Drug Addiction

Drug Addiction and Drug Abuse

2009-12-30T05:43:00.000-08:00

People use drugs for a variety of reasons – mostly, though, to numb the pain of everyday life so they don’t have to face it. Eventually drug use turns to drug abuse and finally to drug addiction. Most people use the two terms interchangeably, but the truth is there is a difference between drug abuse and drug addiction.

Drug abuse is the use of illegal drugs or the inappropriate use of legal drugs. People who abuse drugs are using them to obtain a specific feeling – a “high” – that they can’t get from other substances. Often drug abuse is recreational with the drugs being used to loosen a person up and make them feel like they fit in with the crowd.

Drug addiction, on the other hand, is the uncontrollable use of drugs and the inability to stop using drugs in spite of health or social consequences. People with a drug addiction are physically and emotionally unable to stop using drugs. Their bodies have become used to having the drug in the system, and stopping the drug use brings about often painful physical and psychological symptoms.

Drug addiction does begin with drug abuse when an individual makes a conscious choice to use drugs, but addiction is not just "a lot of drug use." Recent scientific research provides overwhelming evidence that not only do drugs interfere with normal brain functioning creating powerful feelings of pleasure, but they also have long-term effects on brain metabolism and activity.

At some point, changes occur in the brain that can turn drug abuse into addiction, a chronic, relapsing illness. Those addicted to drugs suffer from a compulsive drug craving and usage and cannot quit by themselves. Treatment is necessary to end this compulsive behavior.

Many people view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem. Parents, teens, older adults, and other members of the community tend to characterize people who take drugs as morally weak or as having criminal tendencies. They believe that drug abusers and addicts should be able to stop taking drugs if they are willing to change their behavior. This just isn’t true.

People from all walks of life abuse drugs and become addicted. We can start combating these problems if we educate ourselves and each other about drug abuse and drug addiction. It is an ever-growing epidemic that doesn’t have to take hold of people or society. Drug abuse and drug addiction can be stopped, but only if we start with education.

Drug Addiction

2009-12-27T05:42:00.000-08:00

People don’t start using drugs with the intent to become addicted. Drug addiction can be a sneaky foe sneaking up on a user before he or she knows it. Addicts didn’t set out to destroy their lives intentionally. All they wanted to do was have a little fun, escape a little stress, feel a little bit more normal.

But drug addiction is a very real consequence of drug use. For many, drugs seem to be a means of averting emotional and/or physical pain by providing the user with a temporary and illusionary escape from or way to cope with life's realities.

Example, an individual tries drugs or alcohol. The drugs APPEAR to solve his problem. He feels better. Because he now SEEMS better able to deal with life, the drugs become valuable to him. The person looks on drugs or alcohol as a cure for unwanted feelings. The painkilling effects of drugs or alcohol become a solution to their discomfort.

Inadvertently the drug or alcohol now becomes valuable because it helped them feel better. This release is the main reason a person uses drugs or drinks a second or third time. It is just a matter of time before he becomes fully addicted and loses the ability to control his drug use. Drug addiction, then, results from excessive or continued use of physiologically habit-forming drugs in an attempt to resolve the underlying symptoms of discomfort or unhappiness.

When a person is suffering from drug addiction, they are unable to control their urges to use drugs. They consciously KNOW that drugs are bad for them and in their hearts, they want to quit, but by the time addiction has taken control, it’s virtually impossible for them to do so. Their bodies have become used to the drug and going without it is a painful proposition.

Using drugs can turn into a double-edged sword. People start using drugs to escape pressure and guilt from everyday life, but then they are mentally stressed because of their unethical behavior and the only way they know to escape those feelings is to take more drugs. It’s a vicious cycle.

Drug addiction has taken hold of almost 35 percent of the American population, and that number is just growing. With effective treatment, recovery from drug addiction is possible, but it takes commitment and effort. A person doesn’t become addicted to drugs overnight, and becoming drug-free won’t happen overnight either. The good news is that a drug-free life is just around the corner – when you go looking for it!

Drug Abuse and Addiction

2009-12-24T05:42:00.000-08:00

The words drug abuse and drug addiction are often used interchangeably, but in reality, there is a difference between abuse of a drug and addiction. Addiction does begin with drug abuse, but addiction is much more than a lot of drug use. It is much more than that.

Drug abuse is basically the repeated or uncontrolled use of controlled substances. It can also be defined as the habitual misuse of a chemical substance. This definition includes the use of drugs for purposes other than what they were intended. In fact, drug abuse has a range of definitions, but all suggest disapproval at the use or overuse of a drug for non-therapeutic reasons.

Drug addiction, on the other hand is when the body has an uncontrollable craving for a drug and absence of that drug in a person’s system causes adverse effects such as insomnia, uncontrollable shaking, and nausea. Drugs interfere with the normal functioning of the brain making it altered to the point that functioning without the drug is virtually impossible.

When a person is addicted to drugs, they continue to use the drug despite adverse health reactions and possible damage to their bodies. They disregard their personal health in favor of continuing the feeling that they get when they are on their drug of choice. Stopping usage is just not a viable option for them. This is when abuse becomes addiction and when it must be faced and addressed head on.

Understanding drug abuse and addiction can help in preventing drug use to rise to problem proportions. When you know exactly what you are dealing with, it’s a little easier to begin looking for treatment options.

Whether you or a loved one is abusing drugs or are addicted to drugs, treatment needs to be sought as soon as possible to help ward off serious health implications. Treatment can have a profound effect on both the drug user, but also on society as a whole. Healing the addicts in our society improves social and psychological functioning and makes for a more peaceful community and world.

In fact, drug abuse is the number one cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. It doesn’t matter if we talk about cocaine, heroin, or alcohol, a drug is a drug and those drugs cause problems with the human body. It is preventable and education is the first step.

Drug abuse and addiction are blights on society. Both have been around for years and years, but if we take the time to recognize not only the difference between the two, but also the signs and signals that indicate drug use, we can begin to heal ourselves both as individual people and as a society.

Definition of Drug Addiction

2009-12-21T05:41:00.000-08:00

Even though drug addiction is a complex disease, assigning a definition for that disease is actually quite simple. Drug addiction is, in its simplest form, defined as the continued compulsive use of drugs in spite of adverse health or social consequences.

The definition of drug addiction should also include the fact that it is a state of heavy dependence on a specific drug. Generally, it’s thought of as a physical dependence, but in actuality, there is a psychological addiction as well as an emotional dependence. Some say that it is compulsive and pathological drug use or substance dependence.

Drug addiction is also a behavior disorder as the initial drug use is generally done as a reaction to a behavior or situation that seems out of control to the user. The user seems to have no other choice but to use that drug because of the body’s dependence on the fact that the drug will remain present in the system.

A distinction should be made between drug use and drug addiction. It is possible for people to use drugs without becoming addicted, but that is generally limited to prescription drug use. People who take drugs to cope with a physical ailment do so to control pain or the adverse effects of a physical condition. Those drugs improve the quality of life for the sufferer, but they are not necessarily addicted to the drugs.

