Social consequences of alcoholism and drug addiction. Alcoholism and drug addiction as systemic diseases
Addiction destroys all areas of life - not just physical and mental. Moreover, the social consequences of alcoholism and drug addiction affect the entire family. A change in worldview, a shift in life orientations towards dependence lead to the fact that a person begins to ignore traditional norms.
Alcoholism
The main problem is the conditional tolerance for the use of alcoholic beverages. What many don't realize is that addiction starts small:
- with beer on Fridays in a bar or with friends;
- with an evening glass of champagne to relieve stress after work;
- with regular cocktails at your favorite restaurant.
Gradually, the dose and frequency of libations increase, and the relatives still do not notice anything. And the addict himself does not see any problem in the regular use of alcohol. Meanwhile, his value system is already changing.
With each stage of addiction, more and more serious consequences develop:
- The addict becomes irritated if he fails to drink, and this irritation often spills over to those around him.
- He begins to take less and less responsibility for work, until at some point it comes to dismissal. However, often he is in no hurry to look for a new place or does it “in a slipshod manner”, complaining about low wages or excessive demands.
- Gradually, the need to drink comes to the fore - there is no place left for his loved ones in the value system of an alcoholic. He becomes unrestrained, nervous, aggressive, forgets about all attachments and completely focuses on his needs.
- Against the background of craving for alcohol, even the norms of criminal law lose their value. Fights, thefts turn into a meaningless episode in the perception of the addict - moreover, the alcoholic also manages to blame the victims for provoking him.
In some cases, drinking parents involve their underage children in drinking.
According to statistics, in a state of intoxication occurs:
- 50% rape;
- 55% robberies;
- 60% of accidents;
- 60% of robberies;
- 75% of hooligan acts;
- 85% domestic murders.
Addiction
Drug addiction occupies one of the first places in the list of socially dangerous phenomena. If alcoholism, with careful attention, can be prevented by noticing domestic drunkenness in time (the so-called “transitional stage” to addiction), then craving for drugs often begins with the first dose.
As a result of systematic use, critical changes occur in the human mind, which very quickly lead to complete degradation of the personality. The whole range of interests is compressed to one thing - the need to get money for a new dose.
Today, more than 50% of street crime is related to drug addiction.
Often, for those who cannot pay for a dose, dealers set conditions under which the drug addict is obliged to "hook" from two to five people, that is, to expand the sales market. In addition, the decline in morality and the instinct of self-preservation leads to the spread of such dangerous diseases as hepatitis C, HIV, AIDS.
Left without a dose, a drug addict is capable of virtually any crime - even against his loved ones. It's scary to realize, but it's true. Addicts steal from their own family, cleaning the apartment to resell things or exchange them for drugs. They blackmail parents or elderly relatives to rewrite the property on them, and then give it to the dealer for a couple of doses.
Without a qualified, few of the addicts live to be 40-50 years old. Most often, everything ends with an overdose or a criminal situation with tragic consequences.
Therefore, if you suspect that your loved one has an addiction, do not hesitate - immediately contact a specialist. Only the help of qualified doctors can pull the addict out of this vicious circle.
It can be concluded that the social consequences of alcoholism and drug addiction are much worse than they seem at first glance.
Alcoholism and drug addiction are two problems of our society and individual person, individual family. In our time, the most dangerous problems of society are the abuse of alcohol and drugs. These problems seemed to concern only those who became drug addicts or alcoholics and members of their families, but even at the level of society as a whole, it can be said that alcoholism and drug addiction are two causes of many problems and failures in a person, in a family, etc. d.
How is it that alcoholism and drug addiction take place in our society? Basically the problem is that people don't have enough information about what drugs and alcohol are. The correctness of the decision in a given situation depends on the knowledge and information that a person has. The lack of information or extra information that a person has is reflected in what decision a person will make in a particular case. A lack of information about alcohol and a lot of data that is not true can lead to global consequences.
A person believes that alcohol improves mood and can deprive him of complexes, make him more sociable. To some extent, this is true, but the real mechanism of this is that alcohol stimulates the body, it makes the heart beat faster, increases blood pressure, and the work of other organs increases, and this eliminates fatigue.
A general increase in activity contributes to an uplifting mood, because our emotions and actions are interdependent, and this is obvious, one has only to look at children who are enthusiastic, who have enough energy for a company of soldiers, and look at someone who, for example, came home from work, tired and exhausted, who despaired of climbing the corporate ladder, and by and large is depressed.
