Addiction is a condition in which the person developed physiological and psychological dependence on psychoactive drugs.

Addiction

Substance abuse is the excessive consumption of chemical substances because of their psychoactive effects and not for medical purposes.

Substance abuse

Overdose is the biological response when a person consumed an amount of drug that is higher than its average therapeutic dose.

Overdose

The factors that influence a person’s decision with regards to drug use are the guidance from parents and family members, negative or positive peer pressure, having role models that would make great impacts in a person’s life, messages about drug use from the media, the person’s perception with regards drug use and behavior, and lastly, the misleading information from other people about drug use.

B. The original source of the drug

Drug use can cause detrimental health consequences in an individual’s life. Being under the influence of drugs increases the risk of an individual being involved in drug-related accidents and violent crimes that could lead to injuries or even death. Drug use can also impair judgment which could lead to irresponsible decisions and behavior that may result in contracting diseases like STDs.

C. Contraction of an STD

Some people thought that illegal drug use among teenagers is high, but in reality, it isn’t. Nowadays, teenagers are well-aware of the negative consequences of consuming illegal drugs. Teenagers already have the knowledge that illegal drug use could have harmful effects on their physiological and psychological well-being. And that illegal drug consumption could also involve teenagers in legal actions wherein there is a possibility that the teenager would be detained in a juvenile rehabilitation center and have a criminal record that would affect his/her life in the future.

C. much higher than it is in reality.

The possession, distribution, and consumption of controlled substances or illicit drugs is punishable under the law. Teenagers who are going to be arrested for juvenile drug possession charges would be incarcerated in the juvenile court system.
The penalties for juvenile drug possession charges vary with the amount and classification of the possessed illicit drug. The penalties for juvenile drug possession include drug counseling, probation—the teenager should comply with specific terms, pretrial diversion—informal probation for first-time offenders, and detention—home confinement, placement in a juvenile home or detention center.
Even though the punishments for juvenile drug possession are not that profound, the teenager will end up having a permanent criminal record that could affect certain aspects of their life. The juvenile record could appear on background checks. And this could influence the decision of an institution to admit or readmit the teenager into their university and the application for financial aid in college. When the teenager reaches adulthood, he/she could have difficulties in finding employment opportunities and joining the military, and he/she could also have a hard time in applying for driving privileges and eligibility for public housing.

The legal consequences of drug use can interfere with a teen’s future educational and career goals because the juvenile drug possession record would appear in background checks that might affect the educational and employment opportunities of the teenager.

Illicit drugs can affect you and your friends even though you aren’t using drugs by being involved in drug-related crimes, violence, and accidents, such as collisions because there will always be a possibility that you might encounter an individual who is under the influence of illegal drugs.

Paranoia is the thought process or instinct that causes irrational suspicion and mistrust of others, which could be associated with anxiety.

Paranoia

Inhalants are volatile substances that are administered through inhalation which induce psychoactive effects. Inhalants damage the brain through the brain or cerebral atrophy—the loss of brain cells or neurons—which could lead to stroke and coma.

Inhalants

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic hormones derived from testosterone—male sex hormones— which increase muscle mass and strength, but not the tendon and ligaments, often resulting in injuries.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids

Marijuana consumption can alter the hormone levels in the reproductive system. In females, marijuana use decreases levels of luteinizing hormones—responsible for stimulating the ovaries to release an egg cell and produce progesterone—which could lead to infertility. In males, marijuana use decreases sperm count and testosterone levels which could also lead to infertility.

D. Changes in testosterone level

Nitrous oxide is an inhalant with legal medical use. Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is considered a general anesthetic that can alleviate pain and cause sedation during medical and dental procedures.

B. Nitrous oxide

Anabolic-androgenic steroids could be administered through transdermal patches and gel, oral administration, implantation of pellets, intramuscular, and subcutaneous injection.

