From
Mayo Clinic
www.mayoclinic.com
What Is Drug Addiction?
You may be hooked emotionally and psychologically. You may have a strong physical dependence, too. But if you're addicted to a drug, whether the drug is legal or illegal, you have a craving for it. You want to use it again. When you stop taking the drug, you may have unpleasant physical reactions.
Drug addiction involves compulsively seeking to use a substance, regardless of the potentially negative social, psychological and physical consequences. Certain drugs, such as narcotics and cocaine, are more physically addicting than some other drugs.
The range of drugs to which you can become addicted is wide. They include:
Central nervous system depressants . Glue, barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines include tranquilizers such as diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), oxazepam (Serax), lorazepam (Ativan), clonazepam (Klonopin) and chlordiazepoxide (Librium).
Central nervous system stimulants . Amphetamines and cocaine.
Opioids . Narcotic, pain-killing drugs produced naturally from opium or made synthetically. They include heroin, morphine, codeine and methadone.
Cannabis compounds . Contained in marijuana and hashish.
Hallucinogens . Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and phencyclidine (PCP).
Designer drugs . "Ecstasy," "Adam," "Eve" and "China white"
Breaking a drug addiction may involve inpatient and outpatient treatment, as well as support from your doctor, family, friends and others who have an addiction.
Signs and Symptoms
General characteristics of drug addiction:
Feeling that you need the drug daily, and in some cases many times a day
Making certain that you maintain a supply of the drug
Failure in your attempts to stop using the drug
Doing things to obtain the drug that you normally wouldn't do, such as stealing
Feeling that you can't deal with your problems
Driving or doing other activities that place you and others at physical risk when you're under the influence of the drug The particular signs and symptoms of drug use and dependence vary depending on the type of drug.
Central nervous system depressants signs and symptoms:
Drowsiness or coma
Slurred speech
Lack of coordination
Memory impairment
Confusion
Tremor or decreased muscle tone
Agitation
Paranoia
Inappropriate display of emotions
Central nervous system stimulants signs and symptoms:
Agitation
Rapid speech
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Debilitating cycle of runs (heavy use for several days a week) and crashes (letdowns when you're forced to stop using the drug because of agitation, paranoia, malnutrition, being in jail or running out of money)
Nasal congestion, as drugs such as cocaine wear off
Opioids signs and symptoms:
Depression, often of an agitated type
Anxiety
Impulsiveness
Fear of having to stop using the drug and of withdrawal
Low self-esteem, hopelessness and aggression
Limited coping strategies and low frustration tolerance
Need for rapid or immediate pain relief or gratification
Marijuana and cannabis compounds signs and symptoms:
Less interest in others, more focus inward on yourself
Poor memory
Lack of motivation
Poor judgment
Disorientation
Agitation
Delirium
Paranoid thinking Use of hallucinogens produces different signs and symptoms, depending on the drug. The most common hallucinogens are LSD and PCP.
LSD signs and symptoms:
Hallucinations
Greatly impaired interpretation of reality. You may interpret input from one of your senses as another, such as hearing colors.
Panic reactions
Permanent mental changes in perception
Rapid heart rate
High blood pressure
Tremors
PCP signs and symptoms:
Hallucinations
Euphoria
Acute psychosis
Agitation and irritability
Erratic behavior
Disorientation and incoordination
Paranoia
Drooling, nausea or vomiting
Suicidal thoughts
Placing yourself in physical danger from loss of response to pain Signs and symptoms of using designer drugs vary depending on the drug. You might be able to tell that a family member or a friend is using or abusing a drug based on the physical and behavioral signs and symptoms associated with the drug. If you think a family member or friend has a drug dependency, encourage that person to talk with a doctor or another health professional who is knowledgeable about addiction.Possible indications that your teenager is using drugs include:
School performance . Your child suddenly shows an active dislike of school and looks for excuses to stay home. Contact your school officials to see if your child's attendance record matches what you know about his or her absent days. A student who suddenly begins to do poorly, failing courses or receiving only minimally passing grades, may be using drugs.
Physical health . Listlessness and apathy may indicate your child is using certain drugs.
Appearance . How they look is extremely important to adolescents. A sudden lack of interest in clothing, grooming or looks may be a warning sign of drug use.
Personal behavior . Teenagers enjoy privacy, but exaggerated efforts to bar you from entering their room or knowing where they go with their friends might indicate drug use.
Money . Sudden requests for money without a reasonable explanation for its use may be a sign of drug use. You also may discover money stolen from previously safe places at home. Items may disappear from your home because they're being sold to support a drug habit.
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