Drug addiction: what it is and how to avoid it

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Attention! The material contains information about substances, the use of which can cause serious harm to your health!

Drug addiction is the scourge of our time, connecting people and their families and taking away from them even hope for a normal life. You can only get rid of your addiction to drugs with professional drug treatment. The sooner treatment begins, the greater the chance for the addict to return to a healthy life. However, identifying a problem in a family is not so easy. Therefore, everyone should learn in advance about the main types of drug addiction, its characteristics and manifestations, in order to be ready to act if this misfortune comes knocking on your home.

• Addiction
• What is drug addiction? Definition
• The concept of “drug addiction”
• Drug syndrome
• Etiology of drug addiction
• Causes of drug addiction
• Social addiction
• Psychological addiction to drugs
• Physical dependence on drugs
• Risk factors
• Faces of drug addicts
• Types of drug addiction
• Salt addiction
• Heroin addiction
• Drug addiction
• Social addiction
• Iatrogenic drug addiction
• Information addiction
• Stages of drug addiction
• First stage
• Second stage
• Third stage
• Chronic drug addiction
• Severe drug addiction
• Symptoms of drug addiction
• Changes in behavior: the consciousness of a drug addict
• Impact on the internal organs of drug addicts
• External signs of drug addiction
• Mental problems: personality degradation
• Consequences of drug use
• Diagnosis of drug addiction
• Drug addiction treatment
• Drug addiction treatment at home
• Treatment of drug addiction in the clinic
• Drug addiction rehabilitation
• Prevention of drug use

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Drug addiction

Drug addiction is characterized by a pathological physiological and psychological craving for psychoactive substances. Doctors believe that the main reason for the development of drug addiction is a congenital disorder in the synthesis of happiness hormones (neuropeptides). These substances are responsible for mood, motivation, and a sense of satisfaction. With their deficiency, a person feels constantly lonely and unhappy.

Most drugs activate the synthesis of happiness hormones. I want to experience the strong sensations and emotions after taking a dose again. This leads to the formation of addiction.

Literature:

1. The drug market as a type of prohibited market: abstract of dissertation. ... Candidate of Economic Sciences: 08.00.01 / Yaroslav Aleksandrovich Zolotov; [Place of protection: St. Petersburg. state econ. University]. - St. Petersburg, 2013. - 20 p.
2. Drug addiction: causes, types, consequences, prevention: (For psychologists, teachers of educational institutions) / A. V. Solovov. - [Kazan]: Khater, 1999. - 128 p.
3. New types of psychoactive substances. Synthetic drugs / Ergabylov M.B. / 2021 / Bulletin of the Kazakh National Medical University

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Drug addiction statistics in Russia

According to official statistics for 2021, 460 thousand people are registered in drug dispensaries. But the real number of drug addicts in the Russian Federation is estimated at 6 million. 20% are schoolchildren aged 9–13 years, 20% are over 30 years old, 60% are young people 16–30 years old. More than 18 million people throughout Russia periodically use and are familiar with drugs. The average age of most drug addicts is 20 – 39 years. Every day the number of drug addicts increases by 250 people. The death rate from drugs in Russia is 80 people per day.

Imitation

Show business stars, whom young people consider idols, do not hesitate to talk about doping. It's not even about Hollywood celebrities. Domestic rap artists sing enthusiastically about drugs, exploiting the image of dangerous and confident guys. A certain cult is created. If you are popular, successful and know how to make money, then your life consists of round-the-clock parties where alcohol and drugs play a dominant role. This wow-effect cements in the youthful mind a beautiful picture that is so lacking in everyday life.

Guf, Scriptonite, Eldzhey are the heroes of modern youth who freely popularize the topic of drugs. Teenagers do not distinguish reality from colorful bravado, which exists only in fantasy. The reasons for teenage drug addiction often lie in the desire to be like their idol. In films about gangsters and bandits, the theme of drug addiction is a fundamental point. Through the prism of fiction, the criminal world looks attractive, although in reality there is no romance in either American or Russian prisons. And drug addicts are not cool guys in luxury cars, but deeply unhappy people.

Signs of drug addiction

With any drug addiction, changes occur in a person’s health, behavior and appearance. Interests, social circles, and character change.

Symptoms

Even after one-time use of drugs, health problems arise. Symptoms of drug addiction depend on the type of psychoactive substance, but there are common characteristic signs:

• a sharp decrease in body weight;
• lack or increase of appetite, severe thirst;
• chronic insomnia, disruption of daily routine, daytime sleepiness;
• changes in blood pressure;
• attacks of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation;
• runny nose, cough;
• increase or decrease in temperature;
• unpleasant odor from the mouth, body and clothing;
• weakness, headache, muscle, joint pain;
• labored breathing;
• unstable psycho-emotional state - joy is replaced by aggression, cheerfulness by complete apathy.

