DRUGS ADDICTION

INFORMATION ABOUT DRUGS

Drug is chemical substances that can effects on humans or other animals. In pharmacology, a drug is “a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being. Some drugs can cause addiction and all drugs have side effects. There are many drugs that illegal for recreational purpose and international treaties such as Narcotic Drugs.

Drug addiction is depending on an illegal drug or a medication. When you are start to addict, you may not able to control your drug use and you may continue using the drug. Drug addiction can cause an intense craving for the drug. Drug addiction also can cause serious, long-term consequences, including problems with physical and mental health, relationships, employment and the law.

5 myths about drug addiction:

MYTH 1: Overcoming addiction is a simply a matter of willpower. You can stop using drugs if you             really want to.

-    Prolonged exposure to drugs alters the brain in ways that result in powerful cravings and a compulsion to use. These brain changes make it extremely difficult to quit by sheer force of will.

MYTH 2: Addiction is a disease; there is nothing you can do about it. 

-      Most experts agree that addiction is a brain disease, but that does not mean you are a helpless victim. The brain changes associated with addiction can be treated and reversed through therapy, medication, exercise, and other treatments.

MYTH 3: Addicts have to hit rock bottom before they can get better.

-        Recovery can begin at any point in the addiction process—and the earlier, the better. The longer drug abuse continues, the stronger the addiction becomes and the harder it is to treat. Do not wait to intervene until the addict has lost it all.

MYTH 4: You can’t force someone into treatment; they have to want help.

-     Treatment does not have to be voluntary to be successful. People who are pressured into treatment by their family, employer, or the legal system are just as likely to benefit as those who choose to enter treatment on their own. As they sober up and their thinking clears, many formerly resistant addicts decide they want to change.

MYTH 5: Treatment did not work before, so there is no point trying again. 

-      Recovery from drug addiction is a long process that often involves setbacks. Relapse does not me that treatment has failed or that you are a lost cause. Rather, it is a signal to get back on track, either by going back to treatment or adjusting the treatment approach.

COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DRUG ADDICTION

v  You feel that you need to use more of the drug to experience the same effects you used to attain with smaller amounts.

v  If you go to long without taking drugs, you will feel symptoms such as depression, sweating, shaking, restlessness, insomnia and anxiety.

v  You often take drugs more than you planned, even though you told yourself that you did not want to take the drugs. You may want to stop using, but you feel powerless when you did not take it.

v  You have abandoned all activities that you used to enjoy because of your drug use.

v  It is can cause major problems in your life such as infections, depression, paranoia.

If you suspect that a friend or family member has a drug problem, here are a few things you can do:

•  Talk to the person about your concerns, and offer your help and support, without being judgmental. The earlier addiction is treated, the better. You should not  wait for your loved one to hit bottom! Be prepared for excuses and denial by listing specific examples of your loved one’s behavior that has you worried.
•  Don not get so caught up in someone else’s drug problem that you neglect your own needs. Make sure you have people you can talk to and lean on for support. And stay safe. Don not put yourself in dangerous situations.
• You can support a person with a substance abuse problem and encourage treatment, but you cannot force an addict to change. You cannot control your loved one’s decisions. Let the person accept responsibility for his or her actions, an essential step along the way to recovery for drug addiction. 

But you should not do not do this to them: 

1.  Attempt to punish, threaten, bribe, or preach.
2.  Try to be a martyr. Avoid emotional appeals that may only increase feelings of guilt and the       compulsion to use drugs.
3.  Cover up or make excuses for the drug abuser, or shield them from the negative                 consequences of their behavior.
4.  Take over their responsibilities, leaving them with no sense of importance or dignity.
5.  Hide or throw out drugs.
6.  Argue with the person when they are high.
7.  Take drugs with the drug abuser.
8.  Feel guilty or responsible for another's behavior.