The effects of substance abuse on the body are numerous and often dangerous. Drug addiction and alcoholism are progressive, chronic, and fatal if left untreated. Depending on the type of drugs and the amount of use can cause different types of harmful damage. Some damage may last for years or can be permanent and sometimes result in death. Substance abuse has been increasing over the years and therefore more and more people are causing damage to their bodies. Below is a brief overview of how the different types of drugs affect the body. While this is not a complete list of the effects of substance abuse on the body, it describes what happens once you start abusing the most common dangerous drugs.