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Alcohol & Drugs Page 2
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Common Legal And Illegal Drugs Used By Young People |
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Prescribed medications: Medications such as diet pills, pain medication, Ritalin, etc.
Inhalants: Inhaling the fumes of common household products, known by such street names, as huffing, sniffing and wanging, can cause serious respiratory problems, permanent brain damage and death.
Over-the-counter medications: cough and cold, such as Coricidin; sleep; and diet drugs.
Marijuana: The most commonly used illicit drug.
Stimulants: Possible long-term effects include tolerance and dependence, violence and aggression, and malnutrition due to suppression of appetite.
Cocaine and Crack Cocaine: Crack, a form of cocaine that
may be smoked, is a powerfully addictive stimulant. In 1997, an estimated 1.5 million Americans, age 12 and older, were chronic cocaine users.
Club Drugs: This term refers to drugs being used by teens and young adults at all-night dance clubs, and bars. MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, Rohypnol (Rophies), ketamine, methamphetamine, and LSD are some
of these popular drugs. Because some club drugs are colorless, tasteless, and odorless, they can be used to intoxicate or sedate unknowing victims to commit sexual assaults, for example.
Depressants: These are drugs used to relieve anxiety, irritability, and tension. There is a high potential for abuse and, when combined with alcohol, effects are heightened and risks are
multiplied.
Heroin: Increasingly, new, young users are being lured by inexpensive, high-purity heroin that can be sniffed or smoked instead of injected. Heroin has also been appearing in more affluent
communities.
Steroids: Anabolic steroids are a group of powerful compounds closely related to the male sex hormone testosterone. Recently, there has been a significant increase in anabolic steroid abuse among
middle-school children.
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Alcoholism And Alcohol Abuse
The risk of alcohol use
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For most Americans, moderate consumption of alcohol is not harmful. Moderate alcohol is up to two drinks per day for
most men and one drink per day for most women and older adults. However, nearly 14 million Americans
(1 in every 13 adults) abuse alcohol. Overuse of alcohol can affect memory, distort mental perceptions, affect social relationships or job/school performance, interfere with physical coordination and
have adverse effects on many organ systems in the body. Heavy drinking is also associated with increased risk of cancer, liver cirrhosis, heart disease and pancreatitis. And, even moderate consumption
of alcohol can cause harm to the drinker and to others. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, her developing child may suffer physical damage, referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome. When combined with
prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, the negative effects of moderate or severe drinking can be intensified. Drinking increases the risk of death from automobile crashes, recreational
accidents, on-the-job accidents, homicide and suicide. Alcoholism is an illness, and as such, can be effectively treated.
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Risk Factors For Alcoholism |
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Alcoholism tends to run in families. Children of alcoholics have a two to four times greater risk of developing alcoholism than children of
non-alcoholics. Researchers are currently looking for the genes that may influence drinking and the development of alcoholism. Environmental factors that may influence drinking and the development of
alcoholism include influence of friends, stress levels, and ease of obtaining alcohol. Other factors, such as social support, may help protect high-risk people from alcohol problems.
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What Are The Signs Of A Drinking Problem? |
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One "yes" response to the following questions suggests an alcohol problem. Make an appointment to see a trained healthcare provider,
who can decide whether there is a problem and determine the best course of action. The "C.A.G.E." pneumonic below is helpful in determining if there is an alcohol problem:
C: Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking?
A: Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
G: Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking?
E: Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning (an "Eye opener")
to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
Even if the answers to the above questions are "no", one should still seek help if he or she experiences drinking-related problems with work, home, health or the law. The sooner a person gets help, the better the chances for recovery.
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