To be dependent on a drug – or addicted to it – the user must take the drug regularly, and they experience unpleasant symptoms if they stop using the drug such as nausea or sleep disturbance. Substance abuse or addiction is present when a person uses a drug despite the harm that it causes to their system.

There is a difference between drug abuse and drug addiction. Drug abuse occurs when a person uses excessive amounts of a drug at one time or frequently. Drug addiction is present when a person cannot stop using the drug and stopping the drug seems like an impossibility.

Of course, no definition of drug addiction is complete without noting that it is both a physical dependence as well as a psychological one. Physical dependency occurs when a drug has been used habitually and the body has become accustomed to its effects. Psychological dependency is present when the drug is used habitually and the mind has become accustomed to the effects the drug produces.

When drug addiction affects a person’s life, the definition of that drug addiction becomes a bit less important than the reasons why people use. However, it can help multitudes if a definition is specified so that a better understanding of drug addiction can occur.

Cops Bust Drug Ring

2009-12-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

You can hear it or see it in the news all the time. When cops bust up a drug ring, they are often hailed as heroes – and they pretty much are. Drug rings are sophisticated networks of drug dealers who distribute drugs in a widespread area. They begin with one person responsible for importing or manufacturing drugs. Those drugs are given to a second level person who distributes to individual dealers who sell the drugs on the street.

The people who run these drug rings are living a lavish lifestyle and profiting off the drugs that they peddle. Some of the biggest drug ring busts we hear about occur along the coastlines where smugglers will bring over large quantities of drugs from places like Columbia or Costa Rica.

But cops bust drug rings all the time right here in the United States. A quick “Google” search shows all sorts of news stories about how police have busted up drug rings in American cities. These busts usually involve intense surveillance and take quite a bit of time in order to build a case against the dealers.

Drug rings are located all over the United States, Canada, and also in foreign countries. You see, drugs are big business, so when these dealers find a way to increase their traffic and make more money, that’s when they begin to form a drug ring. When cops go to bust a drug ring, they have spent a lot of time building a case against the people involved.

Drug kingpins who run drug rings find out quite quickly that a bust is a very “expensive” endeavor. By “expensive”, we mean all assets acquired by the leader will be seized if cops suspect those assets were bought with drug money. Bank accounts are frozen, and personal property is gathered as the case against the leader gets stronger.

When cops bust a drug ring, the people who are arrested face a pretty hefty sentence as well. These vary from state to state and from country to country of course, but in general, sentences can run anywhere from 10 years to life in a penitentiary. They also face hefty fine and their families are inevitably affected.

Busting drug rings is a high priority for not only our federal government, but also for state and local municipalities. It’s essential for controlling the effects that drugs have on our society. When cops bust more drug rings, that’s one less chance that drugs will be available for sale and consumption – and then we can begin winning the war on drugs!

Celebrity Drug Addiction

2009-12-15T05:40:00.000-08:00

Drug addiction knows no boundaries and doesn’t pick or choose who it will affect. Celebrity drug addiction is commonplace today in the business, and it is just spotlighted more because of the high profiles of today’s celebrities. It’s not uncommon to hear about another celebrity entering rehab for drug addiction. The list can read like a Who’s Who of Hollywood.

Big names like Whitney Houston, Keith Urban, Charlie Sheen, Robert Downey, Jr., and Drew Barrymore, to name just a few, have all been through drug rehabilitation for their addictions, and the list is much longer than that! Why do so many celebrities fall prey to the perils of drug addiction?

Just like people who are not in the limelight, celebrities deal with different stresses in their lives. The difference is that their stresses are much larger in general than everyday people. They have to deal with paparazzi, managers, critics, the media, and every word they say is noted and commented on.

There is a lot of insecurity in the world of fame and fortune. When celebrities feel that insecurity so strongly, they look for a way out, an escape from their problem – that escape is often drugs. That’s not even taking into consideration the price that comes with sudden fame.

When celebrities go from being everyday people to being thrust into the spotlight, they often have trouble adjusting. Leading a private life doesn’t become an option as their every move is followed and their rises and falls are noted sometimes with scorn from fans.

There’s something that goes along with celebrity in that many stars feel as if they’re almost immune to the possibility of becoming addicted to drugs. It’s a matter of having so much money, they figure, “Why not, I won’t get addicted”. Being a celebrity is a hugely stressful profession and actually, they are more prone to drug addiction because of that stress.

Celebrity drug addiction is really no different from non-celebrity drug addiction. It is just as serious and just as difficult to quit. That is why so many celebrities are seeking out rehab facilities in an attempt to kick their habit for good. Places like Promises and The Betty Ford Clinic are brimming with celebrity patients seeking to overcome their drug addiction.

The good news is that with celebrity drug addiction becoming so well-known, more people are less afraid to seek out treatment for their own addictions. They realize that if the people they look up to – celebrities – can fall victim to drug addiction, so can they. And if those same people are strong enough to be treated for that drug addiction, they can be strong as well.

Causes of Drug Addiction Treated by Narconon

2009-12-12T05:40:00.000-08:00

Narconon is a secular rehabilitation program that specializes in treating the causes of drug addiction along with the addiction itself. Narconon is based on the beliefs and writings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and looks at the causes of drug addiction from an addict’s perspective so it can effectively treat the drug addiction.

The treatment does not use any drugs of any type to ease the pain of withdrawal and provides drug rehabilitation, education, and prevention services. Much of Narconon’s programs are presented in school classrooms using materials developed by the Narconon professionals. The materials are meant to supplement the school’s existing drug prevention program.

Proponents of the Narconon program claim a 70 percent success rate with combating drug addiction compared to a 30 percent rate in other rehabilitation programs. Hubbard created the program after doing extensive research and studies on drug addiction causes and how to combat the disease effectively without the use of drugs.

The premise of the Narconon model states that addicts can resume normal, healthy, productive lives when they work with the skills they are given in the program. The program can be administered out-patient or at an in-patient Narconon sanctioned facility.

Generally, the Narconon program takes four to six months to work effectively. Participants are said to be going “back to school” to become re-educated on drugs, the dangers of drug, drug addiction, and drug recovery. All of this is done without the benefit of pharmaceutical help.

Like the Scientology religion, Narconon has its opponents who say that the information that is presented isn’t always scientifically sound even if the program claims it is. They say that Narconon skews information so that it supports their conclusions and doesn’t give the whole picture. Some see that as a form of brain washing and thus write off Narconon as a scam.

Opponents also say that the educational materials given to schools don’t take into account developmental abilities of the students they are trying to reach. The materials for elementary schools are basically the same as the materials for high schools. The materials are more scientific without providing explanations or definitions for presenters to help children with their comprehension of what is being presented.

The causes of drug addiction are wide and varied and Narconon claims to address them fully through their program. Even if their information isn’t as accurate as some would hope, they do have a certain amount of success with those who go through their classes. Because the causes of drug addiction are far-reaching, perhaps Narconon is an answer for those who need it.

Causes of Drug Addiction

2009-12-09T05:39:00.000-08:00

Why do some people choose to use drugs when they’re so bad for you? The causes of drug addiction are as varied as the amount of drugs that are available for use – both legally and illegally. There is no one cause for drug addiction just like there is no consistent profile of a drug user.

