MODULE 8: SOCIAL MENANCE OF

DRUG ADDICTION

OVERVIEW OF THE MODULE:

Drugs affect the way your body and mind function; they can
change how you feel, think and behave. People take drugs
for different reasons and in different ways. Find out about
legal and illegal drugs..
LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Define drug and drug addiction

• Enumerate some common illegal substances and their
adverse effects on the user
• Express commitment to the prevention and fight against
drug addiction
Overview:
Scientists have discovered remedies that can treat pain
and illness and promote good health and longer life.
Ancient Egypt physicians prescribed berries like figs and
dates mixed with castor oil as laxatives.
The Chinese and Greeks used opium for its pain-relieving
properties.
The Hindus resorted to cannabis and henbane leaves as
anesthetic.
 In modern society, drugs treat medical and psychological
disorders.

Overview:

Coloma(2004) states that drug dependence is the overuse

of a drug without regard to accepted medical practice
resulting from the individual’s physical, mental, emotional,
or behavioral impairment.
Definitions of Drug (according to the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency or PDEA)
Clinical Definition
Drug is a therapeutic substance other than food used in
the prevention, diagnosis, alleviation, treatment, or cure of
disease in humans or animals.
General Definition
Drug is a substance aside from food intended to affect the
structure or function of a physiological system like the
human body.
Definitions of Drug (according to the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency or PDEA)

Popular Definition
Drug refers mainly to chemical or plant-derived
substances that affect the body’s psychological, behavioral,
or physical functions and leads to varying degrees of
dependence or addiction.
Drugs change the way the body and the brain function. It
is wise to know that not all drugs are harmful or are always
safe.
Addiction

It is not having control over doing, taking, or using

something, until it becomes harmful. You can be addicted to
everything, from gambling to chocolates.
Drug Addiction and Dependence
4 Stages of Drug Addiction:
1.EXPERIMENTATION -Experimentation is defined as the voluntary
use of drugs without experiencing any negative social or legal consequences.
For many, experimenting may occur once or several times as a way to “have
fun” or even to help the individual cope with a problem.
2.REGULAR USE-Some people will be able to enter the stage of regular
use without developing a dependence or addiction. These people will be able to
stop the drug use on their own. The problem with regular use is that the risk for
substance abuse greatly increases during this stage. It also increases risky
behaviors such as driving under the influence, unexplained violence, and
symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Drug Addiction and Dependence
3.RISKY USE/ABUSE -This is the stage where the warning
signs of addiction will begin to appear: craving,
preoccupation with the drug, and symptoms of depression,
irritability and fatigue if the drug is not used.
4.DEPENDENCY -Physical dependence on a drug is often
intertwined with addiction. Characteristics of dependence
and drug addiction include withdrawal symptoms and
compulsive use of the drug despite severe negative
consequences to his or her relationships, physical and
mental health, personal finances, job security and criminal
record.
Two Classifications of Dangerous Drugs
(Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972)
1. Prohibited Drugs
It includes all the drugs that produce psychological effects of narcotics or those that relieve
pain and induce sleep.Others are known as club drugs, illicit or illegal drugs and designer
drugs.
Cocaine
LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)
Marijuana
Opium and its derivatives
2. Regulated Drugs
It includes self-inducing sedatives like barbiturates, amphetamines, or any hypnotic drugs
or compounds producing the same physiological effects. Also known as prescription
medications.“Same or similar ingredients but in different dosages”
Common Drug Types
There are different types of drugs. Some are prescribed.
Others are known as club drugs, illicit or illegal substances,
and designer drugs.
Marijuana(Mary Jane)
Marijuana is the term used to describe all that comes from the cannabis
plant(Cannabis sativa). These are dried and prepared for smoking or taken
orally as “brownies.”
Marijuana has psychoactive effects. It is taken into the body in the form of
smoke and can also be consumed and mixed into food or steeped in tea.
According to PDEA, marijuana or Indian hemp embraces every kind, class,
genus, or specie of the plant Cannabis sativa L.
The mind-altering component of marijuana is the delta-9-
tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) which is concentrated in the resin.
Marijuana( Mary Jane)
Adverse Effects
1. Impairment of memory and short-term cognitive functioning
2. Impairment of motor skills and respiratory problems
3. Premature babies, low birth weight, abortion, or still birth(neonatal death)
4. Panic or state of anxiety, sometimes accompanied with paranoia
5. Motivational syndrome
6. Burnout as the user can become dull, slow-moving, inattentive, and unaware
of his/her surroundings
7. Susceptibility to infections
8. Decreased sperm production and altered sperm shape and mobility
9. Decreased testosterone level
10. Symptoms of mental illness
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride/Shabu
Methamphetamine HCL is a type of amphetamine also known as “poor
man’s cocaine.” Its other names are shabu, ubas, siopao, sha, and ice. Shabu
is a white, odorless crystalline powder.
Abusers are known to take this drug by ingestion: inhalation(chasing the
dragon), sniffing(snorting), or injection.
Adverse Effects
1. Anxiety, tension, irritability, irrational behavior, talkativeness and loss of self
control
2. Loss of appetite and inability to sleep
3. Euphoria, elation
4. Acute psychotic reactions, violent and destructive behavior, and recklessness
that may result in accidents.
Physiological and Long-Term Effects

