DRUG AWARENESS

AND PREVENTION

What is DRUG?A drug is any substance (with the exception of

food and water) which, when taken into the body, alters the body's function either physically and/or psychologically.

Drugs may be legal (e.g. alcohol, caffeine and tobacco) or illegal (e.g. cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin).

TYPES OF DRUGS 1. Depressants: Drugs that decrease alertness by slowing down the activity of the central nervous system (e.g. heroin, alcohol and analgesics).

EXAMPLES OF DEPRESSANTS

heroin alcohol

analgesics

TYPES OF DRUGS2.Stimulants: Drugs that increase the body's state of arousal by increasing the activity of the brain (e.g. caffeine, nicotine and amphetamines).

EXAMPLE OF STIMULANTS

caffeine

amphetamine

TYPES OF DRUGS3. Hallucinogens: Drugs that alter perception

and can cause hallucinations, such as seeing or hearing something that is not there (e.g. LSD and 'magic mushrooms'). Other: Some drugs fall into the 'other' category, as they may have properties of more than one of the above categories (e.g. cannabis has depressive, hallucinogenic and some stimulant properties).

How it is used ?

Why do people use drugs?People use drugs for a variety of reasons.

Young people often use drugs for the same reasons that adults do.Some of these include

to have funto relax and forget problemsto gain confidenceto socializeout of curiosity

Why do people use drugs?as a form of escapismto lessen inhibitionsto remove personal responsibility for

decisionsto celebrate or commiserateto relieve boredom and stressself-medication to cope with

problems

SIGNS IF SOMEONE IS USING DRUGS

BRAIN OF DRUG ABUSER

TEETH OF DRUG ABUSER

LUNGS OF DRUG ABUSER

PREVENTIONGet involved in some distracting

activity. Reading, a hobby, going to a movie, exercising (jogging, biking) are good examples of distracting activities. Once you get interested in something else, you’ll find the urges go away. Another effective response to a drug craving is eating (but be careful what you eat, as eating junk will only add stress and inches to your waistline).

Talk it through. Talk to friends or family members about craving when it occurs. Talking about cravings and urges can be very helpful in pinpointing the source of the craving. Also, talking about craving often helps to discharge and relieve the feeling and will help restore honesty in your relationship. Craving is nothing to feel bad about.

Urge surf. Many people try to cope with their urges by gritting their teeth and toughing it out. But some are just too strong to ignore. When this happens, it can be useful to stay with the urge until it passes. This technique is called urge surfing. Imagine yourself as a surfer who will ride the wave of your drug craving, staying on top of it until it crests, breaks, and turns into less powerful, foamy surf.

Challenge and change your thoughts. When experiencing a craving, many people have a tendency to remember only the positive effects of the drug and forget the negative consequences. Therefore, you may find it helpful to remind yourself that you really won’t feel better if you use and that you stand to lose a lot. Sometimes it is helpful to have these benefits and consequences listed on a small card that you keep with you.

“GET HIGH WITH GOD,

NOT WITH DRUGS”