Drugs and what to Know about

them
Made by: Yahia Yasser Farouk Merghani
What are Drugs?

 Drugs are a medicine or other substances which have a physiological effect when ingested or
otherwise introduced into the body.

 A drug is also a chemical which is given to people in order to treat or prevent an illness or
disease. Drugs are substances that some people take because of their pleasant effects, but which
are usually illegal.
  Drug action
 Like neurotransmitters, drugs can speed up
(CNS stimulants) or slow down (CNS
depressants) the transfer of electro-chemical
messages between neurons in the brain.
Messages between neurons can also be
The effect of distorted when hallucinogenic drugs are
taken.
Drugs on the  In addition to affecting the transfer of
messages between neurons, drugs appear
Nervous System to act directly on 'pleasure centers' in the
brain, which may explain the euphoria
experienced by users of many different types
of drugs. It is believed that the effect on the
pleasure center is highly rewarding for many
young people and is crucial to the
development of drug dependence.
  It is important to note that drug addiction does not begin overnight. There are some
people who will get hooked after just one use but for most, it occurs gradually. There are
various stages of addiction that happen before the person has lost all control over his or
her ability to cut back or quit on their use. Below are the stages of addiction:
• Experimentation – The first stage is experimentation, and this is where the individual
chooses to use mood-altering drugs. There are some people who convince themselves that
they are going to try a drug just to see what the fuss is all about, and many can do this and
never use again. However, experimentation with illegal substances is often a gateway to
additional use, which can subsequently lead to patterns of abuse.

How Drug • Regular or Social Use – Continuing to use mood-altering substances for social reasons
may not cause immediate harm but it can lead to an increased tolerance and a physical
dependence. When an increased tolerance occurs, the individual will no longer experience
the same effects as before, and many will then be tempted to increase the number of

Addiction
drugs they are taking in order to chase those longed-for feelings.
• Risky or Problem Use – Problem use begins when the person starts to be negatively
affected by their use of a particular substance. If the individual’s use of a substance is
causing harm to their health or their social functioning, it is considered problem use. At

begins
this point, the user may be bingeing on drugs every weekend but is not yet physically
dependent on them. Nevertheless, their use of the drugs could still be causing harm.
• Physical Dependence or Addiction – Continued abuse of mood-altering drugs can lead to
addiction in many people. The longer they abuse drugs, the more likely it is that they will
become physically dependent upon them. Addiction is classed as a pattern of behavior
that results in negative consequences for the affected individual. When the person is
unable to stop taking drugs or even cut back despite knowing that taking these drugs will
cause harm, he or she is said to be addicted. Addiction can be either physical or
psychological in nature. A physical addiction will result in various symptoms when the
person is in need of the drug. These can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, and shaking.
Psychological symptoms include irritability, agitation, and severe mood swings.
The Six Classification of Drugs

• Central nervous system depressants.

• Central nervous system stimulants.
• Opiates and Opioids.
• Hallucinogens.
• Marijuana.
• Alcohol.
  Prevention programs should address the type of drug abuse problem in the local
community, target modifiable risk factors, and strengthen identified protective
factors.
 Prevention programs should be tailored to address risks specific to population or
audience characteristics, such as age, gender, and ethnicity, to improve program
effectiveness. Prevention Planning

What are some 


Family Programs
Family-based prevention programs should enhance family bonding and relationships

Solutions to
and include parenting skills; practice in developing, discussing, and enforcing family
policies on substance abuse; and training in drug education and information.
 Family bonding is the bedrock of the relationship between parents and children.

decrease drug Bonding can be strengthened through skills training on parent supportiveness of
children, parent-child communication, and parental involvement.

addicts?
• Parental monitoring and supervision are critical for drug abuse prevention. These
skills can be enhanced with training on rule-setting; techniques for monitoring
activities; praise for appropriate behavior; and moderate, consistent discipline that
enforces defined family rules.
• Drug education and information for parents or caregivers reinforces what children
are learning about the harmful effects of drugs and opens opportunities for family
discussions about the abuse of legal and illegal substances.
 Summary

 Drug abuse is bad some people use it for the effects, even though these effects help medical surgeries.
People can stop by seeking some help from others because many forms of drugs affect the nervous
system.