Contents
Drug addiction is a complex disease consisting in the patient’s addiction to psychoactive substances. Drug addiction is a problem on many levels: medical, social, cultural and legal. What are the causes of this phenomenon and how to help the sick person?
Drug addiction – definition
Drug addiction is a well-known addiction drugs, substances that influence brain function. Drug addiction characterized by the so-called narcotic craving, which is the physical suffering caused by the withdrawal of substances that leads to drug at all costs.
Drug addiction and its phases
There is a common belief among scientists that addiction to drugs can be divided into several phases:
- The initiation phase – this is the first stage for people who have used drugs at least once;
- The experimental stage – this is the phase in which the person tries different types of psychoactive substances. This may be the last stage of an adventure with drugs – for people who, after trying, come to the conclusion that they do not want to continue intoxication, have satisfied their curiosity and find no satisfaction when intoxicated;
- The stage of use – this is the phase of intoxication, as a result of which quite often health, professional, material and social harm occurs. At this stage, the level of tolerance to psychoactive substances increases, which is associated with increasing doses of the drug;
- The addiction phase – this is the stage in which the addict can no longer refuse the next dose; typical behavior at this stage is the so-called drug craving, anxiety and depression, nervousness.
Drug addiction – causes
What are the reasons for reaching for drugs? Most often causes are closely related to the addict’s environment.
Some causes have:
- trying to impress your friends,
- willingness to imitate the company,
- willingness to learn new stimuli,
- trying to escape from problems,
- emotional problems,
- poor self-esteem,
- boredom, no idea how to spend free time.
Drug addiction and its symptoms
Drug addiction symptoms they can be visible both mentally and physically, and they depend on the phase of addiction. In the experimental phase to the main ones symptoms these include changes in appearance and behavior: bloodshot whites of the eyes and dilated pupils, hyperactivity interspersed with sleepiness and apathy, peculiar smell of the mouth and chronic runny nose. In the next phase, the above-mentioned symptoms they deepen, in addition, the addict closes in on himself, becomes aggressive. In the last phase, the so-called appear narcotic paranoia – the addict loses his self-confidence and self-esteem, lies, and often there are sudden outbursts of aggression, which can lead to problems with the law.
Drug addiction treatment
Treatment addiction to drugs it is a difficult, arduous and long process, fully dependent on the involvement of the addict who wants to get out of the addiction. The first stage is detoxification. Its purpose is to remove all psychoactive substances from the body. Then the addicted person undergoes therapy, usually in a closed center, under the watchful eye of doctors and psychotherapists. A popular thesis is that an addicted person should be completely cut off from the environment in which he has stayed so far – only this procedure will allow the patient to completely stop the addiction. The next stage of treatment is re-socialization and entering society, closely related to leading a normal life without drugs.
The effects of drug addiction
The effects of taking psychoactive substances are very dangerous, not only for physical but also mental health. The main threats are all heart rate disorders and respiratory diseases which are very common among addicts – these are most often the result of long-term use of heroin. Another ailment quite common among heroinists is intestinal peristalsis and urinary retention.
Many narcotic substances cause immune disorders, decreased appetite and sudden weight loss. Menstrual disorders, decreased fertility and decreased libido occur among drug addicts. Moreover, especially in people who are addicted to drugs Inhalation, there is a chronic cough, runny nose and nosebleed.
One should not forget about dangerous diseases, very often occurring among those addicted to substances taken intravenously – the risk of HIV or hepatitis C. Failure to follow basic hygiene rules may lead to infection around the injection site, bacteria can penetrate directly into the bloodstream, causing sepsis.