AddictionPersonal Development and Career Planning 9

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Definition of

addiction

Drug addiction is defined as activities or substances used repeatedly.

This desire is so huge that people are willing, if necessary, to pay the consequences in other areas of their lives.

Individuals can be addicted to substances like:

Signs of addiction

Important Vocabulary

Term Definition

Illicit Illegal or not allowed

Depressor A drug that slows down the function of your nervous system, cardiac system and breathing

Stimulant A drug that keeps a person “awake” and energetic and over stimulates the nervous system.

Not all drugs are

illicit

2 popular/common drugs in North America are tobacco and alcohol.

Just because a drug is not illegal, DOES NOT MEAN it is not dangerous.

Excessive consumption can have consequences on your health and can even lead to death.

What is Smoking?

Smoking is an addiction resulting from a dependence to one or more of the products made from the leaves of tobacco:

Cigarettes

Cigars

Pipe tobacco

Snuff and

Chewing tobacco

Nicotine

Nicotine is the main ingredient of this addiction (there are others, but they are significantly less important).

The addiction to tobacco is stronger than heroin, cocaine and alcohol.

Due to the fact that cigarette smoke passes directly into the lungs and the brain, it carries more nicotine rapidly (in less than 10 seconds) than an intravenous injection.

The smoker learns to measure very precisely his/her need for nicotine by the depth, intensity and duration of its inhalation, which are believed to cause the addiction.

Tobacco Chemicals

• The experts have identified more than 4000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, including:

• Carbon monoxide• Tar• Arsenic• Formaldehyde and • Benzene.

• Among them, fifty are toxic to humans.

Statistics

• Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide.

• About 90% of smokers start smoking before the age of 21.

• Four in five smokers trying to quit smoking at least once a year. The average number of attempts to quit are six before being able to actually quit.

Statistics

3% to 10% of smokers manage to quit without help, as observed after one year.

The success rate after one year reached 15% to 20% when the smoker is using an aid (patches, medication, counseling).

Nine out of ten smokers who successfully quit smoking do so by quitting Cold Turkey rather than gradually.

Health problems caused or

aggravated by exposure to tobacco

smoke

Smoking reduces the life expectancy by 10 years, on average.

Major Risk Factors

Hypertension: abnormally high blood pressure

Cardiovascular disease, stroke smokers are more likely 70% of dying from coronary heart disease than non smokers.

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema, cardiac or respiratory failure.

Cancers of the lung, mouth, esophagus, bladder, etc.

Erectile dysfunction: two times more likely among smokers than among nonsmokers.

Peptic Ulcer: Nicotine elevates the secretion of acid in the stomach. This increased secretion of acid may also aggravate the symptoms of gastric reflux.

Non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk of having the same health problems as those of smokers.

Children are particularly susceptible to secondhand smoke. Children whose parents smoke are more affected by asthma and ear infections than children of non-smokers because their membranes are more fragile.

Two-thirds of the smoke from a cigarette is not inhaled by the smoker, but is released into the surrounding environment.

Pets can also become victims of secondhand smoke: the risk of cancer in cats and dogs is increased when they are exposed to secondhand smoke.

Commercial

Smoking Kid

Do you believe the commercial was effective?

Why did the adults listen to the kids but ignore the information they already knew?

Discovery ChannelQuit Smoking

Alcohol

Affect your mood and thoughts

Hurt others, have legal consequences, destroy the relationship between friends, family, etc..

Have negative effects on your body in the short term and long term.

Develop an addiction

Overconsumption Can…

What kind of

problems can

develop?

Alcohol can cause health problems

Alcohol poisoning(when the level of alcohol in your body increases, the chemicals that enter your body can cause vomiting, seizures or even unconsciousness)

Short term

effects

Long term

effects

Cirrhosis of the liver (liver stops functioning to be able to clean toxins [poisons] in your body) and liver cancer

Loss of appetite

Vitamin deficiency

Stomach Diseases

Heart problems and central nervous system

Loss of memory

Risk of developing erectile dysfunction

High risk of overdose

Alcohol is a drug . You can develop an addiction

Alcohol changes the way you think

Alcohol leads to bad decisions and behavior problems

Why you must say “No Thank You”

Drinking and

Driving

By drinking just one beer, alcohol slows your reaction time, and your thought process is not clear (driving a car becomes an extreme risk and can lead to death)

When it comes to alcohol and drug consumption by youth, impaired driving is not the only danger.

Road Crashes are the Leading Cause of

Death Among Teens

Young people have the highest rates of traffic death and injury per capita among all age groups

More 19-year-olds die or are seriously injured than any other age group.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 16 to 25 year olds, and alcohol and/or drugs are a factor in 55% of those crashes.

Studies conclude that young drivers are over-represented in road crashes for two primary reasons: inexperience and immaturity. Although young people are the least likely to drive impaired, the ones who do are at very high risk of collision.

Alcohol and

Sexual Relations

Drinking alcohol can lead to unprotected sex and the possibility of pregnancy

If you drink when you are pregnant your child may develop FASD

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder:It is a disease that affects the normal development of a child if the biological mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.

Alcoholism

The consumption of alcohol carries a number of issues including:

Increased tolerance

Difficulty quitting

Other problems of life because of alcohol use

Alcohol can create a dependency towards other drugs, including tobacco and other street drugs.

A person can develop serious problems in their social, education and family life.

Behaviour issues: a higher risk of theft, engaging in physical fights and/or drinking and driving

More susceptible to suicidal thoughts.

Some Consequences of Alcoholism

The Truth About Drugs

What are drugs?

