Substance Abuse
About Substance Abuse
An estimated five million Americans are addicted to drugs and need addiction treatment for drug abuse while millions of others struggle to live a drug-free life. A person is considered addicted when he or she repeatedly uses drugs, looses control of how often he or she takes the drug,and if the person continues to use the drug despite the harmful consequences.
Alcohol and drug addiction have long been a major medical for decades. Finding the right type of treatment program is something many medical professionals discuss often. An effective substance abuse rehab center not only treats the addiction but the underlying issues like depression, anxiety, add, adhd, and any other mental illness. The most important thing to remember when looking for an alcohol treatment center and drug abuse rehab center is find one that is individualized and provides lots of counseling.
The past abuse of illicit drugs is now joined by the recreational abuse of medication drugs. With the increasing availability of most drugs, there is no particular age that is most affected. There does appear to be co-occurrences between certain drugs and certain age groups, especially the newest "Club Drugs" affecting teens and young adults.
According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, about 14.8 million Americans were current users of illicit drugs in 1999. There was also a reported 105 million Americans who were current users of alcohol, above the age of 12. Current users were defined as using drugs atleast once in month prior to the interview. Among these users, about 3.5 million were dependent on drugs and 8.2 million were dependent on alcohol.
Here are a few Substances:
According to the DSM-IV, alcoholism is a substance disorder in which a person develops a strong craving for alcohol because it makes him or her feel good or relieves stress or anxiety. Alcohol abuse occurs when a person continues to use alcohol despite knowing the dangerous consequences. for further more information on alcohol and drug abuse
Amphetamines are a stimulant drug. A stimulant drug temporarily increases the activity of an organism or any of its parts. Amphetamines trigger the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) which stimulates the central nervous system. Amphetamines are sold under a variety of different names, but they are commonly known as "speed" or "bennies." Amphetamines come in tablet or capsule form. Abusers can grind and sniff the capsules or even shoot the drug into their body by making it into a solution. Amphetamines speed up the physical and mental processes, lessen fatigue, boost energy and create a sense of excitement but there are serious side-effects and long term risks.
Cocaine is a substance produced by the coca plant. Cocaine differs in potency due to varying levels of purity and speed of onset. Cocaine powder is usually snorted through the nostrils or dissolved in water and injected through the veins. Cocaine is a stimulant drug that speeds up physical and mental processes and creates heightened energy and confidence. Cocaine that is sold on the street looks like fine, white crystalline powder. In powder form, coke is usually "snorted" into the nostrils but it can be rubbed onto the mucous lining of the mouth, rectum, or vagina. Users can snort, smoke, or inject cocaine depending on the form of the drug. It is highly addictive and expert help is often needed to treat Crack Cocaine Addiction.Long term addiction can lead to severe heart, lung and kidney damage.
Hallucinogens alter a person's perceptions of reality and produce hallucinations, which can be either pleasurable or frightening. There are more than 100 substances which are used as hallucinogens. In the United States, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is the most widely used hallucinogen. It can either be taken orally, blotted onto pieces of paper that are held in the mouth, or chewed with something else. Although less common some types are inhalation, smoking or intravenously. The hallucinogen MDMA, better known as ecstasy or simply "e," is becoming more common among young adults and teenagers.
Inhalants are chemicals that produce vapors that have psychoactive effects. Adolescents, especially those who may not have enough money for drugs, usually try inhalants. Kids, ages 9 - 12, may begin to abuse inhalants. Abuse usually peaks in adolescence. Parents should be aware that teenage users are found in all racial, socioeconomic, engender groups. Many users come from broken families or families that have been affected by alcohol or drug problems. They may also have difficulty in school such as truancy and poor grades.
Cannabis, better known as marijuana or pot, is the most widely used illegal drug. Marijuana is derived from the cannabis plant; the major psychoactive ingredient in delta-9-THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). When the upper leaves, tops, and stems of the plant are cut, dried, and rolled into cigarettes called marijuana. Hashish is the dried, resin that seeps from the tops and undersides of cannabis leaves. Usually, marijuana is smoked in a cigarette ("joint") or pipe or it can be taken orally; mixed with tea or eaten as ingredient in foods (being cooked in brownies).
Tobacco use is one of the most widespread forms of substance abuse and a major cause of preventable deaths in our society today. All forms of tobacco use, such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco,snuff, pipes, and cigars, are habit-forming and cause dependence and withdrawal. Nicotine is the addictive chemical in tobacco; it can stimulate or act as a sedative.
Opioids include opium, morphine, heroin, and codeine; the synthetic drugs include (meperidine) Demerol, methadone, and (propoxyphene) Darvon. All of these relax the central nervous system and have similar sleep-inducing and narcotic (pain-relieving) effects. Heroin is the most commonly abused opioid drug in the United States; there is an estimated 400,000 to 600,000 heroin addicts in the U.S. alone.
Phencyclidine, better known as PCP, is an illegal drug that causes hallucinogens and delirium. PCP comes in many forms,including a tablet, capsule, liquid, spray, or crystal-like power that can be swallowed, smoked, sniffed, snorted, or injected.