Describe the adverse effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

(N/A) The immediate adverse effects of drug and alcohol abuse manifest as reckless behavior, vandalism, and violence. Excessive doses of drugs may lead to coma and death due to respiratory failure, heart failure, or cerebral hemorrhage. $A$ combination of drugs or their intake along with alcohol generally results in overdosing and even death.
Warning signs of drug and alcohol abuse in youth include a drop in academic performance, unexplained absence from school or college, lack of interest in personal hygiene, withdrawal, isolation, depression, fatigue, aggressive and rebellious behavior, deteriorating relationships with family and friends, loss of interest in hobbies, changes in sleeping and eating habits, and fluctuations in weight and appetite.
There are also long-term adverse effects. If an addict is unable to get money to buy drugs or alcohol, they may turn to stealing. The adverse effects are not limited to the individual; an addict can cause mental and financial distress to their family and friends.
Those who take drugs intravenously (direct injection into the vein using a needle or syringe) are at high risk of acquiring $AIDS$ and $Hepatitis-B$. The viruses for these diseases spread from one person to another through shared needles or syringes. Both $AIDS$ and $Hepatitis-B$ infections are chronic and ultimately fatal. They are also transmitted through sexual contact or infected blood.
Alcohol consumption during adolescence often leads to long-term addiction in adulthood. Chronic use of drugs and alcohol damages the nervous system and the liver (causing $cirrhosis$). Use of drugs and alcohol during pregnancy also adversely affects the fetus.
In other forms of abuse, some athletes use drugs to enhance performance. They use narcotic analgesics, anabolic steroids, diuretics, and certain hormones to increase muscle strength and bulk and to promote aggressiveness, resulting in better athletic performance.
In females, side effects of anabolic steroids include masculinization (features like the male), increased aggressiveness, mood swings, depression, menstrual cycle irregularities, excessive hair growth on the face and body, enlargement of the clitoris, and deepening of the voice.
In males, side effects include acne, increased aggressiveness, mood swings, depression, reduction of the size of the testicles, decreased sperm production, potential for kidney and liver dysfunction, breast enlargement, premature baldness, and enlargement of the prostate gland.
These effects are more pronounced with long-term use. In adolescent boys and girls, these can cause severe facial and body acne and premature closure of the growth centers of long bones, resulting in stunted growth.