




Facts
Substance use among the college-age population is a main public health and educational concern. Young adults have consistently been found to have the highest rates of substance use. It has been suggested by recent studies that rates of illicit drug and alcohol use are higher among high school dropouts than college students. Heart Disease. Large doses of alcohol can trigger irregular heartbeats and raise blood pressure even in people with no history of heart disease. A major study found that those who consumed more than three alcoholic drinks a day had higher blood pressure than teetotalers. The more alcohol someone drank, the greater the increase in blood pressure. People who were binge drinkers had the highest blood pressures. One study found that binge drinkers (people who have nine or more drinks once or twice a week) had a risk for a cardiac emergency that was two and a half times that of nondrinkers. Chronic alcohol abuse can also damage the heart muscle, which leads to heart failure; women are particularly vulnerable to this disorder. Contrary to many previous reports, a recent study suggested that moderate to heaving drinking (more than two bottles of beer or two glasses of wine a day) was a greater risk factor for coronary artery disease than smoking. As in other studies, light drinking (two to six drinks a week) was protective. More research is needed to confirm or refute this new study. In any case, moderate drinking does not appear to offer any heart benefits for people who are at low risk for heart disease to begin with. A major side effect of long-term amphetamine use in humans is a psychosis that resembles schizophrenia. In one study, volunteers with no histories of psychosis took an amphetamine drug for one to five days. Five of the six subjects developed paranoid psychosis, which cleared when the drug was discontinued. Unless the user continues to take the drug, the psychosis usually ends within a week, although it is possible that symptoms will keep occurring. The symptoms of amphetamine psychosis include feelings of being persecuted, hyperactivity and excitation, hallucinations—seeing and hearing things that are not real—and changes in body image. Amphetamine abusers taking repeated doses of the drug can develop repetitive behavior patterns that continue for hours at a time. These can take the form of constant cleaning, taking apart small appliances over and over again, or picking at wounds. Stopping amphetamine use after long-term high doses generally results in loss of energy, depression, and abnormal sleep patterns. These symptoms may be due to the long-term lack of sleep and reduced food intake typical of chronic use. One of the most important facts about heroin is that using this drug inevitably leads to drug addiction. Heroin addiction is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, and by neurochemical and molecular changes in the user’s brain. Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence, which are also powerful motivating factors for compulsive use and abuse. |
Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment is needed when an individual finds that they have developed a drug or alcohol addiction which they are not able to successful end on their own. With the help of addiction treatment, addicted individual can get help to control their drug taking behavior and live happy and successful lives. There are several addiction treatment options available for drug and alcohol addiction. Some of these options include self-help groups, counseling, drug rehabilitation programs (in and out-patient), and residential treatment facilities. Each of these differ
in their aims and outcomes and elements of these addiction treatment options are often
combined.
Detox
Detox is necessary when an individual through their chronic use of drugs or alcohol has developed an addiction. The objective of detox is to help the individual achieve a drug and alcohol free state. Detox is intended to relieve the physical symptoms of withdrawal and helps prepare the individual for entry into drug rehabilitation. Therefore, the ultimate goal of detox is preparation for long term recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
Dependence
Dependence is the compulsive use of a substance despite negative consequences which can be severe; drug dependence is simply excessive use of a drug or use of a drug for purposes for which it was not medically intended. Physical dependence on a substance (needing a drug to function) is not necessary or sufficient to define addiction. There are some substances that don't cause addiction but do cause physical dependence (for example, some blood pressure medications) and substances that cause addiction but not classic physical dependence (cocaine withdrawal, for example, it does not have symptoms like vomiting and chills; it is mainly characterized by depression).
Tolerance
Tolerance to a drug takes place when an individual is exposed to the same drug repeatedly and begins to build up an resistance to the drugs effects. The body then adapts and develops a tolerance for the drug. The addiction that is produced is so powerful that it creates cravings in the user. These cravings for the drug are the result of its impact on the individual's memory with feelings of pleasantness and euphoria which the individual has come to associate with the taking of the drug.
Addict
An addict is an individual who has a compulsive urge to use drugs, to the point where they feel they have no effective choice but to continue use. An addict will continue their self destructive behaviors in order to feel good or to avoid
feeling bad. It can dominate their mind, and keep them coming back for more. The addiction can be
different for each addict, depending on their vice and the kind of person they
are.
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