treatment, public safety, and recovery services, and to create a drug data-sharing model for others. Currently, overdose death data lags two or three years behind.

“The problem is that we're too late. Data were just released for 2021; it's 2024,” Post said. “It's as helpful to me today to combat drug overdose deaths to study the year 2021 as it is 1850. It's just a whole different ballgame out there.”

“By the time we get the evidence we have, it's already too late and the problem has evolved, and it's a new variant of concern and has new treatment and needs,” she explained.

Approximately 107,622 drug overdose deaths were reported in 2021, up nearly 15% from 93,655 deaths in 2020. Over 75% of those deaths involved opioids. The COVID-19 pandemic is commonly blamed for the surge in overdose deaths, but Post said the rates were "skyrocketing" before the pandemic.

Since 1999, almost 645,000 people have died from overdoses involving opioids. This rise in opioid overdose deaths can be explained in waves, according to Post:

• The first wave started in the 1990s due to an increase in opioid prescriptions.
• The second wave began in 2010, marked by a sharp increase in overdose deaths involving heroin.
• The third wave began in 2013, with significant increases in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl.
• The fourth wave began around 2019 and is largely still driven by fentanyl with the addition of stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamines.

Post explains that the fourth wave is further evolving into drug cocktails that are adulterated with animal tranquilizers . This wave is more dangerous than its predecessors, as these drug combinations are more lethal and reversal agents are limited to fentanyl overdoses.

The ORVC-C launched in October with $3.55 million in funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. It operates in the Ohio River Valley Corridor, encompassing Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. These regions bear a lopsided burden of escalating rates of drug overdoses, individuals with substance use disorder, and drug/narcotic violations, Post says.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance has doubled the funding to create a second regional center extending the initial center to New England, New York, and New Jersey.

Within the center, Post established a Central Data Repository (CDR) and a Dissemination and Engagement Center (DEC). The CDR collects, analyzes, and shares comprehensive drug-related data from existing information collected by local, state, and national agencies. This covers labor, crime, public health indicators, and demographic data. The DEC fosters partnerships and produces educational materials to address needs as they arise.

Post says that the center processes data to provide actionable insights for policymakers, public health practitioners, law enforcement, and other stakeholders, while also ensuring accessibility for fellow researchers.

Streamlining the data collection process reduces administrative burdens. It also allows researchers to delve directly into addressing critical issues without unnecessary hurdles.

“The more people doing research on it, the better we're going to do,” she said. “The timelier the data is, the more relevant it is to solving drug use and preventing drug overdose deaths. That’s the whole point.”

Lori Ann Post is the Buehler Professor for Aging, director of the Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics, and an IPR associate.

Photo credit: iStock

Published: May 10, 2024.

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Health Effects of Vaping

At a glance.

Learn more about the health effects of vaping.

• No tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, are safe.
• Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and is a health danger for pregnant people, developing fetuses, and youth. 1
• Aerosol from e-cigarettes can also contain harmful and potentially harmful substances. These include cancer-causing chemicals and tiny particles that can be inhaled deep into lungs. 1
• E-cigarettes should not be used by youth, young adults, or people who are pregnant. E-cigarettes may have the potential to benefit adults who smoke and are not pregnant if used as a complete substitute for all smoked tobacco products. 2 3 4
• Scientists still have a lot to learn about the short- and long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes.

Most e-cigarettes, or vapes, contain nicotine, which has known adverse health effects. 1

• Nicotine is highly addictive. 1
• Nicotine is toxic to developing fetuses and is a health danger for pregnant people. 1
• Acute nicotine exposure can be toxic. Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing vaping liquid through their skin or eyes. More than 80% of calls to U.S. poison control centers for e-cigarettes are for children less than 5 years old. 5

Nicotine poses unique dangers to youth because their brains are still developing.