B. Anabolic-androgenic steroids

Marijuana consumption causes detrimental consequences in the physical and psychological health of a person. Marijuana use is associated with drug-related accidents, crimes, and violence because marijuana alters reaction time and reflexes, causes drowsiness, impairs judgment, interferes with depth perception. Marijuana use can also inflict anxiety and paranoia, and have a hard time remembering the things that happened while being under the influence of marijuana.

Marijuana consumption can affect your social interactions with your friends because of the changes in behavior, perception, and physical capabilities that are associated in marijuana use which could inflict dangers to other people.

Inhalants are volatile substances that stimulate psychoactive effects when inhaled. Inhalants are exceptionally detrimental to health and most are considered poisonous. Some of the inhalants damage the central nervous system through the permanent loss of brain cells which is called cerebral atrophy. Inhalants are often in household products which made them difficult to regulate.

It might be difficult for law enforcement officials to discover and prevent illegal inhalant use because most of the inhalants are from household products, such as paints, varnishes, and sprays.

Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic testosterone hormones that increase muscle mass and strength, but not the tendons and ligaments capacity which could lead to physical injuries, especially when the person is doing strenuous activities.

If an athlete chose to use anabolic-androgenic steroids to increase muscle mass, steroid use could turn into a negative consequence because steroids would not strengthen the athlete’s tendons and ligaments capacity that could lead to injuries when involved in strenuous activities.

Stimulants, also known as “uppers”, are psychoactive substances that stimulate the function of the central nervous system.
Depressants, also known as “downers”, are psychoactive substances that inhibit the function of the central nervous system.

Stimulants

Euphoria is the intense feeling of excitement and pleasure.
Hallucination is a condition of altered perception, mood, and thoughts about reality.

Euphoria

Opiates are drugs derived from Papaver somniferum (Opium poppy) which inhibits the function of the central nervous system. Opiates are considered dangerous drugs and a medical prescription is needed in order to be dispensed because opiates are highly addictive and prone to dependence and abuse.
Hallucinogens are drugs that alter a person’s feelings, perception, and thoughts of reality.

Opiates

Hallucinogens are psychoactive substances that alter the person’s feelings, thoughts, and sense of perception.

B. Hallucinogens

Opiates, or narcotics, are psychoactive drugs which inhibit the function or activity, and alter the pain perception of the central nervous system. Opiates are used for the management of chronic, moderate to severe pain.

C. Opiates

Ecstasy, also known as MDMA and Molly, is considered a synthetic hallucinogen drug that has stimulant and hallucinogenic effects and can cause euphoria. Ecstasy could be a wide-range mixture of amphetamine, caffeine, cocaine, LSD, heroin, and other illicit drugs.

C. MDMA

Rohypnol (Roofies) and Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) are considered central nervous system depressants which inhibit the function of the CNS and cause sedation. These drugs are usually given to a person without their knowledge which could incapacitate the person when involved in sexual activity, making him/her be at high risk of being exposed to HIV and STDs.

Polydrug use is the process of consuming combinations of psychotropic substances in order to increase or compensate for the psychoactive effects of the primary drug as a consequence of drug synergism. An example of polydrug use is taking stimulants after taking depressants.
In this case, stimulants are drugs that stimulate or increase the activity of the central nervous system by increasing the levels of catecholamine, such as dopamine. And in order to counteract the effects of stimulants, depressants are being used. Depressants reduce the activity of the central nervous system by stimulating the production of GABA, and in order to counteract the effects of stimulants.

A drug user might take a depressant after taking a stimulant in order to counter act the psychoactive effects of stimulant, such as increased energy.

The consumption of psychoactive substances can have a significant impact on the driving abilities of an individual because of the substances’ neurological and psychological effects, such as impaired cognition, altered perception, and reduced motor coordination.

Driving under the influence of psychoactive drugs contributes to an accident because it alters the function or activity of the central nervous system which can impair the driving skills of a person.