When the liver is damaged, pain occurs in the right hypochondrium, stool becomes lighter, urine becomes darker, the sclera is jaundiced, and a vascular pattern appears on the face or body.

External signs of a drug addict

External manifestations of drug addiction do not appear immediately, but are pronounced, especially in women.

Changes in appearance:

• unhealthy complexion, pale skin, with a grayish, bluish, jaundiced tint;
• the skin peels or becomes oily;
• pustules, ulcers appear on the lips, face, rashes on the body, deep wrinkles;
• hair falls out, teeth decay;
• the eyes are red, watery, and an unhealthy shine appears;
• increased sweating;
• pupils are constricted or dilated, do not respond to light;
• facial expressions are too lively or the face takes on an unchanged expression;
• the tongue is covered with a gray, white coating and longitudinal cracks;
• In the places where the veins pass, traces of injections and bruises are visible.

The drug addict stops taking care of himself, wears dirty clothes of dark colors, and does not observe the rules of personal hygiene.

Changes in behavior

Uncharacteristic behavior, changes in circles and manners of communication are the first signs of drug addiction in adolescents and adults.

Behavioral changes in drug addicts:

• the sphere of interests changes;
• drug addicts are secretive, suspicious, and filigree lies;
• absent-mindedness, problems with orientation in time and space;
• irritability, nervousness;
• the appearance of specific slang words during conversation;
• decline in academic performance in adolescents.

Unusual objects also appear. These can be syringes and ampoules, smoking pipes, dense lumps similar to plasticine with a pungent odor, tourniquets, smoked spoons.

Cognitive changes

Drugs negatively affect brain function and cognitive dysfunction develops:

• memory problems;
• decrease in intellectual and mental abilities;
• all emotions disappear - empathy, love;
• rigidity towards those close to you due to brain degradation.

All this gradually leads to complete personality degradation and dementia.

If you notice changes in a loved one and are concerned about their well-being, talk to an addiction counselor.

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Perception disorders during drug intoxication

Perception disorders during drug intoxication manifest themselves in three forms. Impaired consciousness during intoxication is defined as: increased perception (with the use of stimulants), selectivity (with opium addiction), decreased perception (with the abuse of sleeping pills and tranquilizers). These disorders correlate with a state of active attention.

It is important to note that during intoxication, the connection between attention and fixation of impressions is disrupted . Even with the use of certain stimulants, when logically there should be good memorization, amnesia is often observed for events that occurred during the period of drug intoxication. Later, a person can say that he heard and saw everything very clearly, but he definitely cannot tell any of this. In this way dissociation of mental functions ; this state is always accompanied by words like: “as if this was not happening to me.” In addition to these quantitative disorders, malignant disorders necessarily occur, such as impaired psychosensory perception, productivity, and even hallucinations.

Changes in the perception of what is happening and the external environment occur : the shape of objects, color saturation, distances from objects, it may seem that the immovable is moving (approaching or moving away). Metaphorpsia (distorted perception of the shape, color and size of objects) is less Violation of sensory synthesis manifests itself in a feeling of derealization (a disturbance of perception in which the surrounding world is perceived as unreal).

Interoreception is also disrupted , which ensures the body’s adaptive reactions to changes in the conditions of the internal environment: from elementary sensations of temperature, the weight of one’s body in space, in one’s own body, the feeling of the absence of certain limbs or the presence of “extra” ones. At the third stage of drug addiction, autotopagnosia also occurs (ignoring half of the body, but mainly failure to recognize its individual parts). At the same time, the description of what is happening by the drug addict himself takes on a fantastic coloring: the drug addict sees his brain and the processes that occur in it. When the corresponding analyzer is irritated, the likelihood of spontaneous or reflex hallucinations is very high. Also characteristic is the presence of visual hallucinations called pareidolia, visual illusions that are formed on the basis of real-life objects. The skin also feels imaginary blows or touches. Such an “abundance” of these experiences is so complete and “inspired” for the drug addict that at these moments he is afraid to even change his position, so as not to “spoil” or “scare off” them. With all this, others observe a certain pseudo-stupor from the side.

The difference between other disorders in drug addicts and perceptual disorders lies in the presence of prevailing symptoms: visual, auditory, tactile (sensation of touch and movement on the skin), propriosensitive (devices (receptors) of muscles, tendons and joints) analyzers. At the same time, taste and auditory analyzers rarely appear.

