What Do You Know About Drug Abuse?

People who abuse drugs can become addicted to them. Addiction is a complex condition of the brain and brain chemistry that drives people to use drugs even when faced with negative health or social consequences. Although people have a choice about whether to use drugs initially, continued use affects how the brain functions. This leads to addictive behavior, in which seeking drugs becomes compulsive. Addiction is often chronic, meaning that even after a period of not using drugs, an addicted person can relapse and begin using again. Drug treatment can help break this cycle.

When smoked, marijuana—the dried leaves, flowers, and seeds of the hemp plant—causes the user to experience euphoria. Short-term effects, however, also include problems with memory and learning, loss of coordination, and increased heart rate. Long-term effects may include psychological addiction, frequent respiratory infections, and possibly an increased risk for cancer.

A "club drug" is an umbrella term for a wide variety of mood-altering drugs that includes the stimulants Ecstasy/MDMA and methamphetamine; the depressants GHB and rohypnol; and the anesthetics ketamine and PCP. Health problems associated with these drugs range from amnesia to seizures and coma, and even death.

According to the NIDA, many health care providers say that it's not unusual for their patients to pressure them into prescribing a controlled substance, such as a narcotic or stimulant. The most commonly abused prescription drugs include the opioids Vicodin and OxyContin.

Both are chemically referred to as steroids, but corticosteroids are prescription medications used to reduce swelling and inflammation. Corticosteroids are safe and effective when taken as directed. Anabolic steroids are male hormones, either testosterone or a synthetic form of testosterone. Although anabolic steroids are legitimately prescribed to treat certain kinds of anemia, wasting disease associated with AIDS, and conditions causing abnormally low levels of testosterone, these drugs are often abused by bodybuilders and others who want to build muscle. When abused, anabolic steroids can cause overly aggressive behavior, heart attacks, stroke, and severe liver disease, as well as acne and hair loss. Men who abuse anabolic steroids may develop enlarged breasts and smaller testicles, and women may develop masculine traits like facial hair and deepened voice.

This is called "sudden sniffing death," and it can occur in otherwise healthy people. Inhalants are chemical vapors that when inhaled cause mind-altering effects. These inhalants are household products, including spray paints, glues, and cleaning fluids. Although inhalants fall into three categories—solvents, gases and nitrites—they all have effects similar to an anesthetic. They slow down the body's functions and make the user feel intoxicated. In high concentrations, however, inhalants can cause death by heart failure or by suffocation; the chance of suffocation increases when a person inhales a chemical sprayed into a paper or plastic bag.

According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA), these are also warning signs of possible drug abuse in a teenager: The teen becomes withdrawn, depressed, or careless about personal grooming; relationships with other family members become strained; the teen becomes hostile and uncooperative; eating and sleeping patterns change; the teen loses interest in favorite activities; the teen has a hard time concentrating; or you find pipes, rolling papers, pill bottles, or eye drops in your teen's room.

You also wait until a time when the person is not upset or angry. The first step in talking to your teen or other family member is to express your love for them and your concern about their health and safety, according to the PDFA. You should also share with the person the warning signs you have seen and emphasize that the problem needs serious attention and support because it can get out of control. You should remain calm, neutral, and nonjudgmental, and listen to the person's response. For other suggestions on how to talk to your child about a drug abuse problem, visit the PDFA website (http://www.drugfree.org/).

The length of time needed for effective treatment varies from person to person, but for most people, the minimum amount of time is three months. Just as length of treatment varies with the individual, so does the type of treatment. No single treatment works for everyone. Detoxification is only the first step in drug treatment. What is critical is that detox be followed with group or individual counseling. A person who abuses drugs needs to learn skills to resist drugs and new activities to replace those associated with drugs.