• Nicotine can harm brain development which continues until about age 25. 1
• Youth can start showing signs of nicotine addiction quickly, sometimes before the start of regular or daily use. 1
• Using nicotine during adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control. 1
• Adolescents who use nicotine may be at increased risk for future addiction to other drugs. 1 6
• Youth who vape may also be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future. 7 8 9 10 11 12

Other potential harms of e-cigarettes

E-cigarette aerosol can contain substances that can be harmful or potentially harmful to the body. These include: 1

• Nicotine, a highly addictive chemical that can harm adolescent brain development
• Cancer-causing chemicals
• Heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead
• Tiny particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
• Volatile organic compounds
• Flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease. Some flavorings used in e-cigarettes may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the lungs process substances differently than the gut.

E-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than the deadly mix of 7,000 chemicals in smoke from cigarettes. 7 13 14 However, this does not make e-cigarettes safe. Scientists are still learning about the immediate and long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes.

Dual use refers to the use of both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes. Dual use is not an effective way to safeguard health. It may result in greater exposure to toxins and worse respiratory health outcomes than using either product alone. 2 3 4 15

Some people who use e-cigarettes have experienced seizures. Most reports to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA ) have involved youth or young adults. 16 17

E-cigarettes can cause unintended injuries. Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions, some of which have resulted in serious injuries. Most explosions happened when the batteries were being charged.

Anyone can report health or safety issues with tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, through the FDA Safety Reporting Portal .

Health effects of vaping for pregnant people

The use of any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, is not safe during pregnancy. 1 14 Scientists are still learning about the health effects of vaping on pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. Here's what we know now:

• Most e-cigarettes, or vapes, contain nicotine—the addictive substance in cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products. 18
• Nicotine is a health danger for pregnant people and is toxic to developing fetuses. 1 14
• Nicotine can damage a fetus's developing brain and lungs. 13
• E-cigarette use during pregnancy has been associated with low birth weight and pre-term birth. 19 20

Nicotine addiction and withdrawal

Nicotine is the main addictive substance in tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. With repeated use, a person's brain gets used to having nicotine. This can make them think they need nicotine just to feel okay. This is part of nicotine addiction.

Signs of nicotine addiction include craving nicotine, being unable to stop using it, and developing a tolerance (needing to use more to feel the same). Nicotine addiction can also affect relationships with family and friends and performance in school, at work, or other activities.

When someone addicted to nicotine stops using it, their body and brain have to adjust. This can result in temporary symptoms of nicotine withdrawal which may include:

• Feeling irritable, jumpy, restless, or anxious
• Feeling sad or down
• Having trouble sleeping
• Having a hard time concentrating
• Feeling hungry
• Craving nicotine

Withdrawal symptoms fade over time as the brain gets used to not having nicotine.

Nicotine addiction and mental health

Nicotine addiction can harm mental health and be a source of stress. 21 22 23 24 More research is needed to understand the connection between vaping and mental health, but studies show people who quit smoking cigarettes experience: 25

• Lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress
• Improved positive mood and quality of life

Mental health is a growing concern among youth. 26 27 Youth vaping and cigarette use are associated with mental health symptoms such as depression. 22 28

The most common reason middle and high school students give for currently using e-cigarettes is, "I am feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed." 29 Nicotine addiction or withdrawal can contribute to these feelings or make them worse. Youth may use tobacco products to relieve their symptoms, which can lead to a cycle of nicotine addiction.

