Basic But Important Drug Abuse Info

About Drug Abuse

Drug abuse, also known as substance abuse, can be defined as the excessive and repeated use of a drug in order to feel pleasure or avoid problems or reality, despite negative and damaging consequences.

The substance that is abused can be an illegal drug such as cocaine or marijuana, inhalants such as gasoline, or prescription drugs misused such as abusing codeine or Darvon.

While some people think that infrequent drug abuse is not that harmful, the research literature shows that drug abusers who receive professional drug abuse treatment can recover from their drug problems before they become drug dependent.

Basic But Important Drug Abuse Info

Here’s a bit of drug abuse info that apparently escapes the awareness of people who start and continue to engage in drug abuse.

Whatever the substance of choice, drug abuse is typified by the dysfunctional way in which it takes over the person’s life, adversely affecting his or her peace of mind, disrupting his or her relationships and daily functioning at school, home, or work, and leading to recurring drug-related legal problems.

Regrettably, many people who abuse drugs fail to internalize this important drug abuse info: people who continue to engage in drug abuse often find themselves making the transition from abuse to dependence. Drug addiction can be physical, psychological, or both.

Physical addiction refers to the physiological effects of drug use and is characterized by withdrawal symptoms when the addict quits taking the drug and tolerance, defined as the need to take more and more of the drug in order to experience the initial “high” or “buzz.”

From a different perspective, psychological addiction refers to the subjective feelings the addict craves to experience feelings of well-being and pleasure.

For example, taking a drug to “relax” or to overcome the pain of an unpleasant situation are examples of psychological dependence.

Another bit of important drug abuse info is this: the more substance abuse begins to affect and control a person’s life, the more likely it is that a person has a drug problem that can escalate into addiction.

Sadly, the individuals who are actively involved in drug abuse are often the last persons to gain an awareness of their symptoms of abusive and damaging drug-related behavior.

The Warning Signs of Drug Abuse

It is important to emphasize that drug abusers regularly try to deny their drug-related problems while they hide the symptoms of their abuse. There are, however, many well-known and predictable “warning” signs of drug abuse that highly suggest drug involvement.

Common and recognizable warning signs of drug abuse:

• – Taking drugs the first thing in the morning
• – A preoccupation with drugs exemplified by continually talking about drugs and pressuring others to use join him or her in drug use
• – Associating with known drug abusers or refusing to spend time with friends or family who doesn’t use drugs
• – Noticeable degradation regarding one’s physical appearance and grooming
• – Irritability, wide mood swings, manic behavior, or angry outbursts
• – Frequently selling possessions, borrowing money, or stealing things from school, work, or from home.
• – Talking incoherently or making inappropriate remarks
• – Sudden increases in employment problems and school absences while the quality of work or grades diminish
• – Engaging in suspicious or secretive behaviors, such as making numerous trips to the garage, basement, restroom, or other isolated areas where substance abuse could take place
• – Expressing feelings of exhaustion, hopelessness, or depression
• – The inability to relax or to have fun without taking drugs
• – Inappropriately and frequently wearing sunglasses and long sleeve shirts.

The Different Kinds of Substances That are Abused

Practically every drug has the potential for abuse and addiction. Upon closer examination, however, it can be determined that each drug affects the abusers’ brains and bodies in different ways, thusly resulting in symptoms of addiction and abuse that are unique to each of the following substances:

• – Hallucinogens
• – Downers
• – Marijuana
• – Inhalants
• – Narcotics
• – Uppers
• – Steroids
• – Alcohol

Drug Abuse Treatment

In spite of the fact that a cure for drug abuse has not been discovered, various alcohol and drug abuse treatment approaches however, have been developed that help drug abusers recover from their drug problem.

Not surprisingly, there is a great amount of alcohol and drug abuse treatment information that is available, both online and offline.

Some people ask the following question regarding treating drug abuse: “What is the most effective type of drug abuse treatment?” Not unlike most chronic diseases, there are different levels and degrees of success related to drug abuse treatment.

For example, some drug abusers, after treatment, refrain from abusing drugs. Other people who abuse drugs, conversely, experience fairly long periods of abstinence after receiving treatment, and then experience a drug relapse.

And still other drug abusers cannot abstain from drugs for any sustainable period of time, regardless of the type of treatment they have received.

Not surprisingly, all of these treatment outcomes occur with every known type of drug abuse treatment.

In any event, one thing is certain regarding drug abuse treatment: the longer a person refrains from abusing drugs, the more likely he or she will be able to remain drug-free, avoid drug addiction, and possibly stay away from further drug treatment.

Conclusion: About Drug Abuse

Drug abuse, also known as substance abuse, can be defined as the excessive and repeated use of a drug to escape reality, feel pleasure, or avoid problems, in spite of the dangerous, unhealthy, and sometimes fatal outcomes.

The substance that is abused can be an illegal drug such as heroin or cocaine, inhalants such as correction fluid or dry-cleaning fluids, or prescription drugs misused such as abusing Percocet or Vicodin.

Regrettably, while substance abuse may make an individual feel better in the present moment, these efforts at self-medication ultimately boomerang as the addict starts to experience the mounting adverse problems that arise in his relationships, employment, health, finances, and education.

If you know a friend or a family member who you think may be abusing drugs, how can you confirm this? To educate yourself about this situation, it may be a good idea to arm yourself with information about some of the identifiable and predictable warning signs of drug abuse.

After comparing the behavior of your family member or your friend with these signs of drug abuse, you may want to suggest to the potential drug abuser to make an appointment with substance abuse or drug abuse professional and get a thorough examination.

Regrettably, the following important drug abuse info seemingly has not made a meaningful impact on people who insist on abusing drugs: many individuals who continue to abuse drugs will eventually make the transition from drug abuse to drug dependency.

And once this happens, the individual will lose control of his or her life to the drug to which he or she has become addicted.