Drug Addiction: The Effects
Drug addiction is not something that just affects the individual who is addicted. It has consequences beyond what one can imagine. It affects the families of the addict, his employer, schools, friendships and societies in general. It also has a direct impact on the health of the immediate family of the addict.
The effects of drugs cover a wide spectrum of experiences from the initial high to the lows of when the effect of the drug starts to wear out. For instance, using cocaine, the former is exciting while the latter causes anxiety, fatigue, depression and a craving for more drugs to get back to the high from the effects wearing out. Marijuana and alcohol affect the central nervous system and are the causes of many automobile accidents. Marijuana and other hallucinogenic drugs cause flash backs, much after the effects have worn out, even after a few weeks of usage.
Chances of HIV infection caused by multiple uses of hypodermic needles are high as is hepatitis. Increased sexual activity among addicts increases the risk of addicts acquiring AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Many addicts indulge in criminal activities such as burglary and prostitution to raise money to feed their habits. Some substances like alcohol induce violent behavior. Over 10,000 deaths per annum due to drug abuse are recorded in the USA. Substances most cited are cocaine, heroin and morphine quite often in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
The addict's dependence on the substance, added to its effect on emotions and physical responses, often leads to marital discord and poor performance at work resulting in dismissal. Family life is often disturbed and, out of love or fear or both, family members or the spouse enable the addict in his habit through destructive behaviors of codependency. They deny that there is a problem, or cover up for the addict and supply him with funds to feed the habit.
Babies born to drug users tend to be much lower in weight than the average due to the mother being under nourished or of a neglected constitution. Fetuses in the wombs of addicts get affected by the drugs taken by the parent, by a process called crossing the placental barrier, and suffer from withdrawal symptoms immediately after birth. This is particularly so in the case of users of crack and heroin. The fetal alcohol syndrome, due to the alcohol consumed during pregnancy, affects children of alcoholic mothers. Infants acquire AIDS virus through the intravenous injections of drugs that the mothers take.
Society pays a very high price due to the prevalence of addictions of any kind. Work- man-days are lost in the workplace, involving cost over runs. Drug users are more prone than non-users to cause accidents endangering themselves and their colleagues. More than fifty percent of all road deaths in the United States are caused directly or indirectly by alcohol abuse.
Turf wars and other violent crimes between drug dealers cause havoc in neighborhoods. Residents are constantly under threat and there are crimes among the addicts themselves. Some areas report that young children are recruited to be lookouts and helpers as juvenile offenders get lighter punishments. Teenagers as well as younger children armed with handguns have become quite common. Among the homeless, most suffer from drug or alcohol addiction or mental illness, and often from all three conditions.
Since drug addiction has such a serious impact on the addict, families and society in general, the need to take action is urgent and immediate. Otherwise, the effects of drug addiction can have far-reaching consequences and the addict may never get a chance to recover from his disease.
Drug Addiction The Symptoms
Other behavioral patterns usually conceal symptoms of addiction to drugs. Addiction to drugs commences when the person cannot help wanting to use the drug without considering the physical or emotional consequences. There are however some signs to look for if you want to find out if you or some one you love has an addiction problem.
The sign on top of the list will be the inability to say no to the drug. Those addicted to drugs cannot imagine a life without the drug of their choice. They would go to any lengths to get supplies of drugs for regular use and will often over indulge too.
The only thing that matters to addicts is the next 'fix'. All earlier involvements such as hobbies, families, work and school become unimportant. Nothing else matters except the use of the drug of choice.
Another good indicator of drug addiction is swings in moods. They are either 'up' or 'down' and never what could be called 'normal'. Angry outbursts and irrational behavior also become regular. Addicts will start doing things that they normally would not do, if they cannot get their fix when the urge takes over.
Changes in the physical shape start manifesting when the addiction has set in. They are likely to lose weight rapidly and become emaciated and ashen in appearance. Personal hygiene takes a back seat and they start looking unkempt and seedy. Eyes become dull and lifeless and they often develop sores on their bodies. They develop a vacant look about them.
Since regular intake of drugs builds up immunity in the system, the addict starts needing more and more dosage to achieve the same old high.
Addicts start behaving strangely sometimes bordering on suspicion. They will retreat from gatherings, absent themselves for no apparent reason. They may emotionally distance themselves from those that they were earlier attached to. With such alienation, it becomes easier for them to use drugs without fear of criticism and derision from those close to them.
Drug addiction often leads to severe depression. Signs of hopelessness, negativism, withdrawal from company are all symptoms of such depression. Performance indicators at work and school can take a turn for the worse for no apparent reason. They may not want to get out of bed for long periods of time and show signs of constant exhaustion.
Drug addiction is a disease, a serious one. No sooner than it is seen for what it is, help must be sought. It is never too late be it for yourself or some one you care for.
Facts About Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a disease of the body, mind and spirit that is complex and frightening. For those dealing with drug addiction either as an addict or with some loved one, it can be very daunting and nightmarish.
Whatever the substance be - marijuana, nicotine, alcohol or stronger substances like heroin and cocaine, the substance takes hold of the addict's psyche making it impossible for him to live without the substance. The craving is uncontrollable and the addict becomes totally without choice in the matter.