Opiates or narcotics is a drug classification of psychoactive substances that are derived from the Opium poppy. Opiates are alkaloid compounds that alter the pain perception of the central nervous system which alleviate chronic, moderate to severe pain. These drugs are prone to drug dependence since they are highly addictive and habit-forming.
Doctors and pharmacist are responsible to monitor the legal medical use of opiates to ensure that the patient does not abuse opiates and develop drug dependence

It is important for doctors and pharmacists to monitor the legal medical use of opiates because these drugs are extremely addictive and have a higher chance that the patient may develop drug dependence.

Rehabilitation is the process that involves medical and psychotherapeutic interventions for the physiological and psychological dependence of a person due to drug abuse.

Rehabilitation

Drug watch is an organized community effort of volunteers and neighborhood residents that oppose the legalization of illicit drugs through promoting a comprehensive approach against drug abuse by providing education and interventions about drug use, interdiction, monitoring, and reporting drug activities in the community and preventing other people from using or dealing psychoactive substances.

Drug watch

Drug-Free School Zones are the areas within the 1,000 to 1,500 feet from the school perimeter which have increased law enforcement activity against distribution, possession, and consumption of illicit drugs. If an individual is caught within these areas, he/she will receive greater penalties than the other drug-related offenses.

Drug-Free School Zones

Communities and schools can help in the prevention of drug use through assembling community drug watches, establishing drug-free school zones, and providing drug rehabilitation and treatment centers. Only the national government could legislate laws against illicit drug use. Moreover, there are additive medicines, such as opiates, that are essential for patients who are suffering from chronic, moderate to severe pain and it would have a great impact on their health if prescribing opiates or narcotics have been made illegal.

D. Making it illegal to prescribe addictive medicines

Allergic reaction is a hypersensitive reactions caused by the immune system in correspondence with encountering foreign substances called allergens. And this is not considered a warning sign of drug abuse since allergic reactions are caused by dust, pollen, and certain foods and medications, and these factors are not similar to every person.

A. Allergic reactions

Support group is a group of people with common experiences and concerns which provides firsthand information with regards drug abuse and treatments, words of encouragement, comfort, coping strategies, and advices for each other’s benefits.

A. Support group

Peer pressure is the direct influence on an individual with the purpose of changing the individual’s behavior, cognition, perception, morals, and values to conform to the beliefs of their peers.

Positive peer pressure involves positive encouragement and support that are essential in a individual’s personal growth and development in a beneficial manner.
Negative peer pressure involves negative influences, such as illicit drug and alcohol consumption, of the individual’s peers that often resolves in negative consequences, like involvement in accidents and violent crimes.

Peer pressure influences the teenager’s behavior, decisions, and perception about illicit drug use, will it be positive or negative, since teenagers are still in the verge of exploring their lives and their decision-making is still inconsistent and can be influenced by other people.

Illicit drug use causes detrimental consequences on an individual’s social, physiological, and psychological well-being. Individuals who consume drugs tend to lie about their drug use or maybe constantly talks about illegal drugs. Drug users also encounter behavioral, physical, and psychological changes that affects the important events and experiences in their lives. There will be an increased possibility of them being involved in troubles associated with law enforcements.

It is difficult to determine whether a person has a problem with illegal drugs because the warning signs of illicit drug use mostly involves behavioral and psychological changes. And these changes might be associated with mental health problems and not with drug use.

Drug addiction is a condition by which an individual had developed a physiological and psychological dependence on drug use. Drug addiction has dangerous effects on the individual’s health and well-being that could constantly have negative impacts on his/her life. Most of the drug users do not know the negative consequences of illicit drug consumption, therefore, it is important for them to be educated and guided by their loved ones and with the supervision of drug counselors in order for them to successfully recover from drug abuse and prevent from further damaging the individual’s well-being and life.

It is important to determine whether someone has an addiction to drugs and to discuss the problem with him/her because illicit drug use could significantly compromise the individual’s physiological and psychological well-being and will greatly affect the person’s life.