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2016. Accessed Feb 14, 2024.
• Goniewicz ML, Smith DM, Edwards KC, et al. Comparison of nicotine and toxicant exposure in users of electronic cigarettes and combustible cigarettes . JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(8):e185937.
• Reddy KP, Schwamm E, Kalkhoran S, et al. Respiratory symptom incidence among people using electronic cigarettes, combustible tobacco, or both . Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2021;204(2):231–234.
• Smith DM, Christensen C, van Bemmel D, et al. Exposure to nicotine and toxicants among dual users of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes: Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, 2013-2014 . Nicotine Tob Res. 2021;23(5):790–797.
• Tashakkori NA, Rostron BL, Christensen CH, Cullen KA. Notes from the field: e-cigarette–associated cases reported to poison centers — United States, April 1, 2022–March 31, 2023 . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72:694–695.
• Yuan M, Cross SJ, Loughlin SE, Leslie FM. Nicotine and the adolescent brain . J Physiol. 2015;593(16):3397–3412.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes . The National Academies Press; 2018.
• Barrington-Trimis JL, Kong G, Leventhal AM, et al. E-cigarette use and subsequent smoking frequency among adolescents . Pediatrics. 2018;142(6):e20180486.
• Barrington-Trimis JL, Urman R, Berhane K, et al. E-cigarettes and future cigarette use . Pediatrics. 2016;138(1):e20160379.
• Bunnell RE, Agaku IT, Arrazola RA, et al. Intentions to smoke cigarettes among never-smoking US middle and high school electronic cigarette users: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2011-2013 . Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(2):228–235.
• Soneji S, Barrington-Trimis JL, Wills TA, et al. Association between initial use of e-cigarettes and subsequent cigarette smoking among adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis . JAMA Pediatr. 2017;171(8):788–797.
• Sun R, Méndez D, Warner KE. Association of electronic cigarette use by U.S. adolescents with subsequent persistent cigarette smoking . JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(3):e234885.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2010. Accessed Feb 13, 2024.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: 50 Years of Progress. A Report of the Surgeon General . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2014. Accessed Feb 12, 2024.
• Mukerjee R, Hirschtick JL, LZ Arciniega, et al. ENDS, cigarettes, and respiratory illness: longitudinal associations among U.S. youth . AJPM. Published online Dec 2023.
• Faulcon LM, Rudy S, Limpert J, Wang B, Murphy I. Adverse experience reports of seizures in youth and young adult electronic nicotine delivery systems users . J Adolesc Health . 2020;66(1):15–17.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. E-cigarette: Safety Communication - Related to Seizures Reported Following E-cigarette Use, Particularly in Youth and Young Adults . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2019. Accessed Feb 14, 2024.
• Marynak KL, Gammon DG, Rogers T, et al. Sales of nicotine-containing electronic cigarette products: United States, 2015 . Am J Public Health . 2017;107(5):702-705.
• Regan AK, Bombard JM, O'Hegarty MM, Smith RA, Tong VT. Adverse birth outcomes associated with prepregnancy and prenatal electronic cigarette use . Obstet Gynecol. 2021;138(1):85–94.
• Regan AK, Pereira G. Patterns of combustible and electronic cigarette use during pregnancy and associated pregnancy outcomes . Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):13508.
• Kutlu MG, Parikh V, Gould TJ. Nicotine addiction and psychiatric disorders . Int Rev Neurobiol. 2015;124:171–208.
• Obisesan OH, Mirbolouk M, Osei AD, et al. Association between e-cigarette use and depression in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2016-2017 . JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(12):e1916800.
• Prochaska JJ, Das S, Young-Wolff KC. Smoking, mental illness, and public health . Annu Rev Public Health. 2017;38:165–185.
• Wootton RE, Richmond RC, Stuijfzand BG, et al. Evidence for causal effects of lifetime smoking on risk for depression and schizophrenia: a Mendelian randomisation study . Psychol Med. 2020;50(14):2435–2443.
• Taylor G, McNeill A, Girling A, Farley A, Lindson-Hawley N, Aveyard P. Change in mental health after smoking cessation: systematic review and meta-analysis . BMJ. 2014;348:g1151.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.   Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011–2021 . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2023. Accessed Dec 15, 2023.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Protecting Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory . Office of the Surgeon General; 2021. Accessed Jan 5, 2024.
• Lechner WV, Janssen T, Kahler CW, Audrain-McGovern J, Leventhal AM. Bi-directional associations of electronic and combustible cigarette use onset patterns with depressive symptoms in adolescents . Prev Med. 2017;96:73–78.
• Gentzke AS, Wang TW, Cornelius M, et al. Tobacco product use and associated factors among middle and high school students—National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2021 . MMWR Surveill Summ. 2022;71(No. SS-5):1–29.

Smoking and Tobacco Use

Commercial tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States.

For Everyone

Health care providers, public health.

Is my cholesterol drug causing muscle aches?

Statins are life-saving drugs, but about 1 in 10 people find the side effects to be so intolerable that they can’t continue taking the recommended dose.

Q: I started a cholesterol-lowering statin drug a few months ago, and now it seems like my muscles are always sore. How can I know if it’s the statin, the normal aches of aging or something else?

