The limitation or absence of such sensations is accompanied by a significant deterioration in the condition of the dependent. A person who is addicted to drug addiction aspires to get pleasure from taking drugs that cause a violation of the chemical balance in the brain. The reaction of the nervous system to the stimulus decreases with time, which leads to the development of tolerance - the need to increase the dose to achieve the desired effect.
The withdrawal syndrome
The abolition of a psychoactive substance is accompanied by the appearance of various symptoms that depend on the type of drug:
- psychostimulants - anxiety, depression, prolonged sleep;
- tranquilizers - anxiety, tremors, convulsions;
- marijuana - restlessness, irritability, insomnia, lack of appetite, weight loss;
- heroin - various psychoemotional and physical symptoms.
The development of chemical dependence is affected by a number of psychological factors, including the intellectual and personal qualities of the individual:
- obsessive desires - can arise, for example, in the association of smoking with food;
- personal qualities - the defining features are such as the need for stimulation and the type of reaction to difficulties;
- social factors - in the formation of dependence a huge role is played by behavioral patterns adopted in the relevant social environment.
Most people who use drugs are young people, more often male. A typical scenario is the previous development of dependence on "socially acceptable" drugs - alcohol and nicotine, which in some cases goes into the use of marijuana, and sometimes even heavier drugs. Usually the object of dependence is a chemical substance allowed (nicotine, alcohol or even strong tea and coffee) or banned (marijuana, heroin). The most common of the banned substances is marijuana. According to statistics, most of the young people under the age of 25 years at least once in their life tried marijuana. The use of ecstasy, LSD and cocaine in our time has become an attribute of a youth disco.
History
The problem of chemical dependence has existed for a long time. In the XVII-XVIII centuries, drinking wine was safer than using ordinary water. In the middle of the XIX century, opium could be bought in a grocery store. In the 50-60s of the last century, the most commonly used drugs were amphetamines, which were often prescribed for medical reasons, as well as barbiturates. In 1975, the peak of the use of tranquilizers, hypnotics and stimulants began. Currently, doctors rarely prescribe these drugs because of the possibility of developing addiction and dependence.
The prohibited recreational drugs include:
- psychostimulants (amphetamines, ecstasy, marijuana and cocaine);
- tranquilizers (barbiturates, neuroleptics, heroin);
- hallucinogens (LSD).
The difference between use and abuse (with respect to both legal and illicit drugs) is, mainly, the degree of dependence and the potential consequences of their admission. It is customary to talk about abuse in cases when narcotic drugs are used for other purposes and completely subordinate human life to themselves. Many will agree that abuse can be considered when, as a result of the regular intake of alcohol, a person and his environment have material or social problems.
Signs of drug addiction
Drug dependent people can simultaneously use several different drugs. Signs of regular drug use may include changes in behavior, increased drowsiness, secretiveness, irritability, sudden mood changes, lack of appetite, loss of interest in learning and entertainment. Of course, these symptoms can have other causes. A clearer sign can be a sharp narrowing of the pupils, as well as the storage of syringes and needles. Having discovered that your child is using drugs, it is important not to "bend a stick". Many adolescents are experimenting with smoking marijuana, without subsequently going on to heavy drugs.
Treatment
The terrible thing is dependence on drugs, ways of overcoming are offered a variety. The treatment plan is developed in conjunction with the doctor. To correct behavioral disorders associated with taking drugs, you may need the help of a psychologist. When somatic disorders develop as a result of smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol or heroin, it often requires a call to other professionals. The main areas of correction of dependence are an increase in motivation to abandon a bad habit, providing information on effective methods for overcoming it, and, if necessary, drug therapy. The degree of harm from taking the drug is different. It depends, mainly, on the characteristics of the action of the substance used and the personal qualities of the patient. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer and heart failure. Alcohol or narcotic intoxication can lead to undesirable social consequences. Drug dependence inevitably becomes the cause of many problems. Dependence of any kind makes a person deceitful, selfish and prone to manipulating others.
The degree of impact on the psyche depends on the type of drug: marijuana - in some people its use does not cause adverse effects, but this often causes fatal accidents. Intensive use of marijuana can lead to episodes of acute psychosis. With chronic use, there may be a decrease in sexual desire and a violation of the ability to concentrate; in heroin - taking this drug is associated with a high risk of death from an overdose. Other consequences may include respiratory diseases and constipation. However, the main danger lies in the intravenous route of administration: the use of shared syringes and needles often leads to the transmission of infections, for example HIV and hepatitis; Ecstasy - there are data on the deaths of young people with the use of this drug, presumably due to dehydration of the body.
There is reliable evidence that young people who abuse illicit drugs usually get to know "legal drugs" early on. If a teenager has not encountered smoking, alcohol or drugs before the age of 18-25, the probability of their use in the future is significantly reduced. Thus, the best method of prevention can be to prevent early drinking and smoking. There are social adaptation centers for people suffering from alcohol dependence. Staying in them is especially useful for single people - it gives them the opportunity to change their lives in such a way that there is simply no place for alcohol in it.