Nutrition & Substance Abuse

Substance abuse impacts an individual on a number of levels, including having a negative impact on a person's lifestyle. Specifically, substance abuse causes a person's diet to degrade resulting in poor nutrition and ever-increasing health problems.

Vitamin Deficiency

Substance abuse results in vitamin deficiency, particularly in regard to vitamin B-6, folic acid and thiamine.

Weight :Loss

Weight loss is a common nutritional problem associated with substance abuse because individual abusers fail to eat an appropriate diet.

Malnutrition

In some cases, a substance abuser's weight loss becomes so severe that malnutrition exists.

Disease

Because of inappropriate nutrition, some substance abusers end up afflicted with different diseases, including diabetes.

Electrolyte Imbalance

Poor nutrition associated with substance abuse can result in electrolyte imbalance, an imbalance in sodium, chloride and potassium in the body.

References

• Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Diet and Substance Abuse
• Therapist's Guide to Substance Abuse Intervention, Sharon L. Johnson, 2003
• American Accreditation HealthCare Commission, Diet and Substance Abuse

Resources

• National Institutes of Health, Diet and Substance Abuse