People who have a history of drug use or abuse in their families are at risk for drug addiction problems. It has been proven that children of alcoholics will exhibit addictive tendencies. Children of alcoholics or drug users generally have low self-esteem and see their parents escaping from problems using drugs. When they see this, their minds say that this is the way to act and they themselves become users.

There is also a biological basis for causing drug addiction. Drugs alter the brain’s chemicals and the way the brain functions. Drug addiction creates dependence in the brain by changing the brain’s reward functions – the part that reinforces certain behaviors.

Prescription drug addiction is caused by the person’s inability to function without the drug in their system. People become addicted to prescription drugs because they usually are taking them to overcome some type of pain. They begin to feel that if they are not taking their pills, the pain will return.

Some people are more prone to addiction than others. People who have low self-esteem, are often depressed, and who feel they have no control over their lives will often turn to drugs as a way to cope. They often feel they can’t please the people around them so they have to change themselves in order to fit in. The change is made easier by using drugs because the drugs transform them into someone and something that they are not.

Stress is often attributed as a cause of drug addiction. Life can be very stressful no matter who you are. Some of us are better able to cope with stress than others. Others still just look for an easy way to forget their stress – and that easy way is through drugs. Once the drug use starts, it’s often difficult to get away from it because the stresses will still be there once the high is gone, so the user feels he or she needs more drugs to cope. That type of cycle leads to addiction.

Finally, drugs are easily accessible. They are available in many places if you just ask around for them. Because of that easy access, it’s more likely that a person will begin using eventually becoming addicted.

The causes of drug addiction are wide and varied. The key to stopping drug addiction is to get rid of those causes before they become a problem.

Books on Drug Addiction

2009-11-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

Drug addiction is the subject of many books that are out on the market today. When you have an epidemic that so many people suffer from like drug addiction, writers often make that epidemic the subject of their books in the hopes that they will be able to help people recover from their problems and leave their unhealthy life behind.

Walk into any bookstore, go to the self-help section, and see how many books there are on drug addiction. For those who are struggling with addiction, it can be a soothing sight. If you have a loved one with addiction, it’s a comfort as well to know that there are so many tools available for you to help your loved one beat their habits.

A quick search on www.amazon.com for “drug addiction recovery” shows over 200 books available for sale. That’s a huge selection to choose from!

There are also a number of e-books available online that can be purchased and downloaded often for just a little bit of money. These e-books are often written by very qualified people who have researched the subject in-depth and brought together information from various sources. The advantage to buying an e-book is that you don’t have to pore through several different websites to get information plus, you can usually download them any time of the day or night. How convenient is that?

You don’t necessarily have to buy a book on drug addiction. There is a wealth of information available at your public library as well. Most libraries will let you keep your book for an extended period of time as long as you continue to renew the check-out.

What should you look for in a book on drug addiction? Actually, a lot! First, look at the author. Are they a medical professional or a therapist? Do they have the qualifications and credibility to write a book on drug addiction?

Is the book organized well and easy to read? Does it have chapters that apply to your particular situation? When you look over the index, see if anything interests you or looks like it’s something you have never thought about when it comes to drug addiction.

Of course, price has got to be a big factor when you are choosing a book on drug addiction. Will you be getting the information you need for the money you will be spending? Most books will be priced in the $20 - $40 range at the bookstore. E-books are generally much cheaper, so keep that in mind when making your selection.

If you are dealing with a drug addiction or have a loved one with a drug addiction, books can be great resources for getting help with the problem. Being pro-active when it comes to the situation you are in makes recovery from drug addiction a slightly easier road to travel. When you are armed with information, you’ll have the tools you need!

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

2009-11-13T16:09:00.000-08:00

Many people don’t really consider alcohol a drug. After all, it is legal to drink – as long as you’re of age. But the real truth is that alcoholism is a form of drug addiction just as serious and harmful as addiction to other drugs. Because alcohol is legal to drink, many people just think of alcohol as another beverage.

Drug addiction is defined as an uncontrollable craving for a substance that a person feels they must have in order to live. Alcoholism is defined in much the same way. When a person has an addiction to alcohol, they can’t see their life without drinks in it. The presence of alcohol has become a “given” and they are not willing to give that crutch up without a fight. The cold harsh reality is that people with alcoholism are drug addicts plain and simple.

Alcoholism causes a person to think that they cannot live without the “buzz” that alcohol gives them. Alcohol has been classified as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration, so a person with alcoholism does suffer from a drug addiction.

The good news is that there is help for people who are suffering. Perhaps the most well-known organization that helps people with alcoholism is Alcoholics Anonymous. This is a private group that meets several times a week and centers on twelve steps of recovery. Making it through the twelve steps leads to a full recovery from alcohol addiction although it is still a struggle to stay sober.

People who have a drug addiction to substances such as heroin and cocaine suffer from withdrawal symptoms. People with alcoholism do too. The far-reaching effects of drug addiction and alcoholism can stay with a person for years making it obvious that the similarities between the two evident.

When you decide to seek out help for your alcoholism, it’s important that you acknowledge the fact that you are also suffering from an addiction to a powerful drug. Once you face that fact, you can really start on the road to recovery.

Alcoholism is a serious disease just as drug addiction is. While you may not think that being addicted to alcohol is as serious as being addicted to heroin, it can still affect your body in ways you never even thought of. Do a little research and pay attention to what the experts say about your problem.

If you think you have an addiction to the drug that causes alcoholism – alcohol – it’s important that you seek help as soon as you can. You deserve to be healthy and live a long, clean life. The time to start is now.

Alcohol and Drug Addiction

2009-11-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

There are some scary things in our world today, but none is more scary than an addiction to drugs and alcohol. It’s a growing problem in our society, and alcohol and drug addiction has become a tough nut to crack, so to speak.

Drugs and alcohol make people feel good. When they are able to feel those feelings, they are apt to use more just to maintain that feeling. Eventually, the drugs and/or alcohol take hold of a person’s life until they are completely controlled by the effects they are used to. They may realize they have a problem, but when the painful withdrawal symptoms start, using seems like a much better option than suffering.

The United States has declared a “war on drugs”. This is a great effort, but it might just be too big of an epidemic to control. The real truth is that if we take a personal interest in healing those around us, we can gain control of the problem one person at a time – if we’re lucky.

Recognizing the signs of alcohol and drug addiction are actually quite easy – when you know what you’re looking for. While the following signs are just suggestions to look for, don’t take them lightly:

* Chronic bloodshot eyes
* Behavior other than normal
* Always disappearing for long periods of time
* Problems with work or school
* Excessive shaking or tremors
* Financial problems
* Avoidance of social situations
* Spacey or unintelligible conversation

If you recognize any of these signs in a loved one, you should take steps to confront your loved one and try to steer them towards recovery efforts. The process is not simple, but when you take the time to help them realize that what they are doing is damaging not only themselves but those around them, they will possibly be more open to help.

Alcohol and drug addiction can be debilitating to families all over the world. It takes hold of lives and can ruin them in an instant. Drug and alcohol addiction are very serious diseases that should not be ignored. If you think you or a loved one might be struggling with this powerful problem, seek help now!

