DRUG ABUSE

DRUGS are Natural or synthetic substance that (when taken into a living body) affects its functioning or structure, and is used in the diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of a disease or relief of discomfort.

Meaning of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is the habitual use of drugs not needed for therapeutic purposes, solely to alter one’s mood, affect, or state of consciousness, or to affect a body’s function unnecessarily (as in laxative abuse). The use of a drug for a nontherapeutic effect. Some of the most commonly abused drugs are alcohol; nicotine; marijuana; amphetamines; barbiturates; cocaine; methaqualone; opium alkaloids; synthetic opioids; benzodiazepines, COCAINE, HEROIN, and MARIJUANA.

Habitual use of drugs not needed for therapeutic purposes (e.g., such as solely to alter one’s mood, affect, or state of consciousness) or to affect a body function unnecessarily (e.g., laxative abuse); nonmedical use of drugs

EVALUATION

1.   What are drugs?

2.   What is the meaning of drug abuse

Five Methods of Drug Abuse

For drugs to affect the brain they must first be put into the body. Five methods of drug use allow drugs to enter the body: swallowing, smoking, snorting, through suppositories, and injecting

1.  Swallowing

Ingesting or swallowing drugs is the most common method of drug use. The individual takes the drugs by mouth. The drugs pass to the stomach and then into the bloodstream. Of all the methods of drug abuse, taking drugs by mouth is considered to be one of the safest methods because it allows the body time to absorb the drug, and the digestive system will self-induce vomiting as a defense mechanism to ingesting something that does not agree with it.

 2.   Smoking

This method gets the drugs into the body’s system a bit faster than swallowing the drugs because the smoke goes into the lungs where it quickly moves into the bloodstream. The most common drugs that are smoked are marijuana, heroin, crack, and opium. Individuals who smoke drugs are at risk for cancer of the mouth, throat, and lungs; heart disease and cardiac arrest, stroke, emphysema and bronchitis, pneumonia and other pulmonary disorders and hypertension.

 3.    Snorting

Some individuals snort drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines. Drugs enter into the bloodstream through the nasal mucus membranes and the stomach. Individuals snorting drugs will experience the drug sensation within about 15 minutes after snorting their drugs. There are some complications from snorting drugs including the deterioration of the lining of the nasal cavity and the septum. Sharing straws and other items to snort the drugs can lead to hepatitis C and HIV.

4.    Suppositories

Drugs entered into the body through suppositories will be delivered into the bloodstream through the rectum’s mucus membrane. While this is not a common method of drug abuse, drugs that have been taken using this method are cocaine, speed, and ecstasy. The mucus membranes in the rectum are sensitive. Certain drugs may have a high level of acidity and can cause the lining to be permanently damaged. There is also a risk of perforating the lower colon which can be fatal.

5.   Injecting

Injecting drugs is the fastest method for experiencing high drug use because it puts the drug directly into the bloodstream. Drugs can be injected into the soft tissue, into the muscle, or directly into the vein. Individuals who inject drugs will experience the high within 3 to 5 seconds (immediately). This method of drug delivery goes directly to the brain, escaping the body’s natural defense mechanisms including the digestive system. The dangers that come with injecting drugs include infection at the site of injection. There is also the risk that sharing needles has including HIV and hepatitis. Some individuals may experience collapsing veins and arterial damage which can lead to gangrene, thrombosis, and hemorrhaging.

EVALUATION

1.  Explain smoking as a method of drug abuse

2. State five methods of drug abuse

 Ways on How People Misuse Drugs

1. Prescription drugs contain habit-forming sedatives. Once, children depend too much on drugs, for example, for pain relief there is a tendency for them to depend on taking drugs even for treating simple pain rather than sacrificing a bit.  Some children simply take painkillers even when it is not needed at all.

2. Many teens have taken drugs without a doctor’s prescription to reduce body weight. Since taking drugs suppresses the appetite; most teens believe that drugs are the best remedy to obesity and overlapping love handles.

3.  Some teens simply buy drugs in the black market or obtain them from friends to feel extreme euphoria as for narcotics, opioids, and cracks.

4.  Some people take relaxants, sleeping pills, or painkillers to induce sleep during the night. Thus, every time they don’t feel at ease, depend on drugs to sleep early.

5. Teens usually drink strong prescription medicines with cocaine or cannabis contents to relieve and recover strong emotions such as guilt, anger, and frustration even though these drugs are prescribed for treating some diseases. This way of misusing drugs is also brought about by peer pressure.

6. Some people inject drugs from time to time to grow muscles such as steroids despite its recommended limit of use for athletes during games only.

7.  Most kids simply take drugs orally because they usually see their parents taking the same drugs. Parents may not about the instance, but kids can be very observant of the palace where parents hide their drugs.

8.  Adults misuse drugs by taking them as an outlet to escape from severe problems at home caused by the family truce and marital fights.

9.  Silent-type teens take drugs to become energetic and self-confident whenever there are night outs and parties. This gives them the confidence they want to talk to others, stand out from bullies, and gain more friends despite that it is not the main purpose of prescription drugs.

10.  Kids usually experiment on drugs. At times, they take it to test its effects. Some combine drugs with alcohol and other substances for more extreme effects. Others place drugs in some other people’s drinks for fun.

Social Risk factor in drug abuse

•    Early Aggressive Behavior

•   Lack of Parental Supervision

•   Poverty Community

•    peer pressure

•   Familial risk factors include childhood maltreatment (including abuse and neglect), parental or familial substance abuse, marital status of parents, level of parental education, parent-child relationships, familial socioeconomic status, and child perception that parents approve of their substance use

•    Physical and Sexual Abuse

•   Emotional Abuse- emotional child abuse encompasses a situation whereby the child’s “intellectual or psychological functioning or development” is hindered. Witnessing violence can increase an adolescent’s risk of developing a substance use disorder with alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, or hard drugs by as much as two to three times. This is likely because witnessing violence creates great stress, especially in the case of a child witnessing domestic violence

•  Neglect- child neglect includes any situation where a child’s caregiver does not provide adequate living necessities, including protection, clothing, health care, and/or food

•  Bullying- it is defined as a series of interactions whereby a group or individual verbally or physically assaults a victim who is perceived to be weaker.

•  Depression- The term depression encompasses feelings of sadness, pain, gloom, or anger. Clinical depression specifically refers to situations wherein a person’s depressive feelings interrupt their daily life. Depression is linked to genetics and may also result from stressors such as parental divorce, parental substance abuse, depression of a family member, or feelings of inadequacy

EVALUATION

1.   Mention five Ways in How People Misuse Drugs

2.  List five Social Risk factors in drug abuse

Deviant Peer Relationships

The influence of peers on adolescent substance use often exists in the form of deviant peer relationships, wherein an adolescent associates with a group of people who use substances, or in the form of perceived popularity. Peer relationships are positively associated with adolescent substance use. A shared inclination to use drugs and alcohol may attract deviant individuals to form peer groups or, to gain social standing or join a group, individuals are motivated to use substances and thus form a deviant peer group.

Entry into deviant peer groups has also been shown to be significantly associated with negative parent-child relationships, which can cause adolescents to seek deviant connections in their social sphere. Conversely, parental involvement and respect for parents have been negatively associated with substance use. This is consistent with the aforementioned findings regarding positive parent-child relationships as a protective factor. This is an example of a way in which factors from familial and social spheres may work for or against each other in leading to adolescent substance use.