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When we talk about addiction, we mean primarily alcohol, nicotine and drug addiction. Each of them is dangerous and leads to many health complications, serious diseases and, consequently, death. Drug addiction is perhaps the most extensive topic because, unlike nicotine and alcohol, it concerns various substances that affect the human body in different ways. What is drug addiction? Why are people addicted to such substances? How to cure drug addiction.
What are drugs?
Drugs are various psychoactive substances that affect the central nervous system. The word comes from the word “narcos” which means sleep, drowsiness and intoxication. Drugs are primarily substances that are illegal under the law, but there are also many legal substances that can act as drugs.
How do drugs work?
It is impossible to put all drugs in one group. Each of the substances works slightly differently and has a different effect on the human body. Psychoactive substances differ in their potency, the form in which they are available, the level of safety of use, and many other characteristics.
In Poland, psychoactive substances are divided into three main groups that define the action of drugs. There are psychoactive substances: relaxing and calming, euphoric and delusional, as well as stimulating. The first group includes, among others, alcohol, sleeping pills and sedatives, as well as opiates. The second group includes mainly psychedelics (hallucinogens) and cannabinoids (for example, marijuana). The third group includes nicotine, cocaine and other stimulants.
What are the effects of drug use?
The use of drugs can cause various effects, depending on the type of substance used, dose, and individual predispositions of a given organism. In general, the most frequently discussed effects of drug use include problems with the immune system, drowsiness and apathy, pain in various parts of the body, as well as pressure surges and dental problems. This does not mean, however, that every psychoactive substance produces such effects. Some substances are even described as very safe, even though they are on the list of prohibited substances.
What are the symptoms of drug addiction?
Drug use does not amount to drug addiction. Drug addiction can also be an individual matter. Some people become addicted to certain substances more quickly, while others appear to be more resistant. We usually talk about drug addiction when a person experiences sudden changes in behavior, which can be observed especially by family members and friends. Drug addicts can isolate themselves from family and friends and have many problems in their daily lives. It often happens that drug addiction causes serious financial problems, because the need to take a given substance is so strong that the addict looks for all possible ways to get money for the next doses.
The somatic symptoms, as with the effects of drugs, can vary depending on the type of substance you are taking. The most common, however, are sleep problems, anxiety and tantrums, excessive and rapid weight loss.
How to cure drug addiction?
Drug addiction can be treated with a variety of therapies. Usually, however, it is not easy, and the whole process takes a long time, sometimes even several years. As with alcohol and nicotine addiction, much has been said about the importance of family and friends’ support in treating drug addiction.
Drug addiction treatment is divided into four main models, including the medical, community and social rehabilitation, spiritual and integral models. The medical model involves the use of various pharmacological agents. The community-rehabilitation model consists in working in a group of other addicts, for example in a center specially prepared for this purpose. The spiritual model focuses primarily on the problems of the soul that may have been triggered by the urge to use drugs, such as loneliness or low self-esteem. The most effective, however, is the integral model that combines all of the above methods.
Where can drug addiction be treated?
Drug addiction can be treated in addiction treatment centers and in specialized addiction treatment clinics. These are the places that, in terms of both staff and equipment, are most suited to drug addiction treatment. In addition to them, treatment is also provided by associations for addicts and societies for counteracting drug addiction, detoxification departments and psychiatric hospitals.