About Drug Addiction

Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a serious problem that affects your physical and mental health. It also affects not only you but your family, loved ones, or even people you have never met. When drug use impairs your judgment, you begin to damage your relationships. Because getting and using the drug becomes your top priority.

Right or wrong begins to lose its meaning when you depend on drugs to feel normal. Thus, you can continue to use the drug until you lose the trust of everyone around you. It is best to start the drug addiction treatment earlier than later. You have a better chance to achieve long-term recovery with early treatment.

Also, you may have noticed that someone you care about suffers from drug addiction. Watching someone you love struggle with drug addiction is very sad and exhausting. Furthermore, you should convince him or her to get treatment. Before relationships or financial situation hits rock bottom. Also, to do this correctly, you must have an idea of what that person is going through.

Different drugs cause different symptoms in people. Below you will find the short and long-term effects of drugs according to their type:

Alcohol

Alcohol causes the most cases of drug addiction in the world. It is socially acceptable and much more accessible than other drugs. Therefore, it is so much easier for you to develop an addiction to alcohol. Additionally, the physical and mental problems that alcohol will cause you are not inferior to other drugs. In fact, it would be smart to view alcohol as more dangerous than many drugs. As you might know, alcohol use causes fatal accidents a lot more than other drugs out there.

In most cases, the drug in question is either alcohol or other drugs accompanied by alcohol. Alcohol addiction can be mild, moderate, or severe. Also, the number of symptoms you have determines the stage of your addiction.

Signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction are:

• Failing to limit the amount of alcohol use
• Spending a lot of time obtaining, drinking, and also recovering
• A strong desire and urge to drink alcohol
• Failing to fulfill your responsibilities at work, school, or at home
• Drinking fully aware of the physical, social, or internal problems
• Giving up social or business activities and hobbies
• Drinking alcohol in unsafe situations. Such as while driving or swimming
• Developing tolerance
• Withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, and tremors

Marijuana, Hashish, and Other Cannabis-Containing Drugs

Cannabis is the first drug tried in most addiction cases. Thus, it is a gateway drug. Even if you limit your drug use with cannabis, you will begin to see its effects in long term. If you value your wits and mental prowess, cannabis is the last thing you need in your body. You may feel smarter when you smoke it but that is far from the truth. In the early stages, it can give you a sense of focus but after a while, you can not properly focus on anything unless you smoke it.

People can smoke, eat or inhale cannabis. Additionally, cannabis is often used with alcohol or other drugs.

Signs and symptoms of cannabis use are:

• Euphoria
• Elevation in visual, sound, and taste senses
• High blood pressure and heart rate
• Red eyes
• Dry mouth
• Poor coordination
• Difficulty in concentrating and also remembering
• Slow reaction
• Anxiety or paranoia
• The smell of cannabis on clothes and also yellow fingertips
• Overeating certain dishes at strange times

In long-term use, we often see:

• • Decreased mental sharpness
  • Poor performance at school or work
  • Lack of friends or interests

Meth, Cocaine and Other Stimulants

Amphetamines, meth, cocaine, Ritalin, Adderall are stimulant drugs. Also, people often use or misuse stimulants to be ‘high’ and boost their energy. Because, they want to improve their performance at work or school, lose weight, or control appetite. These drugs are common among students and also athletes. Additionally, if you use stimulants for entertainment, you invite serious health problems that may occur in the future.

Signs and symptoms of stimulant use include:

• Feeling of joy
• Overconfidence
• Attention increase
• High energy
• Behavioral changes
• Aggressiveness
• Talking too much
• Enlarged pupils
• Confusion
• Delusion
• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Anxiety
• Changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and also body temperature
• Losing weight
• Impaired judgment
• Nasal congestion and damage to the mucous membrane of the nose (if snorting)
• Tooth decay, mouth sores, gum disease (meth mouth)
• Insomnia
• Depression when the effects of drugs wear off

Opioid Painkillers

Opioids are narcotic drugs produced from opium or produced synthetically. Drugs such as heroin, morphine, and methadone, fall into this class. Also, opioids are snorted or injected through the vein. These drugs produce a “high” that unlike any other type can provide when you inject in your vein. Therefore, you can develop an addiction very quickly.

If you use opioids for a long time, you may need a substitute drug for treatment.

Signs and symptoms of use include:

• Numbness
• Tension, drowsiness, or calmness
• Slurred speech
• Attention and also memory problems
• Narrowing of the pupil
• Apathy or lack of awareness of people, things, and surroundings
• Coordination problems
• Depression
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Runny nose or nasal sores (if snorting)
• Needle marks (if injecting)

Club Drugs

This type of drug is common in clubs, concerts, or parties. For example, ecstasy or molly (MDMA), or ketamine. Also, not all of these drugs are in the same category. However, their effects and dangers are similar. They can be taken orally in pill or powder form.

Club drugs cause sedation, muscle relaxation, confusion, and memory loss. Therefore, these drugs are often associated with incidents of sexual misconduct or assault.

