Does drug abuse cause mental disorders, or vice verse?
Drug abuse and mental disorders often co–exist. In some cases, mental diseases may precede addiction; in other cases, drug abuse may trigger or exacerbate mental disorders, particularly in individuals with specific vulnerabilities. What harmful consequences to others result from drug addiction? Beyond the harmful consequences for the addicted individual, drug abuse can cause serious health problems for others. Three of the more devastating and troubling consequences of addiction are: • Negative effects of prenatal drug exposure on infants and children It is likely that some drug–exposed children will need educational support in the classroom to help them overcome what may be subtle deficits in developmental areas such as behavior, attention, and cognition. Ongoing work is investigating whether the effects of prenatal exposure on brain and behavior extend into adolescence to cause developmental problems during that time period. • Negative effects of second–hand smoke Second–hand tobacco