Drugs are natural and synthetic chemicals that can be used to influence:

The body and body functions

The brain and the nervous system

Behaviour and emotions

 

When drugs are used properly to settle a disease, they may:

Correct body's chemical balance

Protect against disease

Relieve tension, fatigue and pain

When drugs are abused…

Can cause Health problems.

Each year, thousands of people treated for injuries and physical and mental illnesses related to drug abuse.

Hundreds die every year.

Legal problems.

Many people are arrested by the police each year for offenses related to drugs and alcohol.

Financial problems

The abuse of drugs is an expensive habit - money is used for cigarettes or cocaine.

Social problems

Instead of solving their problems with others, the person who abuses drugs uses the drug as a "solution".

The abuse of drugs is a major problem - for all kinds of people.

Regardless of race, culture, gender, or financial condition, anyone is capable of being influenced by drugs.

What are the countries that produce drugs?

Marijuana - Canada, US, Mexico, etc

Opium- Afghanistan

Cocaine- Columbia, Peru

Inhalants

The Truth about Inhalants Inhalants are common products in

which people breathe in the chemical fumes in order to get a high.

These products arecommon in almost anyhome or work.

Examples: can of paint,glue, gasoline and cleaning fluids.

The "high" lasts only a few minutes, users often try to make it last longer.

Effects of inhalants

Serious damage to vital organs (brain, liver, the heart)

Unconsciousness or death

Abnormalities in the brain

Irritability and depression.

Marijuana

Marijuana is a chemical calledtetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC.

There are nearly 400 other chemicals found in marijuana

These chemicals can affect your health. But THC is the main psychoactive drug (interfers with the brain).

Effects of marijuana

Loss of coordination

Affects memory, perception and judgement

Impaired Driving

Increases heart rate

Heart rate, normally 70 to 80 beats per minute, may increase from 20 to 50 times the beats per minute or, in some cases even double. This effect can be greater if other drugs are taken with marijuana.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens:

Imaginary experiences which seem real. Example: Mushrooms, Acid (LSD)

Effects on the body:

Very unpredictable aggressiveness, loss of control.

LSD

LSD, also known as Acid, is sold in tablets, capsules and in liquid format. It is generally added to an absorbant colour/decorated paper. Each sqare represents a dose

LSD is a strong chemical substance that alters your mood. It is made in part from a very toxic mushroom

Under the influence of LSD…

A person can have terrifying thoughts and sensations that take over their thoughts and body.

A person under the influence of this drug can be in a state of panic, fear and loss of control

In a state of fear of losing their mind or of dying

These sensations can last up to 12 hours

Stimulants

Stimulants

Raises the humor of situations, increases the feeling of well-being, increases the energy and and the attentiveness of its user.

Example: Cocaine, Ecstasy, Methamphetamines (meth) and amphetamines (speed)

Cocaine and Crack

The Truth about Cocaine

Cocaine and crack can be ingested by sniffing, intraveineus, or, in the case of crack, the substance can be inhaled once heated.

The word cocaine refers to the powdered drug (cocaine) and the crystalized drug (crack)

It is made in part from the cocoa plant, and after methamphetamines, it is the drug that has the worst psychological dependency.

Cocaine – Effects on the Body

Cocaine can change the way your brain works. It can take away your capacity to feel some natural pleasure. It reduces the quantity of dopamine in the brain.

- When it occurs nerve cells need more dopamine to work normally so you typically do more drugs in order to be capable of feeling any pleasure.

Cocaine can tighten blood vessels:

This reduces the blood flow to the heart, making it have to work harder because it interrupting the heart’s natural beat.

This can cause sudden death from cardiac arrest.

Can occur the first time someone uses of the cocaine.

When under the influence of cocaine you can experience:

Bizarre behavior, violence, muscular shocks, paranoia, panic attacks, hallucinations, & nosebleeds.

Ecstasy – Effects on the Body

Crystal Meth and Methamphetamines

Crystal meth and methcan be inhaled, smoked or injected.

Small doses can be found in the format of tablets

Crystal meth is a form of methamphetamine that looks like little shards of glass or small pieces of white/blue crushed crystal

On the streets, it is known as:

Ice, Crystal or Glass

Crystal Meth and Methamphetamines

It is a very strong stimulant that often leads to a dependency on the substance and is associated with aggressiveness, violent behaviours and voices

Many users say that they become addicted after their very first time using

It is one of the hardest drugs to treat

Negative Side Effects

Opiates: Heroin

Heroin is usually sniffed, injected, or smoked.

It is a substance that is highly addictive and creates a strong dependency

Heroin quickly reaches the brain and slows down your thoughts and reaction time

If injected a person has an increased risk of contracting HIV or Hepatisis or others sicknesses caused by infected needles.

Heroin is the most cited drug when it comes of deaths from overdosing

Long Term Effects of Heroin Use

Damaged veins

Bacterial infection of blood system and heart attack

Tissue infections

Complications of the liver

The Truth about Perscription Drugs

Abusing the use of painkillers now represents an even larger problem than some street drugs

Painkillers, tranquilizers, antidepressants, sleeping pills, and other stimulants give an illusion that they are not as dangerous as other drugs because they are prescribed by a doctor

BUT they can create a very real addiction that can be just as strong as heroin or cocaine

Prescription Drugs

The painkiller OxyContin, for example, is just as strong as heroin and can affect the body in the same way.

Regularly consuming painkillers, like downers and uppers can lead to an addiction and can lead to painful withdrawl symptoms for a person who is looking to quit

Painkillers, sedatives and anti-depressants are responsable for more deaths in the US than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines combined.