Hellen maluleka

A drug, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body works by altering emotions and thoughts.

Drugs –What they Are and What they Do ?

Drug abuse is an intense desire to obtain increasing amounts of a particular substance. Drug dependence is the body's physical need, or addiction, to a specific agent. Over the long term, this dependence results in physical harm and behavior problems which causes tolerance and cross tolerance. Thus, it creates a vicious cycle.

Two main Categories of DrugsStimulants

CocaineCrack cocaineAmphetamines

(methamphetamine, ecstasy)Nicotine

Two main Categories of DrugsDepressants

HeroinMarijuanaBarbiturates – Oxycodone,

Morphine, Codeine, ValiumGHB

Drug Abuse - Why do people start?

Idea that it’s easy to quit.“just want to try it”Social crutch: feel confident in social situations,

something to handle or holdDeal with problems: escape, pressure, depression,

boredom

Don’t know how to say no.

Feel older Feel cool Feel different Peer pressure Fit in FunMedia: advertising, TV, movies, music Friends / family Relieve stress / relax

Legal drugs are not necessarily safer. A study in 2010 asked drug-harm experts to rank various illegal and legal drugs. Alcohol was found to be the most dangerous.

It is believed that drug abuse only harms the user but this graph clearly depicts that it not just harms the person but destroys the whole family ,his profession, and life.

These factors increase the likelihood of your having an addiction to a legal or an illegal drug:

Personality: Children who exhibit aggression, a lack of self-control and a difficult temperament may be at greater risk of drug addiction.

Social environment: Particularly for young people, peer pressure is a strong factor in starting to use and abuse drugs. A lack of attachment

with your parents may increase the risk of addiction. Anxiety, depression and loneliness: Using drugs can become a way of

coping with these painful psychological feelings. Genetics: If you have family members with alcohol or drug problems,

you're at greater risk of developing a drug addiction. Type of drug: Some drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, more quickly

result in physical addiction than do others.

Treatment: Breaking a drug addiction may involve support from your doctor, family, friends and others who have an addiction, as well as inpatient and outpatient treatment.Therapy: Withdrawal therapyThe goal of withdrawal therapy (detoxification) is for you to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible. Detoxification may involve gradually reducing the dose of the drug or temporarily substituting other substances that have less severe side effects. For some people it may be safe to undergo withdrawal therapy on an outpatient basis. Other people may require placement in a hospital or a residential treatment center.

Both women and men abuse prescription drugs at approximately the same rate, however, women are twice as likely to become addicted as men. Specifically, females between the ages of 12 to17 and 18 to 25 have shown the largest increase of prescription drug abuse over the past two decades (NIDA). In addition, young girls aged 12 to 14 report that painkillers and tranquilizers are one of the most popular drugs used to get high.

www.mayoclinic.comwww.google.com

MADE BY:Helen Maluleka