A: Statin drugs work by inhibiting cholesterol production in the liver as well as by removing the cholesterol from waxy deposits in our arteries called plaques. But about 1 in 10 people find the side effects to be so intolerable that they can’t continue taking statins at the recommended dose.

Some people may experience muscle aches, pain, weakness or cramps. The risk of these side effects is higher among female, older, obese, Asian and Black patients. Side effects also are more common among patients with kidney and liver disease.

Statins are lifesaving drugs, and some doctors are hesitant to blame the statin when a patient reports muscle aches. A key question to discuss with your doctor is how long you were taking a statin before the muscle pain started. This can help you determine whether the aches likely are a side effect of the drugs or related to another issue.

Muscle symptoms tend to appear within 12 weeks of starting a new statin or increasing the dose. An analysis published in the Lancet in 2022 found that in the initial months of taking a statin, about 1 in 15 muscle symptoms could be attributed to the medication. While that may not be a huge portion of people, it’s still significant.

However, after one year of treatment, this difference vanished: Muscle symptoms were no different between people taking statins and people taking a placebo.

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What this tells us is that more than 90 percent of all muscle symptoms reported by participants on statins were not actually due to the statins. Instead, their symptoms were likely related to other conditions occurring around the same time — things like infections or autoimmune conditions, vitamin D deficiency, or low thyroid hormone. Also, many people are instructed to start exercising more as part of a healthy lifestyle around the same time as starting a statin, but as we age, our muscles are more prone to aching with exercise than in the past.

Let me emphasize: The findings don’t mean that your muscle symptoms are imagined. They are still very real, and no doctor should brush off what you’re experiencing. If the statin is not the likely culprit, it’s important to work together to investigate other causes.

The impact of statins on our muscles

The most common muscle side effects of statins are pains and aches that aren’t likely to be injurious to your organs but still are extremely unpleasant. A severe muscle injury called myonecrosis, which is when the muscle fibers start to break down, happens to less than 1 in 1,000 patients . In very rare cases, a severe form of myonecrosis, known as rhabdomyolysis, may occur, leading to kidney damage. A study in JAMA found this happens in about 1 in 23,000 people being treated with a statin.

Your muscle symptoms are less likely to be related to your statin if they persist several months after stopping the medication — or, conversely, if they showed up immediately, within a day or so, after initiation. Statins are also less likely to be the problem if the aches started out of the blue after you had been on the medication for several months or years.

What can I do if I think statins are causing muscle pain?

It’s safe to continue your regular activities even when you experience muscle symptoms on statins — including moderate-intensity exercise . If your symptoms are severe, talk to your physician about testing for those rarer forms of muscle injury.

Otherwise, you’ve got a few options to discuss with your provider.

Take a short statin break and restart. A study published last year in PLoS One found that about two-thirds of patients who thought their statin was causing them muscle aches were later able to tolerate their statin when they restarted one after a few weeks of taking a break.

Try a lower dose. The 2022 meta-analysis found that higher doses were associated with increased risk of experiencing muscle symptoms.

Switch to a different statin. Certain statins such as fluvastatin are less commonly associated with muscle issues — potentially because of how they are metabolized by the body.

Explore other medication options. People who take statins such as simvastatin or atorvastatin may be at higher risk of muscle symptoms if they’re taking certain antifungal or antiviral medications, heart medications such as diltiazem or amiodarone, colchicine and fibrates. Review your medication list with your provider to see whether there might be an interaction.

Certainly, if none of these approaches are helpful or feasible, talk to your provider about statin alternatives, such as bempedoic acid .

What I want my patients to know

Statin medications were first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1987 and have dramatically changed how we treat cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. These drugs are lifesaving, but only 35 percent of people who would benefit from a statin are actually taking them.

Statins are not just recommended for people who have had heart attacks or strokes. Many people with high cholesterol, diabetes or high blood pressure can reduce the odds of having a bad outcome by starting one (and, of course, by adopting other good health measures such as quitting smoking and eating a Mediterranean diet). The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends statins for adults ages 40 to 75 with one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Your doctor can do some simple calculations, based on your recent cholesterol levels and other information, to estimate your risk of heart attack over the next 10 years — and see how taking a statin might lower it.

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