There are more resources available now than ever before when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction. Whether you seek out help from an in-patient rehab facility or through a counseling service, it’s imperative that help be gotten in any way. Drug and alcohol addiction can be conquered, but first, there needs to be an admission that a problem exists. That doesn’t mean weakness, that actually means strength!

The Psychiatric Aspect of Drug Addiction

2009-11-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

There is a reason people become addicted to drugs. The psychiatric aspect of addiction to drugs can be very powerful. Our minds are very complex and the thoughts we have can become rulers in our lives.

Because we are these complex beings with the capabilities of thinking and reasoning, we often discount the mind as just a small part of who we are. Nothing could be further from the truth. The psychiatric implications of drug use are ever prevalent and can wreak havoc in the lives of someone with an addiction to drugs.

What exactly are we talking about? The psychiatric aspects of the mind and how our mind can control our lives is something mental professionals have known about for awhile now. It’s time you learned yourself.

For example, if you are the child of an addict – whether it be a pot-head parent or an alcoholic parent, your mind begins to justify your own marijuana use or alcohol use as being alright. After all, if your parents are doing it, it can’t be all bad for you – right? Well, that’s what your mindset becomes.

Drugs also have an effect on the brain. It’s a proven, scientific fact that addiction is a brain problem and the American Psychiatric Association has proven this. When you start using drugs, your brain gets used to having that drug around. When it’s not present, your mind starts “talking” to you and you believe what it says – that you must have that drug to function.

What can you do to try and beat the psychiatric implications of drug addiction? The best answer to that question is to get some help. That means talking to a counselor or health professional about your addiction and asking ways that you can overcome your addiction.

There are many programs available to people who are dealing with drug addiction. They treat both the mind and the body, because you will be going through some withdrawal symptoms when you decide to stop doing drugs. With professional help, you will be able to successfully conquer the hold that drug addiction has on you, your life, and your mind.

You don’t necessarily have to enter a rehab facility, but when you contact a psychiatrist or psychologist seeking help for your addictions, you will find that beating that demon will become much, much easier. Rehab facilities can be expensive and so can psychiatrists, but once you realize that you will need outside help to beat your addiction, you will be better able to get on your way to a drug-free life.

IDENTIFYING DRUG PROBLEM

2009-11-07T16:06:00.000-08:00

When you use drugs, they can quickly become a problem. Addiction can happen before you know it. You need to really take a look at your drug use and be honest with yourself when evaluating whether or not that drug use has become a problem.

Start by asking yourself one simple question: “Do you sometimes think you have a drug problem?” If the answer is yes, you probably do have an issue with addiction. Why?

Most of the time, drug abusers deny they have a problem, or they hide from it by making excuses. It’s a natural reaction to defend yourself and your behaviors. But your defenses break down once in a while. So if you sometimes think you have a problem, you almost certainly do.

Think about how you feel the morning after heavy using. Your body aches, your head is cloudy, you feel guilty for over-using and promise yourself you’ll stop. You decide that you won’t be using drugs that day. You feel beaten and broken and want to do something about it. Your defenses are down and you are vulnerable to your own rational thoughts.

As the day goes on, though, your defenses start coming back up again and you begin excusing yourself for the previous day’s binge. You start to make excuses for your over-indulgence. You tell yourself you were having a bad day, you didn’t eat enough, you were really stressed out, or some other excuse.

You decide to let yourself use “just a little”. After all, you were having a bad day yesterday. Today won’t be the same. And the cycle continues.

You may go through this hundreds of time before you recognize that there’s a pattern going on. Almost all drug abusers go through this cycle. When you decide to really face the possibility that you have a problem, how do you identify it? The answer is really quite simple.

You have a problem when you use too much, too often, and the use is out of control. But you have to be your own judge and be honest with yourself. Pay attention to your feelings. You may want to write down how you feel about your drug use. Sometimes seeing the words can help you face the problem and start helping yourself.

Stimulants Continue

2009-11-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

Stimulants should not be mixed with antidepressants or OTC cold medicines containing decongestants. Antidepressants may enhance the effects of a stimulant, and stimulants in combination with decongestants may cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to irregular heart rhythms.

Treatment of addiction to prescription stimulants, such as methylphenidate and amphetamines, is based on behavioral therapies proven effective for treating cocaine or methamphetamine addiction. At this time, there are no proven medications for the treatment of stimulant addiction. Antidepressants, however, may be used to manage the symptoms of depression that can accompany early abstinence from stimulants.

Depending on the patient’s situation, the first step in treating prescription stimulant addiction may be to slowly decrease the drug’s dose and attempt to treat withdrawal symptoms. This process of detoxification could then be followed with one of many behavioral therapies.
Contingency management, for example, improves treatment outcomes by enabling patients to earn vouchers for drug-free urine tests; the vouchers can be exchanged for items that promote healthy living. Cognitive-behavioral therapies, which teach patients skills to recognize risky situations, avoid drug use, and cope more effectively with problems, are proving beneficial. Recovery support groups may also be effective in conjunction with a behavioral therapy.

Now that you have an overview of various drugs that can become addictive, let’s see if you or a loved one might have a problem.

Stimulants

2009-11-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

Stimulants increase alertness, attention, and energy, which are accompanied by increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration.

Historically, stimulants were used to treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders, and a variety of other ailments. As their potential for abuse and addiction became apparent, the use of stimulants began to wane.
Now, stimulants are prescribed for treating only a few health conditions, including narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression that has not responded to other treatments. Stimulants may also be used for short-term treatment of obesity and for patients with asthma.

Stimulants such as dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) have chemical structures that are similar to key brain neurotransmitters called monoamines, which include norepinephrine and dopamine.
Stimulants increase the levels of these chemicals in the brain and body. This, in turn, increases blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels, increases blood glucose, and opens up the pathways of the respiratory system. In addition, the increase in dopamine is associated with a sense of euphoria that can accompany the use of stimulants.

Research indicates that people with ADHD do not become addicted to stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, when taken in the form and dosage prescribed. However, when misused, stimulants can be addictive.

The consequences of stimulant abuse can be extremely dangerous. Taking high doses of a stimulant can result in an irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures. Taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia in some individuals.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants

2009-11-01T16:03:00.000-08:00

CNS depressants slow normal brain function. In higher doses, some CNS depressants can become general anesthetics. Tranquilizers and sedatives are examples of CNS depressants.

CNS depressants can be divided into two groups, based on their chemistry and pharmacology:
• Barbiturates, such as mephobarbital (Mebaral) and pentobarbitalsodium (Nembutal), which are used to treat anxiety, tension, and sleep disorders.

• Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide HCl (Librium), and alprazolam (Xanax), which can be prescribed to treat anxiety, acute stress reactions, and panic attacks.

Benzodiazepines that have a more sedating effect, such as estazolam (ProSom), can be prescribed for short-term treatment of sleep disorders.

There are many CNS depressants, and most act on the brain similarly—they affect the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that facilitate communication between brain cells. GABA works by decreasing brain activity.
Although different classes of CNS depressants work in unique ways, ultimately it is their ability to increase GABA activity that produces a drowsy or calming effect. Despite these beneficial effects for people suffering from anxiety or sleep disorders, barbiturates and benzodiazepines can be addictive and should be used only as prescribed.