The “suggestivity” (directed mental impact) of these experiences is also characteristic: the addict can “order” himself what to see or hear. This suggestiveness is often associated with a state of consciousness; with several types of drug addiction, it acquires a collective character or under the influence of external stimuli. As the intoxication deepens, the ability to control one's thoughts and feelings decreases.

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Stages of drug addiction

Drug addiction develops gradually. For a long time a person does not recognize the existence of a problem. Awareness comes when the disease is in an advanced form; it is impossible to stop taking drugs on your own.

First stage. After taking a dose, a feeling of euphoria, cheerfulness or pleasant relaxation arises, all sensations become more intense, and complexes disappear. After the drug wears off, minor anxiety occurs, but there are no severe disorders or withdrawal symptoms. At this stage, you can cope with addiction on your own.

Second stage. The euphoria dulls, large doses are needed to feel the usual high. Withdrawal syndrome manifests itself more strongly, social connections are disrupted.

Third stage. There is practically no pleasure from taking drugs. The whole life of a drug addict comes down to finding money for a new dose. Withdrawal is severe, accompanied by panic attacks and depression.

How to behave correctly with drug addicts? 5 rules that will help you

Elena Vladimirovna, mother of an addict

What happened is my fault. I had a beautiful and smart daughter, and all the time I tightly controlled her every step, putting pressure on her. At the age of 16, she started dating a boy. He used. At first she tried to help him, then she got hooked herself. It was a terrible time, but I still believed that SUCH could not happen in our family. My husband and I went around all the brothels in the city, praying that she would be found. She promised that this was the last time, that she would leave him, that she would no longer meet with him. The maximum it lasted was a week. Then everything goes in a circle. I tried to figure out how to get rid of drug addiction, but I didn’t ask for help. I was afraid. What? Don't know. It was both embarrassing and scary. Now I live only with my second girl. I will do everything to keep her healthy and happy.

Drug addicts are skilled manipulators. They control the people around them in order to get their next dose. Relatives of drug addicts face a whole series of psychological problems. They feel guilty about what happened, look for excuses for the drug addict’s behavior, and in especially severe cases, become codependent.

Here are 5 rules that will help you behave correctly with a drug addict:

• Don't blame yourself. The addict will immediately feel this and use it for his own purposes. You are not to blame for what happened. The main thing now is to start taking action and overcome addiction.
• Don't make the drug addict the center of your life. It's difficult, but try to give other family members the same amount of attention and care.
• Control your emotions. Neither quarrels, nor reproaches, nor your tears will help to cope with the problem, so do not let your emotions take over.
• Don't solve problems for a drug addict. Stop paying off debts for him and making excuses for his behavior - this will not resolve the situation on its own.
• Only seek professional help. Don’t waste time trying to overcome addiction at home, contact a qualified narcologist.

How to deal with a drug addict

Complications and consequences of drug use

Drugs negatively affect the functioning of all internal organs. Against the background of drug addiction, dangerous pathological processes develop, which are often irreversible.

• cardiac, renal, liver failure;
• cardiomyopathy;
• phlebitis, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism;
• swelling of the brain, lungs;
• hepatitis, cirrhosis;
• oncological pathologies;
• infertility, impotence, menstrual irregularities;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• chronic bronchitis, pneumonia;
• myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertensive crisis;
• anorexia, vitamin deficiency, anemia;
• dental problems;
• acute psychosis, which transforms into schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, paranoia;
• HIV, AIDS, sepsis.

If you are facing a drug addiction problem in your life and need support, you can get it in our chat rooms. You can also find psychologists and addiction counselors there.

Some types of drug addiction

In modern narcology, drug addiction includes not only the use of prohibited substances. But also the Internet, drug addiction, iatrogenic addiction and others. Here are some of the common ones.

Severe drug addiction

In narcology there is no division of narcotic substances into heavy and light. All drugs negatively affect human health and life. But there are drugs that become addictive after 1-2 doses. At the same time, against the background of addiction, irreversible destruction of internal organs, psyche and nervous system occurs.

The hardest drugs

• heroin - addiction forms after the first use;
• methadone - dependence on the drug is stronger than on heroin;
• Desomorphine (“crocodile”) is the most dangerous opioid; within 2 years the addict completely rots from the inside;
• amphetamine is a popular psychostimulant among young people; use leads to exhaustion and mental disorders;
• ephedron - a cheap analogue of a hair dryer, quickly provokes the development of mental degradation and dementia;
• cocaine - addiction occurs quickly and is practically untreatable;
• ecstasy - a synthetic stimulant causes severe intoxication, which leads to complete destruction of the entire body;
• LSD is a powerful hallucinogen; during euphoria or withdrawal, the addict often commits suicide.
• salts (MDPV, Alpha PVP, Mephedrone) – synthetic cathinones. Consumption leads to mental disorders.

