Images of Addiction

Addiction is not pretty to look at by any means. I am not referring to the out of control behavior or sticky situations that addicts get themselves into, although those things are unattractive as well. A person’s actual physical appearance changes when they are addicted, particularly to a substance. The more severe and extended the substance abuse is, the worse off the person’s appearance will end up. This is not a vain observation, but rather a general health concern. Permanent damage done to a person’s appearance is always an indication of bodily unhealthiness.

For example, we know that alcoholism destroys the liver and can be the cause of many different forms of disease. What is less known is that the bodily destruction that alcoholism causes can be seen on a person’s face as an indication of their failing health. Many alcoholics have a yellowed appearance and unhealthy skin tones. The texture of their skin is becoming visibly leathery, saggy and creased. Their teeth are stained by the repeated consumption of acidic alcohol and they have bags under their bloodshot eyes.

Drug addicts also leave a person with an unflattering physical appearance. Over use of street or prescription drugs has drastic effects on people’s weight, skin and features. Drugs that are depressants tend to pack pounds on people, while stimulants rob people of their weight. Drugs can change the hue of a person’s skin and eyes, dulling them out. There are a number of drugs that can cause sores and abrasions on the skin when used in excess, and drugs like crack cocaine rot the teeth until there is nothing left of them.

And lastly, smoking has one of the most recognizable deteriorated faces in our society. A smoker’s skin becomes hollow, sunken and gray. Lines appear on their faces and yellowing occurs on their teeth. Their breath usually carries an overwhelming scent of cigarette smoke, and their eyes are sunken and red.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAruOKOhe9k

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.