CNS depressants should not be combined with any medication or substance that causes drowsiness, including prescription pain medicines, certain OTC cold and allergy medications, or alcohol. If combined, they can slow breathing, or slow both the heart and respiration, which can be fatal.

Discontinuing prolonged use of high doses of CNS depressants can lead to withdrawal. Because they work by slowing the brain’s activity, a potential consequence of abuse is that when one stops taking a CNS depressant, the brain’s activity can rebound to the point that seizures can occur.
Someone thinking about ending their use of a CNS depressant, or who has stopped and is suffering withdrawal, should speak with a physician and seek medical treatment.

In addition to medical supervision, counseling in an in-patient or out-patient setting can help people who are overcoming addiction to CNS depressants. For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy has been used successfully to help individuals in treatment for abuse of benzodiazepines.
This type of therapy focuses on modifying a patient’s thinking, expectations, and behaviors while simultaneously increasing their skills for coping with various life stressors.

Often the abuse of CNS depressants occurs in conjunction with the abuse of another substance or drug, such as alcohol or cocaine. In these cases of poly-drug abuse, the treatment approach should address the multiple addictions.

Opioids Continue

2009-10-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

Long-term use also can lead to physical dependence—the body adapts to the presence of the substance and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. This can also include tolerance, which means that higher doses of a medication must be taken to obtain the same initial effects.

Note that physical dependence is not the same as addiction—physical dependence can occur even with appropriate long-term use of opioid and other medications. Addiction, as noted earlier, is defined as compulsive, often uncontrollable drug use in spite of negative consequences.

Individuals taking prescribed opioid medications should not only be given these medications under appropriate medical supervision, but also should be medically supervised when stopping use in order to reduce or avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Symptoms of withdrawal can include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), and involuntary leg movements.

Individuals who become addicted to prescription medications can be treated. Options for effectively treating addiction to prescription opioids are drawn from research on treating heroin addiction. Some pharmacological examples of available treatments follow:

• Methadone, a synthetic opioid that blocks the effects of heroin and other opioids, eliminates withdrawal symptoms and relieves craving. It has been used for over 30 years to successfully treat people addicted to opioids.

• Buprenorphine, another synthetic opioid, is a recent addition to the arsenal of medications for treating addiction to heroin and other opiates.

• Naltrexone is a long-acting opioid blocker often used with highly motivated individuals in treatment programs promoting complete abstinence. Naltrexone also is used to prevent relapse.

• Naloxone counteracts the effects of opioids and is used to treat overdoses.

Opioids

2009-10-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

Opioids are commonly prescribed because of their effective analgesic, or pain relieving, properties. Studies have shown that properly managed medical use of opioid analgesic compounds is safe and rarely causes addiction. Taken exactly as prescribed, opioids can be used to manage pain effectively.

Among the compounds that fall within this class—sometimes referred to as narcotics—are morphine, codeine, and related medications. Morphine is often used before or after surgery to alleviate severe pain. Codeine is used for milder pain.

Other examples of opioids that can be prescribed to alleviate pain include oxycodone (OxyContin—an oral, controlled release form of the drug); propoxyphene (Darvon); hydrocodone (Vicodin); hydromorphone (Dilaudid); and meperidine (Demerol), which is used less often because of its side effects.

In addition to their effective pain relieving properties, some of these medications can be used to relieve severe diarrhea (Lomotil, for example, which is diphenoxylate) or severe coughs (codeine).

Opioids act by attaching to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. When these compounds attach to certain opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, they can effectively change the way a person experiences pain.

In addition, opioid medications can affect regions of the brain that mediate what we perceive as pleasure, resulting in the initial euphoria that many opioids produce. They can also produce drowsiness, cause constipation, and, depending upon the amount taken, depress breathing. Taking a large single dose could cause severe respiratory depression or death.

Opioids may interact with other medications and are only safe to use with other medications under a physician's supervision. Typically, they should not be used with substances such as alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines. Since these substances slow breathing, their combined effects could lead to life-threatening respiratory depression.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

2009-10-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

Prescription medications such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives are very useful treatment tools, but sometimes people do not take them as directed and may become addicted. Pain relievers make surgery possible, and enable many individuals with chronic pain to lead productive lives.
Most people who take prescription medications use them responsibly. However, the inappropriate or non-medical use of prescription medications is a serious public health concern. Non-medical use of prescription medications like opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants can lead to addiction, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.

Patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmacists all have roles in preventing misuse and addiction to prescription medications. For example, when a doctor prescribes a pain relief medication, CNS depressant, or stimulant, the patient should follow the directions for use carefully, learn what effects the medication could have, and determine any potential interactions with other medications.
The patient should read all information provided by the pharmacist. Physicians and other healthcare providers should screen for any type of substance abuse during routine history-taking, with questions about which prescriptions and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines the patient is taking and why.
Providers should note any rapid increases in the amount of a medication needed or frequent requests for refills before the quantity prescribed should have been used, as these may be indicators of abuse.
While many prescription medications can be abused or misused, these three classes are most commonly abused:
• Opioids - often prescribed to treat pain.

• CNS Depressants - used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.

• Stimulants - prescribed to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

NICOTINE Part 3

2009-10-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Research has shown that nicotine, like cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, increases the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which affects the brain pathways that control reward and pleasure. Scientists have pinpointed a particular molecule [the beta 2 (b2)] subunit of the nicotine cholinergic receptor as a critical component in nicotine addiction.
Mice that lack this subunit fail to self-administer nicotine, implying that without the b2 subunit, the mice do not experience the positive reinforcing properties of nicotine. This finding identifies a potential site for targeting the development of nicotine addiction medications.

Other research found that individuals have greater resistance to nicotine addiction if they have a genetic variant that decreases the function of the enzyme CYP2A6. The decrease in CYP2A6 slows the breakdown of nicotine and protects individuals against nicotine addiction.
Understanding the role of this enzyme in nicotine addiction gives a new target for developing more effective medications to help people stop smoking. Medications might be developed that can inhibit the function of CYP2A6, thus providing a new approach to preventing and treating nicotine addiction.

Another study found dramatic changes in the brain's pleasure circuits during withdrawal from chronic tobacco use. These changes are comparable in magnitude and duration to similar changes observed during withdrawal from other abused drugs such as cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and alcohol.
Scientists found significant decreases in the sensitivity of the brains of laboratory rats to pleasurable stimulation after nicotine administration was abruptly stopped. These changes lasted several days and may correspond to the anxiety and depression experienced by humans for several days after quitting smoking "cold turkey."
The results of this research may help in the development of better treatments for the withdrawal symptoms that may interfere with individuals' attempts to quit.

NICOTINE Part 2

2009-10-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Nicotine provides an almost immediate "kick" because it causes a discharge of epinephrine from the adrenal cortex. This stimulates the central nervous system and endocrine glands, which causes a sudden release of glucose. Stimulation is then followed by depression and fatigue, leading the user to seek more nicotine.

