




Facts
A pregnant drug-dependent woman puts her developing fetus at risk for a number of diseases, including hepatitis, ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS), tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). A number of these diseases may be acquired through needle sharing. Mothers who are infected with these diseases are likely to deliver prematurely. Fact: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Household Drug Survey, the nation’s most extensive assessment of drug use, reports that from 1979 to 1994 the number of current drug users (those using within the past month) has dropped from 24.8 million to 13 million, marijuana users from 23 million to 10 million and cocaine users from 4.4 million to 1.4 million. The number of hard-core addicts has held steady at around 6 million, a situation most experts attribute to the unavailability of treatment and the large number of addicts in the pipeline. We know that cocaine is a nasty actor that changes brain chemistry by stimulating dopamine and adrenaline release. The highs that it generates make it very addictive. The problem is that with any addictive drug, more of the drug is needed to get that initial high. Crack is the solid from of cocaine that is smoked. It is more concentrated, produces more intense highs, and greater lows. Crack (sometimes called crack-co-caine) is an illicit drug, the smokable form of CO-CAINE, made by adding the bases ammonia or baking soda and water to cocaine hydrochloride. The white powder illicitly purchased as cocaine is in the hydrochloride form; it cannot be smoked, because it is destroyed at the temperatures required for smoking. Therefore, in order to be used by the smoked route, cocaine must be converted to thebase state. A mixture is made and heated to remove the hydrochloride, resulting in a pellet-sized cake-like solid substance that can be smoked. This form of cocaine is inexpensive, available for purchase "on the street," and is called "crack," because of the cracks formed in the solid as it dries. Although crackcan be smoked in tobacco cigarettes or marijuana cigarettes, it is generally smoked in a special crack pipe. In its simplest form, this is a glass tube with a hole at the top of one end and a hole at the other end through which the smoke is inhaled. The crack pellet is placed on fine wire mesh screens that cover the hole distal to the smoker and a flame is applied directly to the pellet. Soda bottles, small liquor bottles, etc. are all used to manufacture crackpipes. They have in common the use of fine mesh screens so that the crackis not lost as it melts. Temperatures of approximately 200°F (93°C) are most efficient in providing the largest amount of cocaine to the user. Higher temperatures destroy more of the cocaine. |
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.
Addiction
Addiction is one of the many consequences of so-called 'casual' drug and alcohol abuse. A loss of control over drugs and alcohol can be driven by physical or psychological factors, or sometimes both. Physical addiction takes place when the body comes to need a drug to function normally. If it is not taken, unpleasant withdrawal symptoms occur. The only way to avoid this is to take more of the drug. Psychological addiction takes place when an individual comes to rely on a drug to supply good feelings, such as relaxation, self-confidence, self esteem, and freedom from anxiety. This is not just a casual desire, it's a powerful compulsion.
Drug Rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a place or program that an individual enters to treat a drug or alcohol addiction. Through therapy and education, the individual is restored to their former non-drug using self. They are then able to re-enter society clean and sober. There are many reasons why a person would need to attend a drug rehabilitation program. Some of the many reasons are: the inability to control their drinking or drug use, alienating their friends and family, problems with the law, and problems at work. Also, there are several different types of drug rehabilitation programs available: inpatient, outpatient, residential, short-term, and long-term.
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.
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.
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