ArticlePDF Available

Impact of Drug Addiction on Mental Health

June 2016

Project: Ph.D in Psychology

Authors:

Lovely Professional University

Abstract Objective:Mental health refers as the individual’s adjustment with a maximum of effectiveness, satisfaction, happiness and socially considerate behaviour and the ability to face and accept the reality of life. Excess use of drugs largely affects individual’s mental health. The present research paper explored the impact of drug addiction on mental health. Method:The present study consists of 60 subjects randomly selected among which 30 were adolescents (15 males and 15 females) and 30 adult’s (15 males and 15 females). The P.G.I Health Questionnaire N-I constructed by Varma, Wing and Pershad was used to measure the mental health of drug addicts. The effect of two experimental variables (age and gender) was study on one criterion variable (mental health). For data analysis mean and two way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied. Results: The results revealed that age and gender have significant effect on mental health of drug addicts. Also adults and female addicts show better mental health than adolescents and male addicts. The obtained F ratio was found significant at 0.01 level of significance. Conclusions: On the basis of our findings it is concluded that age and gender are the influential factors in mental health.

Content uploaded by Mohammad Amin Wani

Content may be subject to copyright.

Research Article Open Access

Volume 2 • Issue 1 • 1000110

J Ment Disord Treat

ISSN: 2471-271X JMT an open access journal

Open Access

Research Article

Journal of Mental Disorders

and Treatment

ISSN: 2471-271X

Wani and Sankar, J Ment Disord Treat 2016, 2:1

http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2471-271X.1000110

*Corresponding author: Wani MA, Ph.D Research Scholar of Psychology, Annamalai

University, Tamil Nadu, India, Tel: 04144 238 282; Email: mypsyresearch@outlook.com

Received June 19, 2016; Accepted June 23, 2016; Published June 28, 2016

Citation: Wani MA, Sankar R (2016) Impact of Drug Addiction on Mental Health. J

Ment Disord Treat 2: 110. doi:10.4172/2471-271X.1000110

the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted

use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and

source are credited.

mental illness with suspicions, intemperate fears, mood disorders and

depression. Narcotics and liquor damage the liver, stomach, brain and

nerves which results memory loss, restlessness and so forth. Essentially

cannabis items likewise prompt emotional instability or a general

loss of enthusiasm among clients. Drug dependence is curse which

inuences the client as well as cause physical and enthusiastic trouble

in the family.

In present days no part of the world seems to be free from the

scourge of drug tracking and drug addiction. Millions of drug

addicts, everywhere throughout the world, are driving hopeless lives,

amongst life and death. Drug abuse in India is as old as somewhere

else. From the earliest starting point, cannabis drugs have been being

used than soma rasa, dev booty, opium got to be well known, in India

during Shivaratri and Holi, everybody, male and female, drinks a

beverage made from cannabis leaves and dry fruits. Indeed, even wine

is common in our parties, marriage and so forth. Recently a report in

Times of India shows children as young as nine years are succumbing

to substance misuse [6]. It is exceptionally stunning that Indian

students were found using like nail polish, whitener uids, shoes polish

as drug. e dishonorable thing is they additionally use dirty water of

their socks as drug. Use of drugs in India is rapidly growing people with

dierent age group use various types of drugs which is a serious cause

that is why the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself called on the

youth of India to make India drug free.

Rich source of literature is available that highlights the impact

of drug addiction on mental health few of them are mentioned here

Impact of Drug Addiction on Mental Health

Wani MA* and Sankar R

Department of Psychology, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Objective: Mental health refers as the individual’s adjustment with a maximum of effectiveness, satisfaction,

happiness and socially considerate behaviour and the ability to face and accept the reality of life. Excess use of

drugs largely affects individual’s mental health. The present research paper explored the impact of drug addiction

on mental health.

Method: The present study consists of 60 subjects randomly selected among which 30 were adolescents (15

males and 15 females) and 30 adult’s (15 males and 15 females). The P.G.I Health Questionnaire N-I constructed by

Varma, Wing and Pershad was used to measure the mental health of drug addicts. The effect of two experimental

variables (age and gender) was study on one criterion variable (mental health). For data analysis mean and two way

analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied.

Results: The results revealed that age and gender have signicant effect on mental health of drug addicts. Also

adults and female addicts show better mental health than adolescents and male addicts. The obtained F ratio was

found signicant at 0.01 level of signicance.

Conclusions: On the basis of our ndings it is concluded that age and gender are the inuential factors in mental

health.

Keywords: Mental health; Age; Gender

Introduction

Health is the level of utilitarian or metabolic eectiveness of a living

being. In humans, it is the general state of a man's brain, body and

soul, normally intending to be free from sickness, harm or agony. It is

a condition of complete physical, mental, social wee being and not just

the nonattendance of malady or illness [1].

e term mental health alludes to cognitive or enthusiastic

prosperity of a person. It is about how individuals think, feel and act.

Mental health is a condition of prosperity in which each individual

understands his or her own particular potential, can adapt to the

typical hassles of life and can make a commitment to his or her

community (WHO). Mental health is "enthusiastic, behavioral, and

social development or ordinariness; the nonappearance of a mental

or behavioral issue; a condition of mental prosperity in which one has

accomplished a palatable mix of one's instinctual drives satisfactory to

both oneself and one's social milieu; a proper equalization of aection,

work, and recreation interests" (Med vocabulary's therapeutic lexicon).