Nicotine is absorbed readily from tobacco smoke in the lungs, and it does not matter whether the tobacco smoke is from cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Nicotine also is absorbed readily when tobacco is chewed. With regular use of tobacco, levels of nicotine accumulate in the body during the day and persist overnight. Thus, daily smokers or chewers are exposed to the effects of nicotine for 24 hours each day. Adolescents who chew tobacco are more likely than nonusers to eventually become cigarette smokers.

Addiction to nicotine results in withdrawal symptoms when a person tries to stop smoking. For example, a study found that when chronic smokers were deprived of cigarettes for 24 hours, they had increased anger, hostility, and aggression, and loss of social cooperation. Persons suffering from withdrawal also take longer to regain emotional equilibrium following stress. During periods of abstinence and/or craving, smokers have shown impairment across a wide range of psychomotor and cognitive functions, such as language comprehension.

Women who smoke generally have earlier menopause. Pregnant women who smoke cigarettes run an increased risk of having stillborn or premature infants or infants with low birth weight. Children of women who smoked while pregnant have an increased risk for developing conduct disorders. National studies of mothers and daughters have also found that maternal smoking during pregnancy increased the probability that female children would smoke and would persist in smoking.

In addition to nicotine, cigarette smoke is primarily composed of a dozen gases (mainly carbon monoxide) and tar. The tar in a cigarette, which varies from about 15 mg for a regular cigarette to 7 mg in a low-tar cigarette, exposes the user to an increased risk of lung cancer, emphysema, and bronchial disorders.

The carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke increases the chance of cardiovascular diseases. The Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that secondhand smoke causes lung cancer in adults and greatly increases the risk of respiratory illnesses in children and sudden infant death.

NICOTINE

2009-10-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

Through the use of cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco, nicotine is one of the most heavily used addictive drugs in the United States. In 2004, 29.2 percent of the U.S. population 12 and older—70.3 million people—used tobacco at least once in the month prior to being interviewed.
This figure includes 3.6 million young people age 12 to 17. Young adults aged 18 to 25 reported the highest rate of current use of any tobacco products (44.6 percent) in 2004.

Findings for high school youth indicate that 25.9 percent of 8th-graders, 38.9 percent of 10th-graders, and 50.0 percent of 12th-graders had ever smoked cigarettes when asked in 2005. These figures were lower for all three grades from 2004 data, and for 8th-graders and 12th-graders, the decreases were statistically significant.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing approximately 440,000 premature deaths each year and resulting in an annual cost of more than $75 billion in direct medical costs attributable to smoking.
Over the past four decades, cigarette smoking has caused an estimated 12 million deaths, including 4.1 million deaths from cancer, 5.5 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases, 2.1 million deaths from respiratory diseases, and 94,000 infant deaths related to mothers smoking during pregnancy.
Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of tobacco products (side stream smoke) and the mainstream smoke exhaled by smokers. It is a complex mixture containing many chemicals (including formaldehyde, cyanide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and nicotine), many of which are known carcinogens.
Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent.
In addition, secondhand smoke causes respiratory problems in nonsmokers such as coughing, phlegm, and reduced lung function. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma.
Since 1964, 28 Surgeon General's reports on smoking and health have concluded that tobacco use is the single most avoidable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. In 1988, the Surgeon General concluded that cigarettes and other forms of tobacco, such as cigars, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco, are addictive and that nicotine is the drug in tobacco that causes addiction.

ALCOHOL Continue

2009-10-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

Genes, however, are not the whole story. In fact, scientists now believe that certain factors in a person’s environment influence whether a person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever develops the disease. A person’s risk for developing alcoholism can increase based on the person’s environment, including where and how he or she lives; family, friends, and culture; peer pressure; and even how easy it is to get alcohol.
Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism in that it does not include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control over drinking, or physical dependence. Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that result in one or more of the following situations within a 12-month period:
• Failure to fulfill major work, school, or home responsibilities

• Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a car or operating machinery

• Having recurring alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or for physically hurting someone while drunk

• Continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by the drinking. Although alcohol abuse is basically different from alcoholism, many effects of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics.

Although alcoholism can be treated, a cure is not yet available. In other words, even if an alcoholic has been sober for a long time and has regained health, he or she remains susceptible to relapse and must continue to avoid all alcoholic beverages. “Cutting down” on drinking doesn’t work; cutting out alcohol is necessary for a successful recovery.
However, even individuals who are determined to stay sober may suffer one or several “slips,” or relapses, before achieving long-term sobriety. Relapses are very common and do not mean that a person has failed or cannot recover from alcoholism.
Keep in mind, too, that every day that a recovering alcoholic has stayed sober prior to a relapse is extremely valuable time, both to the individual and to his or her family. If a relapse occurs, it is very important to try to stop drinking once again and to get whatever additional support you need to abstain from drinking.

ALCOHOL

2009-10-16T15:58:00.000-07:00

Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drug in the United States. For most people who drink, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities. Moderate alcohol use—up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people—is not harmful for most adults. (A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle or can of either beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.)

Nonetheless, a large number of people get into serious trouble because of their drinking. Currently, nearly 14 million Americans—1 in every 13 adults—abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking that could lead to alcohol problems. These patterns include binge drinking and heavy drinking on a regular basis. In addition, 53 percent of men and women in the United States report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem.

The consequences of alcohol misuse are serious—in many cases, life threatening. Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx (voice box). Heavy drinking can also cause liver cirrhosis, immune system problems, brain damage, and harm to the fetus during pregnancy.

In addition, drinking increases the risk of death from automobile crashes as well as recreational and on-the-job injuries. Furthermore, both homicides and suicides are more likely to be committed by persons who have been drinking. In purely economic terms, alcohol-related problems cost society approximately $185 billion per year. In human terms, the costs cannot be calculated.

Alcoholism, also known as “alcohol dependence,” is a disease that includes four symptoms:
Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.

Loss of control: The inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occasion.

Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.

Tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to “get high.”

Although some people are able to recover from alcoholism without help, the majority of alcoholics need assistance. With treatment and support, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives.

Many people wonder why some individuals can use alcohol without problems but others cannot. One important reason has to do with genetics. Scientists have found that having an alcoholic family member makes it more likely that if you choose to drink you too may develop alcoholism.

COCAINE Continue

2009-10-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

Use of cocaine in a binge, during which the drug is taken repeatedly and at increasingly high doses, may lead to a state of increasing irritability, restlessness, and paranoia. This can result in a period of full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the user loses touch with reality and experiences auditory hallucinations.

Other complications associated with cocaine use include disturbances in heart rhythm and heart attacks, chest pain and respiratory failure, strokes, seizures and headaches, and gastrointestinal complications such as abdominal pain and nausea. Because cocaine has a tendency to decrease appetite, many chronic users can become malnourished.

Different means of taking cocaine can produce different adverse effects. Regularly snorting cocaine, for example, can lead to loss of the sense of smell, nosebleeds, problems with swallowing, hoarseness, and a chronically runny nose.
Ingesting cocaine can cause severe bowel gangrene due to reduced blood flow. People who inject cocaine can experience severe allergic reactions and, as with all injecting drug users, are at increased risk for contracting HIV and other blood-borne diseases.
When people mix cocaine and alcohol, they are compounding the danger each drug poses and are unknowingly forming a complex chemical experiment within their bodies. NIDA-funded researchers have found that the human liver combines cocaine and alcohol and manufactures a third substance, cocaethylene that intensifies cocaine's euphoric effects, while potentially increasing the risk of sudden death.