All hard drugs disrupt metabolic processes, the body adapts to the action of surfactants. A severe psychological and physical addiction is formed, which is difficult to get rid of.

Heroin addiction

Heroin is a semi-synthetic opioid drug that is highly addictive even after a single dose. The substance activates opioid receptors in the brain, causing a feeling of euphoria.

Consequences of taking heroin:

• breathing and heart rhythm disturbances;
• involuntary urination and bowel movements;
• vomit;
• severe skin itching;
• lethargy.

Heroin addicts are often diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis, and sepsis. With prolonged use of the drug, the heart, liver, and kidneys fail, psychosis and severe depression develop.

Withdrawal is accompanied by severe pain. Without timely drug treatment, withdrawal can be fatal.

• Learn more about heroin addiction

Chronic drug addiction

Chronic drug addiction is characterized by frequent breakdowns and a lack of desire for treatment in the addict. The danger of such addiction is that after therapy the person takes the usual dose of the drug. At the same time, he forgets that the body’s tolerance has decreased. The result is an overdose and death.

Iatrogenic drug addiction

This type of drug addiction develops when taking medications prescribed by a doctor. Many pharmaceutical drugs are addictive, but experts do not always warn about this side effect. As a result, the person continues to take the medicine, increases the dose, and addiction develops.

Information addiction

The need to constantly follow the news, not to part with gadgets even on vacation, can also be attributed to addiction. Information addiction includes any excessive involvement with the computer - games, chats, surfing, scrolling through social networks. To avoid the development of addiction, it is necessary to reboot at least once a week without TV and gadgets. Also work with a psychologist.

Drug addiction

Strong sleeping pills, sedatives, and painkillers from pharmaceutical drugs, if used incorrectly, can cause addiction. Often such drugs are inexpensive and easy to purchase, which leads to an increase in the number of drug addicts.

Teen drug addiction

Drug addiction among adolescents develops according to a different pattern compared to drug addiction among adults. Childhood drug addiction is accompanied by sad consequences. Teenagers use synthetic cheap drugs, which leads to irreversible mental consequences: borderline personality disorder, suicide, schizophrenia, etc. The risk group includes children not only from disadvantaged families, but also with a genetic disorder of neurotransmitter connections.

Psychological reasons - inability to cope with stress, say “no”, resist the desires of other people, lack of willpower.

Social addiction

Drug addiction is a bisocial disease that destroys not only the life of the patient, but also those around him. Gradually, a normal person turns into a sociopath, all interests are reduced solely to finding a new dose. Due to changes in life preferences, psycho-emotional and physical state, psychopathization develops and criminal tendencies appear.

Why does a person become a drug addict?

It is almost impossible to name a single reason. It's like a snowball. One thing is superimposed on the other, and as a result there comes a moment when a person crosses the line. Let's look at the most popular factors that lead to drug addiction. They are divided into several main groups:

• social
• family
• spiritual
• psychological
• physical
• hereditary

This list seems too general. After all, each item can include a huge number of nuances. Drug addiction is so insidious that it attacks the victim from different sides. Several factors can influence a person at once. There is no single algorithm. One can only guess which combination will play a fatal role in a particular case. Each story has an individual flavor. Let's take a closer look at the most common reasons voiced by drug addicts themselves.

Drug addiction and society

The main social consequences of drug addiction are the commission of various crimes by patients. Almost all drug addicts sooner or later have financial problems. Stimulants are expensive, and as addiction develops, you need to constantly increase the dose and take it often.

Due to the destruction of personality, dysfunction of the nervous system and internal organs, dependent people can perform work solely under the influence of drugs. And then only at the very beginning of the development of the disease. Then there are fewer and fewer sober moments in life, and the energy potential decreases. The patient completely transfers to the support of relatives.

Drug addicts often commit serious and moderately serious crimes - robbery, burglary, murder, theft, extortion. They begin to take valuables out of the house; spouses and parents often suffer from aggression and beatings. Crimes of a sexual nature, pedophilia and homosexual contacts are committed under the influence of psychotropics.

Almost all drug addicts are involved in the sale, production, transportation, and transfer of drugs. Because of this, they come to the attention of law enforcement agencies.

According to statistics, addicts get into accidents 5 times more often than sober citizens. The culprits are often people under the influence of drugs and suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Or they simply have psychological disorders due to long-term use of psychoactive substances.