The addict is physically totally dependent on the drug and without it, his body simply cannot manage to be normal. Such withdrawal, when implemented voluntarily or forcibly, results in uncontrollable shaking of limbs, hallucinations, sleeplessness and sometimes even other cardiac problems.
Drugs have an impact on the central nervous system and the brain. The effect of the drug manifests itself in the behavior of the body and mind. The body's coordination and the mind's ability to think get affected. Since the chemicals in the brain get affected, the drug takes a vicious grip on the user.
Addiction to drugs also results in obsessive-compulsive behavior such as promiscuity, stealing and other abnormal behavior. The motive is usually to raise money for financing the habit and if it means unacceptable behavior, the addict feels no remorse about it.
A significant fact about drug addiction is its prevalence among certain types of people. Such people include offspring of addicts, people with very low self-esteem and people who believe that they are helpless and cannot control events in their lives. People with such backgrounds become almost totally powerless over their addiction when they start using drugs.
Social and peer pressure too play a significant role in addiction. What starts as casual use in clubs, parties and other social occasions due to the need to be with it, or part of the in-crowd, spills over into the private life. The addict will start using the drug when alone and eventually come to a situation where he is unable to be without it.
Drug addiction does not show partiality to any social or economic class in choosing its victims. People from all strata are affected - the rich, the poor and all those between. Celebrities and the common man also fall prey and that is why it is important that you learn as much as possible about it so that addiction can be prevented before it becomes a reality.
Sufficient information is available about drug addiction but the hard reality is that it has assumed epidemic proportions and is spreading very rapidly. Drug addiction is a curse on civilization and it must be stopped. If that has to be achieved, we need to educate ourselves about the facts regarding drug addiction and you have made a start by reading this article.
Drug Addiction And Intervention
Intervention is a process of bringing together a group of people who have been affected by the behavior of the addict, in a neutral location. This group is then encouraged to address the addict to inform him as to how each individual in the group has been affected. This hopefully enables the addict to face up to the fact that he has got a problem and to seek help.
Considerable preparation needs to be made before the actual intervention takes place, as it is not an easy process and the situation is anything but normal. All concerned have to be ready with what needs to be said. It is also advisable to get the help of a professional, someone who has experience of handling drug abuse and addiction and who can moderate the meeting. Such a professional can help the addict as well as handle the emotional issues that are bound to come up at the meeting.
As someone affected, it may be difficult for you initially to confront the addict, as you may fear that such confrontation may result in the addict rejecting you or hating you. This is indeed a very real possibility and you must be prepared for it. The idea behind an intervention is to let the addict become aware of the fact that his addiction affects a lot of people other than just himself. In their self-absorption due to the disease, they are not aware of this and the intervention confronts them with this fact.
Invading someone's privacy through such an intervention can be considered by some to be obnoxious and a violation of his right to choose. There is no good or bad way to intervene. Living in a society however, we are constantly influencing each other and sometimes, circumstances simply warrant that we intervene with a definite purpose.
When someone dear to us is suffering from addiction, we try to get help for him and this is a simple intervention. When the addiction has become too serious and the addict's behavior has become dangerous for himself and others, a crisis intervention is called for to calm things down and ensure safety for everyone concerned. This makes it possible to handle the crisis is in a practical manner.
The center of attention in an intervention is the addict. All participants are prepared in advance to be totally honest, if need be, brutally so, when they relate to the addict their experiences with his behavior. The atmosphere is likely to be tense and uncomfortable, but as the addict begins to realize that his addiction has become unmanageable, it would become calmer.
Intervention is an effective way to enable the addict to come to terms with his addiction in a loving and caring manner. This will enable him to accept help for his disease. A family intervention can be effected giving the addict dignity and respect in a non-judgmental way. It has proved successful and is very often the answer.
Addiction to Prescription Drugs
Addiction to prescription drugs has assumed epidemic proportions in the USA. People obtain prescriptions for medicines to handle some kind of discomfort and get so used to taking them that before they know what is happening they become totally dependent on them even when there is no pain or discomfort.
To enable a patient to come out of the effects of a debilitating disease or accident, a doctor will prescribe some drugs to make him feel better. Since it has been prescribed by a doctor, the patients believe that taking them is safe. When they start to take them to get through their normal days and to cope with the vicissitudes of life, they have become addicted to them.
Such addiction to prescription drugs, estimated to have affected over 20 million Americans, has spared no one. The rich, the poor, the famous and the commonplace, celebrities and tycoons have all been affected.
If you suspect that you may be struggling with such an addiction, it is time for you to have a serious discussion with your doctor. Preferably the one who prescribed them to start with. If you cannot do without them and need increasing quantities of them, you need to cut off the source and commence the recovery process.
It is extremely difficult to see some one dear to you walk down this path due to addiction to prescription drugs. It is quite likely that the original purpose for the prescription was some traumatic event. It may be that you may even deny their addiction just as they are likely to. This may be a major error in judgment.