COCAINE

2009-10-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug that is snorted, sniffed, injected, or smoked. Crack is cocaine that has been processed from cocaine hydrochloride to a free base for smoking. Its street names include coke, snow, flake, blow, and many others.
Cocaine is a stimulant drug. The powdered, hydrochloride salt form of cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. Crack is cocaine that has not been neutralized by an acid to make the hydrochloride salt. This form of cocaine comes in a rock crystal that can be heated and its vapors smoked. The term "crack" refers to the crackling sound heard when it is heated.

Regardless of how cocaine is used or how frequently, a user can experience acute cardiovascular or cerebrovascular emergencies, such as a heart attack or stroke, which could result in sudden death. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizure followed by respiratory arrest.
Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that interferes with the re-absorption process of dopamine, a chemical messenger associated with pleasure and movement. The buildup of dopamine causes continuous stimulation of receiving neurons, which is associated with the euphoria commonly reported by cocaine abusers.

Physical effects of cocaine use include constricted blood vessels, dilated pupils, and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. The duration of cocaine's immediate euphoric effects, which include hyper-stimulation, reduced fatigue, and mental alertness, depends on the route of administration.
The faster the absorption of the drug, the more intense the high. On the other hand, the faster the absorption, the shorter the duration of action. The high from snorting might last 15 to 30 minutes, while that from smoking may last 5 to 10 minutes. Increased use can reduce the period of time a user feels high and increases the risk of addiction.

Some users of cocaine report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. A tolerance to the "high" may develop—many addicts report that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first exposure.
Some users will increase their doses to intensify and prolong the euphoric effects. While tolerance to the high can occur, users can also become more sensitive to cocaine's anesthetic and convulsive effects without increasing the dose taken. This increased sensitivity may explain some deaths occurring after apparently low doses of cocaine.

MARIJUANA Part 3

2009-10-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

These "heavy" marijuana abusers had more trouble sustaining and shifting their attention and in registering, organizing, and using information than did the study participants who had abused marijuana no more than 3 of the previous 30 days. As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a reduced intellectual level all of the time.

More recently, the same researchers showed that the ability of a group of long-term heavy marijuana abusers to recall words from a list remained impaired for a week after quitting, but returned to normal within 4 weeks. Thus, some cognitive abilities may be restored in individuals who quit smoking marijuana, even after long-term heavy use.

Workers who smoke marijuana are more likely than their coworkers to have problems on the job. Several studies associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover.
A study among postal workers found that employees who tested positive for marijuana on a pre-employment urine drug test had 55 percent more industrial accidents, 85 percent more injuries, and a 75-percent increase in absenteeism compared with those who tested negative for marijuana use.
In another study, heavy marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement including cognitive abilities, career status, social life, and physical and mental health.
Research has shown that some babies born to women who abused marijuana during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli, increased tremulousness, and a high-pitched cry, which may indicate neurological problems in development.

During the preschool years, marijuana-exposed children have been observed to perform tasks involving sustained attention and memory more poorly than non-exposed children do. In the school years, these children are more likely to exhibit deficits in problem-solving skills, memory, and the ability to remain attentive.
Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction for some people. That is, they abuse the drug compulsively even though it interferes with family, school, work, and recreational activities.
Drug craving and withdrawal symptoms can make it hard for long-term marijuana smokers to stop abusing the drug. People trying to quit report irritability, sleeplessness, and anxiety. They also display increased aggression on psychological tests, peaking approximately one week after the last use of the drug.

MARIJUANA Part 2

2009-10-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

A user’s lungs are also affected. A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers. Many of the extra sick days among the marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.

Even infrequent abuse can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, often accompanied by a heavy cough. Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems that tobacco smokers do, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency to obstructed airways.
Smoking marijuana possibly increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the head or neck. A study comparing 173 cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals produced evidence that marijuana smoking doubled or tripled the risk of these cancers.

Marijuana abuse also has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because it contains irritants and carcinogens. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke. It also induces high levels of an enzyme that converts certain hydrocarbons into their carcinogenic form—levels that may accelerate the changes that ultimately produce malignant cells.
Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which increases the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke. These facts suggest that, puff for puff, smoking marijuana may be more harmful to the lungs than smoking tobacco.
Some of marijuana's adverse health effects may occur because THC impairs the immune system's ability to fight disease. In laboratory experiments that exposed animal and human cells to THC or other marijuana ingredients, the normal disease-preventing reactions of many of the key types of immune cells were inhibited. In other studies, mice exposed to THC or related substances were more likely than unexposed mice to develop bacterial infections and tumors.
Research clearly demonstrates that marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. Depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances have been associated with chronic marijuana use.
Because marijuana compromises the ability to learn and remember information, the more a person uses marijuana the more he or she is likely to fall behind in accumulating intellectual, job, or social skills. Moreover, research has shown that marijuana’s adverse impact on memory and learning can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.

Students who smoke marijuana get lower grades and are less likely to graduate from high school, compared with their nonsmoking peers. A study of 129 college students found that, among those who smoked the drug at least 27 of the 30 days prior to being surveyed, critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after the students had not taken the drug for at least 24 hours.

MARIJUANA

2009-10-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of people who are of the opinion that marijuana is not a harmful drug and that it should be as legal to buy and use as alcohol. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. Besides alcohol, marijuana is the most commonly used drug by young people.

Marijuana is a dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, it usually is smoked as a cigarette (joint, nail), or in a pipe (bong). It also is smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana, often in combination with another drug. It might also be mixed in food or brewed as a tea.

As a more concentrated, resinous form it is called hashish and, as a sticky black liquid, hash oil. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually sweet-and-sour odor. Some people think that the smoke smells like burning rope.

There are countless street terms for marijuana including pot, herb, weed, grass, widow, ganja, and hash, as well as terms derived from trademarked varieties of cannabis, such as Bubble Gum, Northern Lights, Fruity Juice, Afghani #1, and a number of Skunk varieties.

The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The membranes of certain nerve cells in the brain contain protein receptors that bind to THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the high that users experience when they smoke marijuana.
Scientists have learned a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to produce its many effects. When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to organs throughout the body, including the brain.

In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement4.

The short-term effects of marijuana can include problems with memory and learning; distorted perception; difficulty in thinking and problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate. Research findings for long-term marijuana abuse indicate some changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs.
For example, cannabinoid (THC or synthetic forms of THC) withdrawal in chronically exposed animals leads to an increase in the activation of the stress-response system and changes in the activity of nerve cells containing dopamine. Dopamine neurons are involved in the regulation of motivation and reward, and are directly or indirectly affected by all drugs of abuse.
Marijuana can have an adverse effect on the heart. One study has indicated that an abuser's risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the first hour after smoking marijuana. The researchers suggest that such an effect might occur from marijuana's effects on blood pressure and heart rate and reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.