Physiological effects include chest pains; irregularity of heartbeat; elevated or

lowered blood pressure, and evidence of weight loss, convulsion, and death
from cardiac arrest.
Long-term effects
Prolonged use and even a single exposure can lead to a somewhat similar
effect to a schizophrenia, characterized by the presence of paranoid delusions
and auditory and visual hallucinations. Thus, may lead to violent and aggressive
behavior.
In addition, chronic users have difficulty in remembering things. And chronic
snorters may suffer from severe nasal irritation which leads to renal damage.
Also, injecting shabu from contaminated needles may lead to
poisoning(septicemia) and AIDS, which can lead to death
Inhalants

Inhalants abuse is the deliberate inhalation of volatile chemical substance that
contains psychoactive(mind/mood-altering) vapors causing a state of
intoxication.
Most inhalants are common household products, such as nail polish remover
and gasoline. Inhalants also include fluorinated hydrocarbons found in aerosols
such as hairspray.
As the name suggests, inhalants refer to a group of drugs that are inhaled in
the form of a gas or solvent.
Immediate and Delayed Effects
Immediate Effects
Confusion
Distorted perception of time and distance
Aggressive behavior/violence
Hallucinations
Illusions
Nausea and vomiting
Drowsiness
Delayed Effects
Loss of memory
Inability to think
Muscle cramps and weakness
Numbness in limbs
Abdominal pains
Dame to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, and possibly, the bone marrow
Ecstasy
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) commonly known as
“Ecstasy,” “X-TC,” “Adam,” and “Eden Tablet,” refers to the drug having
such chemical composition, including any of its isomers or derivatives in any
form.
Ecstasy is the term used for a group of “designer” drugs closely related in
chemical form to the amphetamine family of illicit drugs. Worth 2,000php
today(don’t buy now).
It was first developed as an appetite suppressant in 1914 by the German
company, Merck. In the 1970s U.S. therapists, led by biochemist, Alexander
Shulgin, used the drug to help patients explore their feelings.
Adverse Effects of Ecstasy

Fatigue and perhaps depression after the drug is stopped

Restlessness, anxiety, and pronounced visual and
auditory hallucinations at large doses
Nausea and vomiting
Rise in blood pressure and heart rate, death from heart
failure or stroke
Prolonged regular use can lead to the same long-term
effects as synthetic stimulants and brain and liver damage
Common Drug Types
• Opiates / Narcotics
Are a group of drugs that are used medically to relieve pain but
have high potential for abuse.
These drugs are derived from poppy plant.
Examples of Opiates:
Morphine is a painkiller extracted from poppy plants.
Codeine is chemically similar to morphine.
Opium refers to the coagulated juice of the opium poppy.
Heroin is an illegal, synthesized form of morphine. It can be
injected, smoked, snorted, or swallowed.
Common Drug Types
• Cocaine(coke)
Is a drug from the leaves of the Erythroxylon coca plant,
a shrub that originated from South America. This drug
affects the central nervous system as a stimulant.
Cocaine exaggerates changes caused by at least two brain
chemicals, noradrenaline and dopamine, increasing
alertness and euphoria.
Pure cocaine was prepared in 1860 and was hailed as a
cure-all. Doctors used it to treat anxiety and depression until
they realized it was addictive.
Common Drug Types

• Sedatives
Sedative-hypnotics such as tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and
sedatives are drugs which depress or slow down body functions.
These drugs can be dangerous when not taken according to
physician’s instructions
• Steroids
Anabolic steroids are not the same as the kind used in medicine
for the reduction of inflammation. Rather, these substances are
used to build muscle mass and strength. They typically consist of
male sex hormones and can be very damaging when used without
prescription.
Tobacco (Nicotine)

It is often smoked in the form of cigarettes or cigars or chewed.

It contains nicotine, which is a stimulant and a highly addictive
substance that has been known to cause cancer and other
diseases. Carbon monoxide and Tar when smoked.
When tobacco smoke is inhaled, nicotine is absorbed through the
lungs and reaches the brain in 7 seconds.
Nicotine activates the “pleasure center” of the brain responsible for
euphoric effects.
Nicotine
When tobacco smoke is inhaled, nicotine is absorbed through the
lungs and reaches the brain in about seven(7) seconds. Nicotine
works by mimicking the actions of a naturally occurring brain
chemical, acetylcholine, by docking with its special receptor
molecules.
Some of these nicotine receptors in the brain activate part of the
“pleasure center,” which could be responsible for nicotine’s euphoric
effects.
9 out of 10 smokers say they would like to quit smoking but can’t.
Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include irritability, anxiety, loss of
concentration, and sleeplessness.
Reasons Behind Drug Abuse

• Curiosity
• Social Influences(peer pressure)
• New sensations
• Rebellion and willingness to take risks especially when
they take illegal substances that their parents strongly
disapprove
• Escapism.
These problems should be addressed as early as possible
to prevent any related drug use from escalating.
Signs of Drug Dependency
• Mood swings or explosive outbursts
• Staying out late or not coming home
• Frequent absences from work or school, or declining work or school performance
• Unexplained need for money or sudden loss of money and valuables
• Less extracurricular activities, social withdrawal, and minimal interactions with the family
• Sudden or noticeable change in friends
• Tiredness or changes in sleeping patterns
• Changes in eating patterns
• Impaired memory and poor concentration
• Blood-shot or glassy eyes
• Lethargy and loss of motivation
• Deterioration of physical appearance and grooming
Some ways to Prevent Addiction/Usage

• If you suspect someone of using drugs, talk to him/her

about it. He/She may not want to talk about it right away,
but if he/she feels that you will listen then he/she will
agree to talk to you.
• Organizing peer counselors among students
• Students can help each other, through peer counseling
or bakadahan inside the school premises or let individual
students be active in the different school activities or
organizations, hence became more productive in terms of
school involvement.