Causes of Drug Abuse

BASIC SCIENCE JSS 2 THIRD TERM

Week 7 & 8

Topic: DRUG ABUSE

Contents:

• Meaning of Drug
• Meaning of Drug Abuse
• Methods of Drug Use 
• Common ways of misusing drug
• Social risk factors in Drug abuse
• Causes of Drug Abuse
• Peer Influence

A. Meaning of Drug

Drug is a chemical substance that changes a person’s mood or behaviour when it is smoked, injected, inhaled, drank or swallowed in pill form. A drug is any substance other than food that by its chemical or physical nature can affect the structure or functions in  living organism. When drugs are administered under proper medical supervision, they can serve three objectives namely

1. to relieve suffering
2. to combat disease
3. to save life

B. Meaning of Drug Abuse and Misuse

Drug Misuse means

• the use of a drug for a purpose or condition for which it is not suited
• the use of a drug for an appropriate purpose but in improper dosage.

Drug abuse is the overuse and misuse of legal and illegal drugs by individuals without prescription by medical personnel to cause a change in their physiological and psychological state which lead to legal and interpersonal problems. It also means the excessive or persistent use of a drug without regard to accepted medical practice.

Drug abuse can also be defined as the inappropriate use of drugs. It is the habitual taking of addictive or illegal drugs. It is the use of drugs or substance in a wrong way.

Drug abuse means taking drugs not according to doctor’s prescription. It could be by either taking overdose or under dose. Some common hard drugs that are easily abused or misused are heroin, cocaine, valium, madras and Indian hemp. People who abuse drugs easily are athletes, prostitutes and criminals.

C. Methods of Drug Abuse

1. Self Injection – This involves injecting drugs directly into the blood stream through capillaries, arteries or veins. Injecting drugs is the fastest method for experiencing the high from drug use because it puts the drug directly into the bloodstream. Drugs can be injected into the soft tissue, into the muscle or directly into the vein. Individuals who inject drugs will experience the high within 3 to 5 seconds (immediately).
2. Sniffing/Inhaling/Snorting – Some individuals snort/sniff drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, heroin and amphetamines. Drugs enter into the bloodstream through the nasal mucus membranes and through the stomach. Individuals snorting/sniffing drugs will experience the drug sensation within about 15 minutes after snorting their drugs.
3. Absorption through the skin – Drugs used in this form are mild body creams. Some are used to maintain the skin while some are used to treat skin diseases.
4. Oral/Swallowing – Ingesting or swallowing drugs is the most common method of drug use. The individual takes the drugs by mouth. The drugs pass to the stomach and then into the bloodstream
5. Rectal – Drugs are delivered into the bloodstream through the rectum’s mucus membrane. This is not a common method of drug abuse, drugs that have been taken using this method are cocaine, speed and ecstasy.
6. Smoking – This method gets the drugs into the body’s system a bit faster than swallowing the drugs because the smoke goes into the lungs where it quickly moves into the bloodstream. The most common drugs that are smoked are marijuana, heroin, crack and opium.

D. Common Ways of Misusing Drugs

• When a patient misunderstands the directions for use of prescribed drugs. For example, not taking the drugs at stipulated times, periods or intervals.
• Taking drugs not prescribed by the doctor – When a patient shares a prescribed drug with a friend or family member for whom the drug was not prescribed.
• When a patient takes the prescribed drugs for a purpose or condition  other than that for which it was intended. For example, administering drugs intended for the treatment of stomach ache for headache.
• When a patient takes a dosage other than the recommended. In this case it might be overuse (overdose) or underuse (under dose).
• Taking drugs to gain confidence or boldness to commit crimes such as suicide, rape, assault, hurting someone etc
• Taking drugs to induce sleep without seeking for prescription from a qualified medical personnel
• Taking drugs to attain full sexual satisfaction
• Smoking so many cigarettes
• Taking alcoholic drinks to the extent of getting drunk
• Taking easily available substances like analgesic tablets, coffee at all times to stay awake
• Taking hard drugs like cocaine, marijuana and heroin to get high