HEROIN

2009-10-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

Heroin is an addictive drug that is processed from morphine and usually appears as a white or brown powder. Its street names include smack, H, ska, junk, and many others. Heroin use is on the rise and it has become a serious problem in America.
Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and, particularly in users who inject the drug, infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. After an injection of heroin, the user reports feeling a surge of euphoria ("rush") accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities.
Following this initial euphoria, the user goes "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system.
Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin’s depressing effects on respiration.

Heroin abuse during pregnancy and its many associated environmental factors (e.g., lack of prenatal care) have been associated with adverse consequences including low birth weight, an important risk factor for later developmental delay.

In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not readily dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs.

The Drug Abuse Warning Network reports that eight percent of drug-related emergency department (ED) visits in the third and fourth quarters of 2003 involved heroin abuse. Unspecified opiates, which could include heroin, were involved in an additional 4 percent of drug-related visits.
With regular heroin use, tolerance develops. This means the abuser must use more to achieve the same intensity of effect. As higher doses are used over time, physical dependence and addiction develop. With physical dependence, the body has adapted to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms may occur if use is reduced or stopped.

Withdrawal, which in regular abusers may occur as early as a few hours after the last administration, produces drug craving, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea and vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), kicking movements ("kicking the habit"), and other symptoms.

Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose and subside after about a week. Sudden withdrawal by heavily dependent users who are in poor health is occasionally fatal, although heroin withdrawal is considered less dangerous than alcohol or barbiturate withdrawal.

METHAMPHETAMINE

2009-10-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant that is closely related to amphetamine, but has longer lasting and more toxic effects on the central nervous system. It has a high potential for abuse and addiction.

Methamphetamine use is on the rise around the country. It has reached epidemic proportions mainly because it is easy to make using common household items.

Meth is often referred to as speed, chalk, ice, crystal, and glass.

The drug increases wakefulness and physical activity and decreases appetite. Chronic, long-term use can lead to psychotic behavior, hallucinations, and stroke. People who use meth often don’t sleep – sometimes for days on end. They lose weight quickly because the drug suppresses appetite.

Meth addicts often have lost some of their teeth, look gaunt, and will have sores on their body from nervous energy they are trying to get rid of.

National health statistics report that over 12 million Americans have tried methamphetamine with many of them quickly becoming addicted to the drug.

Methamphetamine is taken orally, intra-nasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking. Abusers may become addicted quickly, needing higher doses and more often.
Methamphetamine increases the release of very high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. Chronic methamphetamine abuse significantly changes how the brain functions.
Animal research going back more than 30 years shows that high doses of methamphetamine damage neuron cell endings. Dopamine- and serotonin-containing neurons do not die after methamphetamine use, but their nerve endings ("terminals") are cut back, and re-growth appears to be limited.
Human brain imaging studies have shown alterations in the activity of the dopamine system. These alterations are associated with reduced motor speed and impaired verbal learning.
Recent studies in chronic methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe structural and functional changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in chronic methamphetamine abusers.

Taking even small amounts of methamphetamine can result in increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and hyperthermia. Other effects of methamphetamine abuse may include irritability, anxiety, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, and cardiovascular collapse and death.
As we’ve already indicated, long-term effects may include paranoia, aggressiveness, extreme anorexia, memory loss, visual and auditory hallucinations, delusions, and severe dental problems.

Also, transmission of HIV and hepatitis B and C can be a consequence of methamphetamine abuse. Among abusers who inject the drug, infection with HIV and other infectious diseases is spread mainly through the re-use of contaminated syringes, needles, and other injection equipment by more than one person.
The intoxicating effects of methamphetamine, however, whether it is injected or taken other ways, can alter judgment and inhibition and lead people to engage in unsafe behaviors. Methamphetamine abuse actually may worsen the progression of HIV and its consequences; studies with methamphetamine abusers who have HIV indicate that the HIV causes greater neuronal injury and cognitive impairment compared with HIV-positive people who do not use drugs.
Meth is a scary drug with horrible health implications.

WHY PEOPLE USE DRUGS

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The reasons people use drugs are varied. Essentially, though, drugs give us a desired effect producing a feeling of euphoria that makes us feel better – at least temporarily. There are hundreds of ways that drugs help people cope with life and each person has their own reason why they choose a certain drug.

Drugs can help calm you down, give you energy, overcome shyness, and avoid feelings of loneliness. They may you feel bolder and want to take risks you wouldn’t normally take. They are used to perhaps fit into social situation and get into a “party” mood and even to celebrate happy occasions.

Medically, drugs are used to alleviate pain, help you to sleep, suppress anger, combat anxiety, and avoid depression. They can be used to cope with stress, stimulate your desire for sex, and lose weight.

Many people report that they began using drugs as a response to peer pressure. Those around them would use drugs, so to fit in, they began using as well.
The ways drugs affect us are countless—for everyone. So much so that often it seems that drugs can cure all our ills and help us overcome whatever bothers us. If that’s all there were to it, we might consider each drug to be some kind of “wonder drug.”
This is where the thought process gets a little skewed. People begin to crave the feeling of euphoria that they get when they use drugs and that’s when it becomes a problem. It can be a vicious cycle. You feel you can’t live without the feelings that drugs give you and that you just won’t be able to cope with life without those drugs. That’s what breeds addiction.

Let’s look at various drugs of choice that people often use and what those specific drugs can do.

Drug Addiction

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Life can be crazy. Life can be stressful. Life can be hard to take. These are all truths that are just simple facts. Because life can be difficult, people look for different ways to cope with the stress that life brings.

Regrettably, drugs have become the most prominent coping mechanism that people use to deal with life’s problems. There are many reasons why people begin using drugs. They are looking for a way out – an escape – a way to forget life for just a little while.

Methamphetamine use has grown to alarming rates in the United States with over 25 percent of the population addicted to this drug. Twenty-three percent of high school seniors use marijuana on a regular basis. Forty-three percent of adults report having a problem with alcohol.

The statistics also reveal that drug use, including alcohol and cigarettes, is beginning earlier in life. Children are experimenting with drugs as young as 10 years old, and many middle schoolers have already had their first taste of alcohol by seventh grade.

What are even more disturbing are the health effects that drug use and abuse causes. Last year alone, there were over 20,000 alcohol-induced deaths not including car accidents, and deaths due to heroin overdoses have increased by two percent in just the course of one year.

Drug addiction doesn’t discriminate either. Many famous celebrities have struggled with addiction as has the common man. You can be a regular housewife or the head of a company and find yourself struggling with drug dependence.

What can you do? The answer is – a lot. If you find yourself with a problem, the time to take action is now. You could check yourself into a rehabilitation facility, but you can also try some self-help steps first.

This book is intended for both the person who is addicted and for those who have a loved one with addiction. We’ll look at the signs of a problem and address the various drugs that are most likely to cause dependence. Then, with the help of experts, we’ll give you some strategies that you can try to get you back on the road to a drug-free life.

You can overcome your dependence on drugs. It won’t be easy, but you can do it. But you have to start now. Don’t be addicted anymore. Start your journey today!

Privacy Policy for www.drug-addiction-center.blogspot.com

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If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at dickyguns@gmail.com.

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