2. Curiosity: Peer pressure; Media - commercials, films, idols;
Easy availability; They temporarily help to overcome shyness,
problems; Taking adults as a role model They easily cause pleasure;
Lack of assertiveness or communication skills Lack of ideas for
spending free time, boredom. Revenge, escape: Family problems;
Personal problems ( in a peer group, low self-esteem,
complexes).
3. STAGE I getting to know the state of addiction: Drugs:
cannabis, glue; Occasions: parties, discos under peer pressure, low
tolerance makes it easy to reach the state of intoxication;
Behaviour: no significant changes, little lies; Mood: good,
suffering the negative effects of taking drugs occasionally
4. Drugs: the same as in stage I, hashish, amphetamine,
barbiturates; Occasions: planning to take, individual purchase,
increased tolerance for substances , getting intoxicated even on
weekdays ; taking drugs , optional as yet, becomes a NEED;
Behaviour: start of a double life, changing friends, closing
oneself off , bad mood, becoming aggressive, giving up interests
and hobbies, getting bad marks at school, lies, borrowing money,
thefts. Mood: the illusion of having a control over taking drugs,
experiencing the feeling of maximum euphoria in the state of
intoxication.
5. Drugs: the same as in stage I and II, cocaine, LSD,
hallucinogenic mushrooms, opium; Occasions: increasing expenses ,
high tolerance , taking drugs every day, getting intoxicated alone,
trying to quit addiction, first overdoses ; Behaviour: breaking
contacts with not- addicted friends, identification with drug
addicts, lies, thefts, drug dealing, trouble with the police,
problems and bad results at school, truancy, dropping out of
school, arguments with family members , health deterioration; Mood:
taking drugs becomes the sense of life, being in a very bad mood
without drugs, feeling guilty and ashamed, living a life in
illusion, first SUICIDAL THOUGHTS.
6. Drugs: the same as in the previous stages, heroin;
Occasions: very high tolerance for increased drug doses , no
control over taking , inability to differentiate between the state
of normality and the state of intoxication , frequent overdoses ;
Behaviour: physical deterioration , chronic cough, frequent trouble
with the police, fury, aggression towards family and others,
paranoia; Mood : depression forcing to continue taking drugs,
feeling all right only after taking drugs, feeling quilty,
embarrassed, ashamed or terrified, critical self-esteem, very
freqent suicidal thoughts. Drugs have become indispensable to
survive.
7. Talk to a competent , trustworthy person : a psychologist, a
school counsellor, a priest; Call your local Drug Helpline
8. MYTH 1. CANNABIS IS A COMPLETELY SAFE DRUG Cannabis is not
physically addictive. However, it is a higly mentally addictive
drug. THC weakens memory, visual-motor coordination, concentration
and automatic actions. The weakening of muscle strength and
fluidity of movement as well as slowed reaction time lead to
decreased psychophysical performance .
9. The knowledge acquired in this way disappears within 1-2
days. Your body remains exhausted.
10. People addicted to cannabis are able to do without it for a
few days. However, they feel the lack of drugs, they are irritated
or they are unwilling to perform any activity..
11. There is no such interdependence.
12. It is not possible to maintain control over the drugs a
person is using, especially in the case of young, inexperienced
people.
13. Substances of this type have a stronger influence on
teenagers than adults. Human development usually stops at the
moment when a person starts to use psychoactive substances
excessively . Even after addiction recovery treatment , a
23-year-old man may remain on the mental level of a 12-year-old
boy.
14. Mood swings from sadness and depression to fury.
Depression, sadness, lack of energy, exhaustion and discouragement.
Paranoia, constant suspicion, persecutory delusions , a feeling
that everobody is against you. Hallucinations. Stupor. Panic.
15. Cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure, aneurysm, heart
attack. Bronchitis, chronic chest pains, pneumonia, lung
adenocarcinoma, cancer. Motor coordination disorder, nystagmus,
tremor. Infertility, impotence, decreased testosterone level. Liver
diseases. Skin, muscles, veins, joints and bones diseases. High
risk of contracting HIV.
16. Addicts are certain that drugs will always be there for
them and the rest of the world is against them. An addicted
teenager quickly changes, neglects his duties, gives up his
hobbies. He exchanges his friends for the ones that are also
addicted and stays isolated from family. He often steals or starts
to deal drugs to get some extra profit. Drugs disorganise your home
life, education, working life they destroy your health and family
bonds.
17. Ways of saying no: Passive; Assertive; Aggressive.
18. A person says : maybe or I dont know rather than no. Id
rather not , at least not now . But if everybody . Well,
maybe.
19. A person who rejects a suggestion uses insulting words or
aggression. What? I am supposed to take it ? I quess you are a band
of idiots!
20. Assertive people are strong, but they also respect others.
They can reject a suggestion in a clear, persuasive, but also
gentle way. I language No. I dont take drugs. No, thanks. Im nuts
even without it No, thanks. I always enjoy myself and dont need
extra help.