E. Social Risks Factors In Drug Abuse

1. Being brought up in a drug dependent family – A child that grows up in this type of family will see nothing wrong in using drugs any how
2. Having negative self – esteem – A person with negative self-esteem is never satisfied with needs and may be setting unrealistic goals.
3. Being unable to resist peer pressure – In some groups, drugs are often part of social events and in the desire to fit in, the person certainly has to conform to the norms or rules of the group
4. Being economically disadvantaged – The little money the drug user has is often spent on drugs
5. Experiencing Family Disruption – A drug abuser may withdraw from family and friends as he or she becomes more dependent on drugs
6. Mind-altering drugs – e.g. alcohol and marijuana slow users reaction and often impairs users sense of reasoning and judgement.

Other risks or consequences of drug abuse include:
i – the high tendency or attempt to commit suicide, risk of contracting HIV/AIDS
ii – gradual death of the liver (from alcohol)
iii – arrest for drug possession
iv – sexually transmitted diseases contraction
v – unwanted pregnancy

F. Causes of Drug Abuse

While many people use drugs, only a small percentage abuse drugs, but it has been noted drug abuse often runs in families, suggesting genetics is one of the causes of drug abuse. While having parents that abuse drugs puts a child at risk, it is possible for the child to grow up without drug abuse problems. It is also possible to abuse drugs without having any other drug abuser in the family. It is clear genetics alone is not the cause of drug abuse.

There are certain life circumstances, particularly among younger users, that are risk factors for, rather than the direct cause of, drug abuse. Parental abuse and neglect are commonly seen as part of the cause of drug abuse. An adolescent or pre-adolescent may be trying to gain attention from an inattentive parent or escape an abusive one by using drugs; prolonged attempts through drug use can be a cause of drug abuse. A drug user, or the presence of drugs in the home, can also be a major cause of drug abuse.

1. Curiosity – Some young people take drugs as a result of the desire to find out how it feels like to take drugs. Curiosity leads them to experimenting
2. Lack of self confidence – A teenage boy may have a teenage girl he likes and wishes to befriend but he doesn’t have the boldness to approach her. His lack of confidence to approach her may lead him to taking alcohol in order to boost his confidence.
3. Trying to fit in a peer group – A teenager may start smoking because he wants to fit in with his peer group.
4. Trying to have a grown-up feeling – Some youths take drugs because it gives them a feeling of being grown up
5. Reduction of stress and frustration – Some persons start taking drugs when they are under stress or feel frustrated as regards a particular situation in their lives.

G. Results of Drug Abuse

1. Drug abuse can lead to loss of job; workers who are addicted to drug become inefficient in their job and therefore can be sacked.
2. It can lead to stomach upset.
3. Some drugs lead to mental disorder; some drug when  abuse leads to insanity.
4. It can lead to damaged nostrils and lungs.
5. It can lead to broken home
6. It can lead to skin rashes.
7. It can lead to poor academic achievement.
8. It can lead to uncontrollable sexual urge.
9. Drug abuse hurts the people who take drugs and the people around them, including families, kids, and babies who aren’t born yet. Drug abuse hurts the body and the brain, sometimes forever.
10. It can lead to injection abscesses.
11. It can cause accident

Evaluation 

1. Causes of drug abuse include
   a. experimenting
   b. doing what others do
   c. the desire to feel like a grown up
   d. All of the above
2. The results of drug abuse are the following except
   a. it can lead to broken home
   b. it can lead to good marriage
   c. it can lead to mental disorder
   d. it can lead to loss of job
3. Which of the following statement is true about drug users
   a. A drug user develops positive self esteem
   b. A drug user can resist peer pressure
   c. A drug user is economically disadvantaged
   d. A drug user does not depend on drugs
4. ____ is an example of a dug that can be abused
   a. coca cola
   b. cocaine
   c. valium
   d. heroine
5. Drugs are used for the following positive things except _____
   a. for preservation
   b. for growth
   c. for healing
   d. for misbehaving