SEE IT: Project shows the shocking physical repercussions of drug addiction

Published on November 25, 2014 By Victoria Taylor Before and after photos are one way to demonstrate the devastating side effects of substance abuse, but Rehabs.com has taken that a step further by turning the transformations into a series of startling GIFs. The site’s new “Faces of Addiction” project paints a clear picture of what can happen to a person’s appearance when drug addiction takes over a person’s life. “Few things take a physical toll on the body quicker than illicit drugs,” an infographic on the page reads. “Not only does the body deteriorate in a rapid fashion, the face is dramatically affected as well.” Rehabs.com used the mug shots of 13 men and women who were booked on drug-related charges to show the direct effects of substance abuse, like open sores and missing teeth, and well as the indirect consequences like self-neglect. One shocking before and after shot of a 23-year-old woman shows the impact drug addiction can have on your appearance in a year. Another entry highlights the startling metamorphosis of a 59-year-old woman over the course of 16 years. As Rehabs.com points out, the pictures are extreme cases and “do not necessarily show the direct result of drug abuse or addiction.” “Rather, they depict the physical deterioration of individuals who have been involved in repeated arrests, and serve as a startling visual timeline – with appearances profoundly altered as a consequence of life impacted by drugs or drug-related crime,” the disclaimer on the site reads. Rehabs.com, which helps people find drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, has done similar projects in the past relating to booze and meth addiction.