Daffodil International University

Drug Abuse

Basic Pharmaceutics (Fall 2021)

Submitted To:
Md. Mizanur Rahman

Assistant Professor Department of Pharmacy

Daffodil International University

Submitted By:
Name: Nura Aziziya Korniya
ID: 201-29-355
 Introduction

Substance abuse is when you take drugs that are not legal. It’s also
when you usealcohol, prescription medicine, and other legal
substances too much or in the wrongway. Substance abuse differs
from addiction. Many people with substance abuseproblems are
able to quit or can change their unhealthy behavior. Addiction, on
theother hand, is a disease. It means you can’t stop using even when
your condition causesyou harm.

REASONS AND REPERCUSSIONS OF DRUG ABUSE

Drug addiction refers to the compulsive and repeated use of

increasing amounts of drugs with the appearance of withdrawal
symptoms when drug use ceases. While the specific causes of drug
addiction are not known, genetic, psychological and environmental
factors are thought to play a significant role. Rather than a single
cause of drug addiction, it is likely multiple factors lead to drug
addiction in any given person.

Some drug addicts also identify drug use and ignorance as a

cause of drug addiction. Often, if a person is dealing with pain-
management issues, the drug they receive, like oxycodone, can
be very addictive. The ignorance of the drug's addiction
potential, along with the physical pain of the condition, becomes a
cause of drug addiction.
 Psychological Causes of Drug Addiction

While biological causes of drug addiction have been suggested, many

people still believe psychological factors comprise the bulk of
what causes drug addiction.

Some of the psychological causes of drug addiction appear to stem

from trauma, often when the drug addict is young. Sexual or physical
abuse, neglect, or chaos in the home can all lead to
psychological stress, which people attempt to "self- medicate"
(decrease the stress's pain through drug use). This self-
medication becomes a cause of drug addiction.

Other psychological causes of drug addiction include:

A mental illness such as depression

Inability to connect with others, lack of friends

Poor performance at work or school

Poor stress coping skills

Environmental Causes of Drug Addiction

A person's environment can be part of what causes drug addiction.

Drug addiction is more common in environments where drug abuse
is seen or where it's seen as permissible. Children who grow up in
homes with drug addicts often become drug addicts themselves.

Because most drug use starts in adolescence (read: teenage drug

abuse). Those with inattentive, abusive or neglectful parents are
more prone to drug abuse. One cause of drug addiction can be the
combination of drug experimentation with the lack of parental
oversight.

Other environmental factors that can be causes of drug abuse

include:

Participation in a sport where performance-enhancing drugs are

encouraged

A peer group that uses or promotes drug use

People of lower socioeconomic status are at greater risk of drug

addiction

 Gender and ethnicity contribute to addiction of some drugs

Genetic Causes of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction tends to run in families, indicating genetics may
have a role in causing drug addiction. In fact, in studies of twins it
appears half of someone's risk of becoming addicted to drugs is
genetic.2 Genetic causes of drug addiction appear to involve multiple
gene sequences and science has not yet been able to pinpoint all the
genes involved. However, it is known some genes, like those involved
in brain receptors of nicotine, contribute to the cause of drug
addiction.
 TYPES OF DRUGES
Alcohol
Alcohol affects everyone differently. But if you drink too much and
too often, your chance of an injury or accident goes up. Heavy
drinking also can cause liver and other health problems or lead
to a more serious alcohol disorder.

If you’re a man and you drink more than four drinks on any day or
more than 14 in a week, you’re drinking too much. For women,
heavy drinking means more than three drinks in one day or more
than seven drinks a week.

One drink is:

12 ounces of regular beer

8-9 ounces of malt liquor, which has more alcohol than beer

5 ounces of wine

1 1/2 ounces of distilled spirits like vodka and whiskey.

Prescription and Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicine

These can be just as dangerous and addictive as illegal drugs. You can
abuse medicine if you:

Take medicine prescribed for someone else

Take extra doses or use a drug other than the way it’s
supposed to be taken

Take the drug for a non-medical reason

 Types of prescription drugs that are most
often abused include:
Opioid pain relievers Medicine used to treat attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder

Anxiety medicine

The most commonly abused OTC drugs are cough and cold
medicine that have dextromethorphan, which in high doses can
make you feel drunk or intoxicated.

Heroin
This illegal drug is the natural version of manmade
prescription opioid narcotics. Heroin gives you a rush of good
feelings at first. But when it wears off, everything slows down. You’ll
move and think more slowly, and you may have chills, nausea, and
nervousness. You may feel a strong need to take more heroin to
feel better.

Cocaine
This drug speeds up your whole body. When you use cocaine, you
may talk, move, or think very fast. You may feel happy and full of
energy. But your mood may then shift to anger. You may feel like
someone is out to get you. It can cause you to do things that don’t
make sense.

Using cocaine for a long time will lead to strong cravings for the drug.

Marijuana
A growing number of states have legalized medical uses of
marijuana. A handful of states also allow recreational pot. But in
most states, it’s still illegal.

Marijuana can make you feel silly and laugh for no reason. Or you
may feel sleepy and forget things that just happened. Driving while
high on pot is just as dangerous as drunk driving. And heavy
marijuana use can leave some people “burned out” and not think or
care about much.

Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products

You may not think of these as drugs. But tobacco has a chemical
called nicotine that gives you a little rush of pleasure and energy. The
effect can wear off fast and leave you wanting more. You can abuse
and get addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes, just like other drugs.

SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND ILL EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE

Although different drugs have different physical effects, the

symptoms of addiction are similar. If you recognize yourself
in the following signs and symptoms of substance abuse and
addiction, talk to someone about your drug use.

Common signs and symptoms of drug abuse

Neglecting responsibilities at school, work, or home (e.g. flunking
classes, skipping work, neglecting your children).

Using drugs under dangerous conditions or taking risks while high,

such as driving while on drugs, using dirty needles, or having
unprotected sex.

Experiencing legal trouble, such as arrests for disorderly conduct,

driving under the influence, or stealing to support a drug habit.

Problems in your relationships, such as fights with your partner or

family members, an unhappy boss, or the loss of friends.

Warning signs of commonly abused drugs

Marijuana: Glassy, red eyes; loud talking, inappropriate

laughter followed by sleepiness; loss of interest, motivation;
weight gain or loss.

Stimulants (including amphetamines, cocaine, crystal meth):

Dilated pupils; hyperactivity; euphoria; irritability; anxiety;
excessive talking followed by depression or excessive sleeping at
odd times; may go long periods of time without eating or sleeping;
weight loss; dry mouth and nose.

Warning signs of prescription drug abuse

and addiction
In recent years, prescription drug abuse has become an escalating
problem, most commonly involving opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety
medications, sedatives, and stimulants. Many people start taking
these drugs to cope with a specific medical problem—taking
painkillers following injury or surgery, for example. However, over
time, increased doses are needed to achieve the same level of pain
relief and some users can become physically dependent,
experiencing withdrawal symptoms if they try to quit.

Coclusion
Both legal and illegal drugs have chemicals that can change how your
body and mind work. They can give you a pleasurable “high,” ease
your stress, or help you avoid problems in your life.

THE END