




Facts
Codependence: When someone is addicted to alcohol or drugs, that person's problems affect the entire family. The family members often share some of the addicted person's beliefs and behave in similar ways. The term "codependence" refers to these shared beliefs and behaviors. Codependence has become a popular topic of discussion, and bookstores are full of works on the subject. Many of these books deal with the emotional damage suffered during childhood and the need to heal the "inner child." Although currently popular, the idea that alcohol and drug problems affect family members is not new. In a 1973 book called I'll Quit Tomorrow, Vernon Johnson wrote that, "While there may be only one alcoholic in a family, the whole family suffers from the alcoholism. For every harmfully dependent person, most often there are two, three, or even more people immediately around him who are just as surely victims of the disease. They too need real help." The people who live with an alcoholic or drug abuser have experiences that damage their sense of well-being. As the addicted person fails again and again to quit using alcohol or drugs, the family members also meet failure after failure. They may blame themselves for the other person's failure to quit. This failure may lead to feelings of fear, frustration, shame, inadequacy, guilt, resentment, self-pity, and anger. They may have a growing sense of worthlessness, and in response they may build emotional defenses against their feelings. Like the addicted person, they may begin to project some of the angry, negative feelings they have about themselves onto other family members, including children. They take the anger and disgust they feel about themselves and apply it to others, acting as if these other family members deserve the same feelings of anger and disgust. They do not see that this behavior makes them weaker rather than stronger, or that they have become out of touch with reality. Like the addicted person, they may deny that they need help. Usage and research of ecstasy in the United States appears to be at least five years behind that in European countries. Some reports suggest 80% of all ecstasy in circulation comes from the Netherlands. By the end of 2001, much of the research on the health effects of ecstasy has come from outside the United States, from places such as Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, and Germany, among others. The ecstasy users studied also differ somewhat; to qualify as an ecstasy user in many of the European studies, a higher number of total uses is required than in U.S. studies. Ecstasy use originally was associated with certain subcultures, such as people involved in New Age spirituality, the dance club scene, gay men, followers of the Grateful Dead, and college students. This is no longer the case, as ecstasy use has become more mainstream in popular culture. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the number one killer of American women. One in every three American women dies of CHD. Several studies suggest that in pre– and postmenopausal women, light–to–moderate alcohol consumption may increase blood concentrations of estrogen and its metabolic byproducts—which may serve to protect against CHD. In fact, the incidence of CHD remains low until after menopause, apparently because abundant estrogen protects women against CHD. After menopause, however, women’s risk of CHD increases, approaching that of men. A large body of epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that light–to–moderate alcohol consumption significantly reduces the risk of CHD in both genders. Although the exact mechanisms remain unclear, alcohol has been found to improve the risk factors and conditions associated with CHD, such as reducing the LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, and increasing the HDL, or “good” cholesterol; and reducing blood clotting and the “stickiness” of platelets, small cells that play an important role in clot formation. It is clear, on the other hand, that heavy drinking can damage the heart. Ecstasy tablets contain, on average, 60–70 mg (base equivalent) of MDMA either as the hydrochloride salt or, less commonly, as the phosphate salt. Loose powders may range from crushed tablets (typically 30–40 % purity) to almost pure MDMA. The free base constitutes 84 % of the hydrochloride salt. Apart from the active drug, tablets contain a bulking agent such as lactose and smaller quantities of binders. Mixtures of MDMA and other scheduled drugs in illicit tablets are now less common. In 2006, average values of 9 to 90 mg MDMA per tablet were reportet across Europe, though in most reporting countries the typical MDMA content of an ecstasy tablet was between 25 and 65 mg. |
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.
Relapse
Relapse is a term used to describe when an individual who has quit using drugs starts using once again. A relapse can mean just a one time use, a long term continues period of using or anything in between after a period of sobriety has taken place. An individual begins to experience a psychological relapse long before their first use after
quitting. Some things that can lead to relapse both physically or psychologically include: 1. Being in the presence of drugs or alcohol, drug or alcohol users, or places where you used or bought chemicals. 2. Feelings we perceive as negative, particularly anger; also sadness, loneliness, guilt, fear, and anxiety. 3. Positive feelings that make you want to celebrate by using. 4. Listening to others past drug use stories and just dwelling on getting high. 5. Believing that you no longer have to worry (complacent). That is, that you are no longer stimulated to crave drugs/alcohol by any of the above situations or by anything else – and therefore maybe it’s safe for you to use occasionally.
Alcoholism
Alcoholism, also known as "alcohol dependence," is a condition that includes craving and continued alcohol abuse despite repeated drinking-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law. It includes four major areas: Craving: - A strong need, or compulsion, to drink. Impaired control: -The inability to limit one's drinking on any given occasion. Physical dependence: -Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. Tolerance: - The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to feel its effects.
Drug Overdose
A drug overdose occurs when you consume more drugs than your body can tolerate. Drug users are constantly flirting with the risk of a drug overdose. There is a
fine line between the high they're seeking and serious injury or death. While many victims of drug overdose recover without long term effects, there
can be serious consequences. Some drug overdoses cause the failure of major
organs like the kidneys or liver, or failure of whole systems like the
respiratory or circulatory systems. Patients who survive drug overdose may need
kidney dialysis, kidney or liver transplant, or ongoing care as a result of
heart failure, stroke, or coma. Death can occur in almost any drug overdose
situation, particularly if treatment is not started immediately.
Drug Side Effects
Drug addiction and abuse comes with a heavy price. There are drastic drug side effects associated with drug misuse and abuse. Drug side effects from legal and illegal drugs can range from mild itching to comas and death. In addition to the physical drug side effects mentioned, there are many psychological drug side effects of drug abuse; the most serious being drug addiction and overdose.
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