One Body


By Anna Gomez

My name is Anna (she/her) and I am one of the Mental Health Counseling Interns at Mira Costa. I am in the process of earning my Master’s Degree from National University, where I also obtained my undergraduate degree in psychology with a focus in child psychology.

Drugs and the Body:

You only get one body, one body to protect you, and get you through life. This body works as a system, and when one part is suffering, the rest of your body will work harder to compensate. What does the body do when many parts are suffering for a period and our ability to make decisions is compromised?

Do drugs affect the whole body? 

The answer may be obvious, but complex. When a drug is taken, the substance enters the blood stream and travels to the brain where a “high” is triggered. The drug may also impact the liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart.

For instance, while most of us understand that smoking particularly affects the lungs, what we do not realize is that substances like opiates and pain killers can lead to respiratory depression, which can affect the amount of oxygen distributed to the rest of our body. When oxygen is scarce, and when one experiences respiratory depression, it becomes harder to breathe over time and could eventually lead to an individual not being able to breathe on their own.

Substance use can not only mess with internal organs, but can impact outside appearance as well. 

When the body lacks proper nourishment, individuals may suffer from skin problems, premature aging, dull appearance, dehydration, teeth/gum problems, as well as energy depletion.

We are the ones who control what goes into our bodies. For our bodies to be at their best potential, we should remain mindful of what enters our body, and how we can keep it nourished and healthy.

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