Signs and symptoms of club drugs:

• Hallucination
• Paranoia
• Wide pupils
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Behavior changes
• Muscle cramping and tooth clenching
• Relaxation of muscles. poor coordination, and also movement problems
• Elevation in vision, tasting, and hearing senses
• Poor judgment
• Memory problems
• Decreased consciousness
• Decrease or increase in heart rate or blood pressure

K2, Spice and Bath Salts

These are synthetic cannabinoids. Also, they are relatively new and highly dangerous. You may experience unpredictable effects due to the use of these drugs. Moreover, they may contain unknown drugs.

K2 or Spice are usually sprayed on dried plants for smoking. It can also be used as herbal tea. These are not natural or harmless products. They are chemical compounds and their content is suspicious. These drugs provide a very similar “high” to marijuana. However, they are a lot more destructive. Also, they have become a very popular and dangerous alternative.

Signs and symptoms of use:

• Feeling “high”
• Elevated mood
• Change in vision, taste, and hearing
• Extreme anxiety or agitation
• Paranoia and also hallucinations
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure or heart attack
• Vomiting
• Confusion

Bath salts are drugs similar to amphetamines. Such as ecstasy, and cocaine. Also, their packages usually have labels from other legal brands to avoid detection.

Do not let the name fool you, these are not bath products. These drugs can be eaten, snorted, inhaled, or injected. They are highly addictive. Also, you may have a severe state of intoxication. Therefore, serious health problems. Also, there is a possibility of death in some cases.

Signs and symptoms:

• Euphoria
• Increase in sociability, energy, sexual drive, and agitation
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Impaired judgment
• Loss of muscle control
• Paranoia
• Panic attacks
• Hallucinations
• Delirium
• Violent behavior

Hallucinogens

This drug type causes different signs and symptoms depending on their type. The most common types are LSD and PCP. They can be found in liquid or paper form. Users take these drugs from the mouth or through the skin.

LSD causes the following signs and symptoms:

• Hallucinations
• Detachment from reality. Confusing one sense with another. For example, hearing colors
• Impulsive behavior
• Sudden mood swings
• Lasting mental changes in perception
• Increased heart rate and also high blood pressure
• Tremors
• Flashbacks and reliving hallucinations even years later

PCP causes the following signs and symptoms:

• Feeling separated from the body and environment
• Hallucinations
• Coordination and movement problems
• Aggressive, violent behavior
• Involuntary eye movements
• Not feeling pain
• Increase in blood pressure and also heart rate
• Thinking and memory problems
• Speech problems
• Impaired judgment
• Not being able to stand the noise
• Sometimes having a seizure or a coma

Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines and Hypnotics

These drugs are depressants for the central nervous system. Additionally, people use or misuse these drugs to suppress thoughts or feelings caused by stress.

Barbiturates: Seconal is the most common among users.

Benzodiazepines: Sedations such as Valium, Xanax, and also Ativan.

Hypnotics: Sleeping drugs such as Ambien.

Signs and symptoms of use:

• Laziness
• Chattering
• Lack of coordination
• Changes in mood
• Problems focusing or thinking clearly
• Memory problems
• Involuntary eye movements
• Slow breathing and decreased blood pressure
• Falls or accidents
• Nausea

Inhalants

Signs and symptoms of inhalers vary from drug to drug. There are common examples such as glue, paint thinners, felt pen liquid, gasoline, liquid cleaning materials, and also spray products. Depending on the structure of these toxic drugs, brain damage or sudden death may occur.

Signs and symptoms:

• Possession of inhalant drugs without a reasonable explanation
• Short-term intoxication
• Violent behavior
• Dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Involuntary eye movements
• Drunkenness, chattering, and poor coordination
• Irregularity in heartbeat
• Tremors
• The smell of the inhalant drug
• Soreness around the mouth and nose

Situations That Require Emergency Assistance

If you or someone you know is experiencing one of the following, get emergency help:

Overdosing

Changes in consciousness

Difficulty breathing

Seizure or laughing fit

Possible signs of heart attack, such as chest pain or pressure

Any physical or mental adverse reactions due to drug use

Organizing an Intervention

People struggling with drug addiction often do not even admit that they are in a struggle. They may be reluctant to have drug addiction treatment. Also, they do not consider their addiction as a problem. In this case, family and friends can arrange an intervention. You may get help from experts in drug addiction treatment. Therefore, you can motivate and encourage them to get help.

You should plan the intervention carefully. However, you can ask an intervention specialist to conduct the meeting. You can invite more than family and friends. Also, co-workers or people who care might be helpful as well.

During the intervention, speak directly to the person you love and care about. Firstly, explain the consequences of drug addiction, how it affects you. Then, ask him/her to accept treatment.

Conclusion

You should get help before your life and the lives of your loved ones are damaged permanently. Also, it is hard to predict where a life poisoned by drug addiction will be ruined. Therefore, early treatment is very important for you to bury drug addiction long-term. Finally, self-love and the love of your family and friends can be your salvation from despair and depression.

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