




Facts
In a special meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1998, representatives emphasized the need to not just reduce the global supply of drugs, but also the demand. In a document called the Political Declaration on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction, member countries of the United Nations made commitments to lower the supply as well as the demand for drugs by 2008. The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs supports several programs, all of which are aimed at reducing illegal narcotic use and sales. The commission provides assistance to participating countries in many ways. It recommends the implementation of programs that support people whose lives are jeopardized by narcotic use. It also endorses the establishment of more drug treatment facilities and is active in plans to slow the spread of HIV by intravenous drug users. Progress is difficult to assess because each signing nation chooses its own methods for reducing supplies of narcotics and for educating and treating its citizens. However, some strides are clear. The greatest achievement of the commission may be its success in getting countries to help one another do away with opium crops. Currently, it is working closely with central Asian countries to wipe out sources of opiates there. It also concentrates much of its energy on assisting the Afghan government in eliminating narcotics in that country. This help is especially valuable in a time when opium crops have been plentiful and sales for illicit growers are promising. According to the commission's executive director, Antonio Maria Costa, "the annual Afghanistan Opium Survey for 2002, conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, has confirmed earlier indications of the considerable level of opium production in the country this year."He called for greater international assistance in helping Afghanistan eliminate opium, a step that will also help the rest of the world reduce opium availability. Illicitly obtained methadone is used by some individuals who have diminished or no tolerance to opioids and who may use excessive and/or repetitive doses in an attempt to achieve euphoric effects. Alcohol and alcohol related problems is costing the American economy at least $100 million in health care and lost of productivity every year. Benzodiazepines have proven to be exceptionally safe agents. The dose at which these agents are lethal tends to be exceedingly high. Fatalities are more apt to occur when these drugs are taken in combination with other central nervous system depressant agents such as ethanol. Sedation is a common adverse effect associated with benzodiazepine use. Light-headedness, confusion, and loss of motor coordination may all result following the administration of benzodiazepines. MEMORY impairment may be detected in individuals treated with benzodiazepines, and this effect may prove to be particularly troublesome to ELDERLY patients who are experiencing memory-related problems. PSYCHOMOTOR impairment can be hazardous to individuals when they are driving. This problem can be exacerbated in individuals who consume ethanol while they are being treated with benzodiazepines. Hypnotic agents that are converted into active metabolites that are slowly eliminated from the body, such as flurazepam, may produce residual daytime effects that can impair tasks such as driving. The adverse effects of benzodiazepines on performance tend to be more of a problem in elderly people than in younger individuals. Patients with cirrhosis, a liver degenerative disease, are also more likely to experience benzodiazepine toxicity than are those with normal liver function. The appearance of the adverse effects associated with benzodiazepine administration in both elderly people and in cirrhotic patients can be minimized by treating them with agents such as oxazepam and lorazepam, which tend not to accumulate in the blood because they are excreted rapidly into the urine as glucuronide conjugates. A small number of patients may exhibit paradoxical reactions when they are treated with benzodiazepines. These may include low-level anxiety, restlessness, depression, paranoia, hostility, and rage. Sleep patterns may be disrupted by benzodiazepine administration, and nightmares may increase in frequency. Benzodiazepines suppress two stages of the sleep cycle—the stage of deepest sleep, stage IV, and the rapid eye movement (REM) stage in which dreaming occurs. |
Therapeutic Community
An effective therapeutic community attends to the many needs of the individual, not just his or her drug use. Care given at a therapeutic community addresses the individual's drug use and associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems. Also, a therapeutic community will continue to be flexible and provide ongoing assessments of the individual's needs, which may change during the course of care.
Remaining in care at a therapeutic community for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness. The time depends on an individual's needs. For most people, the significant improvement is reached at about 3 months in treatment.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal is what happens when a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol discontinues use. There are numerous symptoms that take place both physically and emotionally when an addicted individual stops using. Withdrawal can last a few days to a few weeks and may include nausea or vomiting, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety. Keep in mind; this only occurs if a person has regular, heavy use of a drug or alcohol. Withdrawal can be extremely uncomfortable without professional help. Treatment for withdrawal from alcohol or drugs may require a medical professional to be present. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation is often the best way to overcome withdrawal and its symptoms as well as recovery from drug addiction.
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.
Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a pattern of repeated drug taking that usually results in tolerance (the need for greater amounts of the drug to achieve the same effect), withdrawal (physical and cognitive effects when drug use declines or stops), and compulsive drug taking behavior (drug taking that persists despite efforts to reduce intake and despite problems with family, friends, and work). Drug addiction encompasses a diverse range of drugs (such as alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, and cocaine) and is caused by many different factors.
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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