Addiction is a destructive, degrading and dangerous disorder to possess. Though indulging in an addiction is always a choice for the addict, some people are highly prone to addiction and easily fall under its control. The easiest way to defeat addiction is to not let it begin in the first place. This blog is a collection and explanation of images that depict addiction, either literally or figuratively, for the purpose of educating the public on the dangers of addiction. People learn most effectively by seeing something with their own eyes, which is why confronting addiction visually may be the key to preventing it.
When someone is addicted to a substance to the point that they are chemically dependent on it, it has a negative impact on their physical appearance. This is because their body chemistry has a high level of toxicity due to amount of the addictive substance within their system. An addiction to alcohol, street drugs, prescription drugs, cigarettes or food will affect the appearance for the worst, and the worse the addiction, the more disfiguring the consequences are.
One of the most destructive things about addiction is what it does to a person mentally. Addiction debases a person and takes them through a downward spiral of their personal character. Addiction makes a person care more about the object of their addiction than they do all the things that should matter most to them, such as their family, their job and their personal health. By the time they realize what is happening to them, they often do not know how to get their lives back on their own. This causes great despair, hopelessness and sadness to the addict.
And lastly, some of the most powerful addiction images come from the artistic abilities of addicts themselves. To be able to see visually how addiction makes a person feel on the inside speaks volumes. The art of addicts reveals a world of personal torment that some people escape from and some people don’t. If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, you should be aware that every major city in Canada and the United States has addiction treatment facilities, such as addiction treatment services in Calgary, New York, Vancouver and Los Angeles.