A drug alludes to any substance that could achieve an adjustment

in the biological function through its synthetic activities [2]. Drug is

a substance that alters observations, cognition, mood, behaviour and

generally behaviour and general body capacities) [3].

Addiction is one of the socio-psychological issues of the current

global community [4]. Addiction is an interminable state in which a

man expends sedates over and over which prompts steady changes

in his behavior, feelings, and thinking in which the individual loses

his/her control and damages him/her or others [5]. Drug addiction

alludes to physiological compulsion and psychological dependency. It

is incessant and ongoing utilization of any medication or compound

substance without medical prescription that alters the physical and

mental states.

Drug addiction causes dierent physiological, organic and also

psychological problems, distinctive sort of drugs and their items

cause diverse issues like stimulant and hallucinogenic drugs produce

Citation: Wani MA, Sankar R (2016) Impact of Drug Addiction on Mental Health. J Ment Disord Treat 2: 110. doi:10.4172/2471-271X.1000110

Page 2 of 3

Volume 2 • Issue 1 • 1000110

J Ment Disord Treat

ISSN: 2471-271X JMT an open access journal

Khushehmehri et al. [7] investigated that addiction to drugs is common

among dierent age groups. ey also found that the young are more

disposed to drugs. Nagy [8] in his study discovered that adolescents

have indicated dierential react to episodic drinking. Results revealed

that alcohol consumption signicantly damaged the brain of both the

adults and the adolescents. Lasser et al. [9] investigated that 44% of

the cigarettes smoked have psychiatric or substance abuse disorder.

Solowij [10] researched the long term eects of cannabis on the

central nervous system. Results uncovered that long term cannabis

use (daily or near daily use for 10 years or more) was associated

with impairment of selective attention. Fergusson et al. [11] assessed

the short term consequences of early cannabis use. ey found that

youngsters who reported early cannabis use showed early tendencies

to delinquency, poor mental health and educational achievement,

they are more aliations with reprobate or substance-using peers

and more family dysfunction. Warner et al. [12] uncovered that drug

abuse and dependence are more common among men than among

women; the sex ratio for drug abuse is closer to equal than that for

alcoholism. Mensch and Kandel [13] in their study dropping out of

high school and drug involvement found that high school graduates

reported signicantly more use of cannabis during adolescence than

college graduates. Weller et al. [14] led a study on marijuana use and

psychiatric illness. ey discovered cannabis utilize also co morbid

with conduct disorder in children and adolescents and with antisocial

personality disorder in adults. Dube and Handa [15] revealed that

mental illness among alcohol users is signicantly low than those who

take other drugs. Results showed that psychotic use more drugs than

neurotic and normal people [16-18].

Methodology and Design

Problem

To study the impact of drug addiction on mental health

Objectives

1. To nd the eect of age on mental health of drug addicts

2. To nd the eect of gender on mental health of drug addicts

3. To nd the interaction eect between age and gender on mental

health of drug addicts

Hypotheses

1. ere would be no signicant dierence found between the

mean scores of mental health of adolescent and adult drug

addicts.

2. ere would be no signicant dierence found between the

mean scores of mental health of male and female drug addicts.

3. ere would be no signicant interaction found between age

and gender of drug addicts

Variables: In the present study the eect of two experimental

variables (age and gender) was found on one criterion variable (mental

health).

Samples: e present study consist sample of 60 drug addicts

selected through randomly sampling method. ese 60 samples were

equally divided into two groups (adolescent and adult). Further these

two groups were divided into two more groups (male and female).

Measuring tool: P.G.I Health Questionnaire N-I constructed by

S.K Varma, N.N. Wing and D. Pershad was used by the investigator

for the measurement of mental health of addicts. e questionnaire

consists of 38 Items (16 items in Area-A) and (22 items in Area-B).

e reliability of the test was measured by test-retest and split half

methods and was found signicantly high (0.88 and 0.86 respectively).

e Area-A and Area-B was scored as 1 and the number of cross from

both Area-A and Area-B was scored as 0.

Results

e current study mainly strived to investigate the eect of age and

gender on mental health of drug addicts. e data was analyzed to see

the signicance of the main as well as interaction eects. e obtained

raw data of two main variables therefore age and gender were designed

as A and B respectively. e two levels of eect of age on mental health

were designed as adolescents (A1) and adults (A2) and the two levels

of eect of gender on mental health were designed as male (B1) and

female (B2) respectively. All obtained scores were arranged in tabular

form. Mean and two way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to

saw the main as well as interaction eects. Results are given in tables

(Tables 1-3, Graphs 1 and 2).

Discussion

e results of present study demonstrated that both the independent

variables aect the mental health of drug addicts. e signicant

dierences were found between the mean scores of adolescents and

adults. e mean score of adolescents (A1) were found 20.13 and adults

(A2) 24.67 respectively. On the basis of our results we can say that adult

Age of drug

addicts N Total scores Mean (X)

Adolescents 30 604 20.13

Adults 30 740 24.67

Table 1: Showing mean scores of age of drug addicts.

Gender of drug addicts N Total scores Mean ( )

Male 30 560 18.67

Female 30 784 26.13

Table 2: Showing mean scores of gender of drug addicts.

Table 3: Summary table of analysis of variance.

Sources of

Variation

Sum of

Scores

Degree of

freedom Mean Score F. Ratio P

(A) Age of

Addicts 308.26 1 308.26 8.76 >0.01

(B) Gender

of addicts 836.26 1 836.26 23.77 >0.01

Interaction

effect (AB) 144.09 1 144.09 4.09 >0.05

Within group

error 1969.79 56 35.17 0