Be it for yourself or someone that you care for, it will be a good idea to keep track of the usage of drugs like Vicodin or Oxycontin prescribed to combat pain. Monitoring the quantity and frequency of intake can give a good indication to usage in excess to necessity.
The main reason why people get addicted to prescription medicine is the fear of pain - the fear that the pain for which the medicine was originally prescribed will return, if the medicine was not present in the body. The fact of the matter is, yes, the pain is likely to return for a short while. Not for the original reason for which it was prescribed, but as a reaction from the body which has got used to its presence. The pain will eventually go.
Addiction to prescription drugs is a serious matter. It can catch hold of you before you know what is happening and refuse to let go. It is vital, whether it is for you or for someone that you care for, that you take immediate help and return to your normal life at the earliest. To do this, you have to first admit that there is a problem. Do not postpone this, do it now. Get help.
Drug Addiction - The Treatment Programs Available
Some years ago, treatment for drug addiction consisted of impersonal and harsh programs that treated only the addiction. Now, many different types of programs are available that address not only the physical aspects of the addiction, but also the psychological aspects of the addiction. It is now accepted that drug addiction is more than just the physical craving. There is a psychological aspect of the disease that takes charge of the psyche and prevents the addict from seeking treatment and total recovery.
Many types of residential rehabilitation centers now offer tested treatment programs for drug addiction. Such facilities are set in natural surroundings with plenty of space to stroll around and reflect. Class room courses offering training in coping skills and avoiding risky situations after returning to normal life are also offered. These are vital as they were the ones that landed you into addiction in the first place.
Rehabilitation centers offer a variety of therapies that address all facets of the addiction. Individual counseling, group therapy with other addicts, family therapy for the addicts' family and other families with similar problems etc.
The first step in a rehabilitation center is the detoxification process. When the drugs leave the system, some very unpleasant symptoms crop up and medical attention is necessary. Rehabilitation centers are therefore staffed with trained medical professionals to provide the necessary assistance.
There are facilities available for outpatient treatment as well. These are normally in the form of the twelve-step program of the Alcoholics Anonymous. The addict attends meetings where other recovering addicts share their experiences and help the newcomer to come out of the addiction, in time enabling the latter also to share and help others.
Such twelve-step programs can be very effective if you are committed to a path of recovery from addiction. Fully and whole-heartedly following the program can keep you from relapsing into the disease again. Support from other addicts in the group will help you recover and also provide tools to avoid temptation to revert to the addiction.
If you choose an outpatient method, you have to be totally committed to the program chosen by you. Particularly during the initial withdrawal stages when the addiction may be stronger than your desire to stay clean. If this is too overpowering, going to a residential rehabilitation facility may be a better idea for recovery.
A general understanding of the nature of the disease has removed the stigma attached to going to rehabilitation programs. The treatment itself has undergone a sea change in the last few years. If either you or some one dear to you are faced with a problem of drug addiction, do choose one of the options available - recover and live a clean and sober life.
Drug Addiction And Rehabilitation
For drug addicts with severe addiction problems, cure usually starts by arranging for what is known as de-toxification in a resident rehabilitation facility. Withdrawal symptoms can be severe and it is best left to such clinics that have experience in handling them. Such facilities are popularly known as rehab clinics.
In the days gone by, rehab centers were part of hospitals providing little in the form of comfort or moral support for the patient. The ambience too used to be primitive, dark and foreboding. Today, they are located in scenic and serene places with a lot of greenery, sunlight and cheerful décor. Innumerable such rehab centers have come up all over the country.
Modern rehabilitation centers take a holistic approach to addiction and offer both physical and psychological therapies. For patients with severe drug addiction, a number of facilities are provided such as, group therapy, physical exercise, proper nutrition, occupation therapy etc. Individualized counseling is also offered. Such comprehensive programs aid the patients in their recovery from dependence on drugs.
Rehabilitation facilities come in two varieties - one based on modern medicine and the other on spiritualism. The ones based on modern medicines offer a better chance of recovery as they are likely to be better equipped to handle the painful withdrawal symptoms at the time of detoxification as well as the mental disturbance that comes with recovery.
An addict stands a better chance of recovery if he is readied to come out into the normal world after the treatment. Despite the support received inside, both from fellow recovering addicts, staff and therapists, this can be made easier by getting the patient's family as well involved in the treatment and recovery process. It is therefore advisable that enquiries are made before hand as to how much of family involvement is encouraged by the clinic before a decision is made.
Rehabilitation centers provide an atmosphere similar to that of a tight knit community. Patients are often encouraged to participate in the way the center is run. It is somewhat like a small town outside, being run by its citizens.
Whatever your substance of choice, alcohol, cocaine, or met amphetamine, coming out of addiction on your own is not easy. That is why going to a rehabilitation center is such a good idea. There you are treated with dignity and care with the focus on getting rid of your addiction.
Whether it is you or a loved one suffering from drug addiction, getting admitted to a rehabilitation facility is a good way to getting cured. They are knowledgeable and experienced to handle the problem and you will be among others with similar experiences to yours to give you moral support. Choose one with care and get rid of your addiction for good.