Drug Dependency/ Abuse Project
Giselle Ventura, Period 7, Counseling and Mental Health
Alcoholism
How is the substance used: You drink it, the stomach absorbs it and it goes to your bloodstream.
What is the desired effect: Relieved, relaxed, less anxious.
How does it affects to the body?: Intoxication can impair brain function and motor skills; heavy use can increase risks of certain cancers, stroke, and liver disease.
Detoxification?:Alcohol detoxification; see a doctor, they prescribe medication that helps treat/control symptoms, the individual is monitored by health professionals to ensure of his or her safety.
Cannabis
marijuana; smoked in a joint or bong
Hashish; mixed with tobacco and smoked or baked then eaten in cooking or brownies.
Hash Oil; Liquid that is usually added to the tip of a cigarette then smoked.
Desired Effect: Feeling Relaxed, quiet and in a reflective mood.
How does it Affect the body and the brain: Notable problems with specific learning/ memory tasks, cognitive impairment ( Some nerve cell loss later in life)
Detoxification: The patient goes to the doctor, they check the amount the person uses each day and they also check for other mental illnesses and then therapy sessions and group sessions follow a few days later.
Cocaine
Cocaine hydrochloride: a white, crystalline powder with a bitter, numbing taste. Cocaine hydrochloride is often mixed, or 'cut', with other substances such as lactose.
Crack: crystals ranging in color from white or cream to transparent with a pink or yellow hue, it may contain impurities.
How is it used: Cocaine hydrochloride is most commonly snorted. It can also be injected, rubbed into the gums, added to drinks or food.
Desired Effects: Happiness and confidence Talking more and feeling energetic and alert.
Body effects: Insomnia and exhaustion Depression Anxiety, paranoia and psychosis Eating disorders and weight loss.
Detoxification: Withdrawal symptoms usually start around 1–2 days after last use and can last for approximately 10 weeks – days 4 to 7 will be the worst.
Hallucinogens
How is it used: They are dissolved in liquid then ingested, on pills
How does it affect the body:LSD, peyote, psilocybin, and PCP are drugs that cause hallucinations, which are profound distortions in a person’s perception of reality. Under the influence of hallucinogens, people see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but are not.
Detox?:provision of a quiet room with little sensory stimulation.Benzodiazepines are used to control extreme agitation or seizures.
Heroin
How is it used?:Heroin can be injected, inhaled by snorting or sniffing, or smoked.
How does it affect the body: Heroin overdoses frequently involve a suppression of breathing. This can affect the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia. Hypoxia can have short- and long-term psychological and neurological effects, including coma and permanent brain damage.
Detox?:A range of treatments including behavioral therapies and medications are good at helping patients stop using heroin and return to stable and productive lives.
Meth
How is it used?:Meth is taken orally, smoked, snorted, or dissolved in water or alcohol and injected.
How does it affect the body?:increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and increased body temperature.
Detox?: going to rehab for addiction , healthcare professionals will help and maybe group sessions and therapy
Nicotine
How does it affect the body:Blurred vision, dizziness, headache, nervousness, pounding in the ears.
Detox?:Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs), such as nicotine gum and the transdermal nicotine patch,
Pain Killers
How is it used:Applied on the skin , or ingested as pills.
How does it affect the body: NSAIDs relieve pain by reducing the production of prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that cause pain. Acetaminophen works on the parts of the brain that receive the "pain messages."