Drug addiction is a brutal war that takes away the gene pool of nations

Families of drug addicts often give birth to sick children who are of no use to anyone. They end up in orphanages and shelters and are raised on the streets. As a result, they turn into people dangerous to society.

The average age of drug addicts is 25–35 years. These people could work, start families, have children. But instead, the state is deprived of working and healthy members of society, which negatively affects the economy and demographic indicators.

Teenagers are increasingly starting to use psychoactive substances. Against the background of chronic intoxication, mental development stops and cognitive functions are impaired. Such patients are unable to study, acquire a profession, or build a career. On a national scale, this threatens the social inferiority of an entire generation.

Motives for infecting other people:

Selfless. A drug addict wants to share joy and new sensations with others.

Selfish. Joint participation in obtaining drugs or money to buy drugs. Involving people with good incomes and people from wealthy families.

Often young people take drugs before committing a crime in order to drown out caution and the instinct of self-preservation.

Persons with a penchant for sexual acts use themselves and give their victims drugs with a pronounced euphoric effect.

Not only regular intake of substances, but one-time use of psychotropics has a negative impact on mental and physical well-being. Many substances cause addiction after 1-2 doses.

The suicide rate among drug addicts is the highest - 178 people per 1 thousand population. Which is 30 times higher than other categories. Some addicts commit suicide during euphoria under the influence of hallucinations and visions. But most patients make a conscious decision to die. They give a “golden injection” - an injection with a high dose. The reason is that there is a desire, but there is no strength to cope with the disease.

Another personal and social consequence of drug addiction is codependency.

• Read more about the social danger of drug addiction

What substances are addictive

People become addicted not only to illegal substances, but also to the drugs they receive from their doctor. It is also possible to become dependent on medications that are not considered drugs or on alcohol.

The most common illegal drugs that are abused are;

• cannabis;
• hallucinogens (PCP, LSD);
• amphetamine;
• ecstasy;
• cocaine;
• crack;
• heroin

and this is not a complete list.

Among the drugs is a group of sedatives and painkillers. For example, benzodiazepines or morphines.

How to avoid drug addiction - addiction prevention

Drug addiction prevention is a set of methods aimed at preventing the onset of substance use and limiting the development of problems associated with drug use.

Types of prevention:

Primary. Aimed at all segments of the population. Objective: to prevent drug use, to convey that there are no soft and safe drugs, to talk about the consequences of drug addiction.

Secondary. Identification of people who are at risk. One of the methods is drug testing of schoolchildren and students.

Tertiary. Necessary to prevent the development of complications and relapses of drug addiction. Conducted in drug treatment clinics.

Drug addiction prevention is carried out by parents, teachers, law enforcement, medical, and social services.

Fight against drug addiction

The fight against drug addiction includes prevention, treatment and punitive measures. The media is involved in prevention to reach different target audiences.

Drug addiction treatment is carried out in private and public drug treatment clinics. Government institutions eliminate the manifestations and consequences of withdrawal symptoms and register patients. In private centers, complex and systemic therapy is carried out, the treatment is anonymous.

Administrative punishment is provided for distribution, use, production and storage, and involvement of minors. The anti-drug law does not apply to people who voluntarily went to a drug dispensary and submitted a confession.

Types and methods of drug addiction treatment

In the treatment of drug addiction, an integrated approach is used to eliminate physical and psychological dependence and the consequences of drug use.

Detoxification. Droppers and hardware methods are used to cleanse the body of toxic substances and their breakdown products. At this stage, withdrawal symptoms are removed.

Drug therapy. The goal is to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and eliminate physical dependence. At this stage, motivators work with the patient. Specialists help the patient make a voluntary decision to undergo a full course of therapy and rehabilitation.

Coding. They use drugs and psychotherapeutic methods to develop an aversion to drugs.

Rehabilitation therapy. Drugs are prescribed to eliminate dysfunction of damaged organs. These are hepatoprotectors, cardioprotectors, nootropics, diuretics, antihypertensives and vitamin complexes. To normalize sleep and psycho-emotional state, antidepressants, sleeping pills and sedatives are prescribed.

• Learn more about drug treatment for drug addiction

Rehabilitation. Individual and group psychotherapy, trainings, special rehabilitation programs - all these methods help pull the patient out of the drug environment and teach him to live without drugs.

• Find out more about addiction rehabilitation

Resocialization. The patient learns to live in society, returns to work or school, and finds new hobbies.

• Find out more about the resocialization period

Drug addiction treatment is best carried out in special drug treatment clinics with complete isolation from the outside world. For mild forms of drug addiction, outpatient or home therapy is allowed during the recovery stage. Drug addiction treatment is one of the most important decisions in your life. Don't delay and seek help.