It may very well be that dancing improves mood in accordance with this pattern, because dancing is movement. Drugs work in the same way as alcohol. They are like a battery in a toy, and now this toy can walk and talk. The cheerfulness and energy of a drunk person are the movements and emotions of a robot that runs on batteries.
What other factors are fundamental to the existence of drug addiction and alcoholism in society?
Many analysts talk about unemployment, low wages, a lack of places to spend leisure time and a low standard of living. In other publications, one can find as reasons the availability of money for drugs, which allegedly contribute to drug addiction. But, you need to look and look for reasons in hotel people, their worldview, attitude to life, to themselves and to other people, in their ability to be happy and achieve their goals. After all, if the reasons are the same for everyone, then why do some people not become alcoholics? Perhaps it's something else?
The underlying reason people drink alcohol is to feel better. Alcoholism and drug addiction are, so to speak, the consequences to which the wrong choice of means leads to feel better.
Alcohol and so-called "light" drugs (which are no less dangerous and no less poisonous than other drugs) are often used to relax, cheer up, create a light informal atmosphere, etc. These are the natural desires of man. But what does the use of drugs and alcohol lead to?In the end, alcohol and drugs remain the only thing that can somehow help a person so that he does not feel so bad mentally and physically. Alcoholism and drug addiction destroy a person, destroy well-being in families and in society, contributing to an increase in the number of accidents and crimes, mistakes and failures.
Alcoholism and drug addiction is the scourge of our society. Alcohol and drugs cause a strong dependence in a person, both on the physical and psychological levels. Yes, yes, no matter how strange it sounds, alcohol is a type of drug, and its danger is that many do not consider it as such, and therefore are convinced that it is an absolutely safe and acceptable drink. The reason for this is the legalized status of alcoholic beverages as common products.
Drug addiction, alcoholism and tobacco smoking are largely dependent on gender, age and race. As a general rule, men worldwide are more susceptible to alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse than women. While white people are prone to both alcoholism and smoking, American Indians and Alaska Natives are more addicted to nicotine. Among the peoples who are less dependent on alcohol, tobacco and drugs are those from Asia, the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific Islands.
Dependence on alcohol and tobacco can lead to serious health risks both on their own and in combination. In addition to the fact that alcoholism often leads to death from injuries during accidents and accidents, the toxic effect of ethyl alcohol is manifested by:
- chronic liver diseases;
- cancer;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- acute alcohol poisoning;
- the birth of sick children if the mother abused during pregnancy.
Smoking has been linked to lung disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Drug addiction, alcoholism, and smoking simultaneously increase the risk of cancer and reduce life expectancy.
Alcohol and stress
Many people are completely unfamiliar with the state of addiction to alcohol and drugs. Therefore, they cannot understand the logic and thinking of people suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction. But as this "plague of the 21st century" spreads, people are increasingly wondering what are the main causes of the spread of alcoholism and drug addiction, the abuse of toxic substances, and how to save people from a dangerous habit.
One of the reasons for the spread of alcoholism and drug addiction is the development of anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression and other mental illnesses. But the stigma of "psycho" is too hard for them, so they hesitate and are afraid to go to a psychiatrist. In this situation, a much easier solution is to resort to addictive substances that change the state of consciousness. As a result, people turn to alcohol and drugs to alleviate their suffering. Alcohol intoxication and drugs help them temporarily regain a sense of their "normality", the memory of which is stored in their memory.
Often people think that drugs and alcohol can relieve stress. Modern life, with its information overload, is the source of severe stress and overexertion of the nervous system, which were unknown to people in the past. Even the usual maintenance of the family, the usual duties at work, for some, this is already an unbearable burden. Therefore, alcoholic drinks, medicines, drugs are often used for relaxation and are a method to calm the storm that "rages" in the head. It is true that, temporarily, these substances do the job "wonderfully". But the side effects and consequences can be no less serious.
For variety and adaptation
Another reason for the development of addiction is imitation, when they try to imitate more authoritative family members, acquaintances, friends who are addicted to drugs and look very cool. It is most often the cause of addiction in young people and teenagers. At this age, it is very easy to succumb to the illusion that everything is in your hands and that the decision to use or not use is completely in their power. Especially when they have before them an authoritative example, from which they do not want to lag behind. A common thought in this case is: "My friends have been doing this for several years, and it's fine, so I won't get hurt."
The entertainment industry, parties, discos - this is the environment where people are instilled with the idea that it is quite “normal” to use this or that remedy to relax sometimes. If at the same time a person has addicts and alcoholics in the family, the risk of developing addiction increases significantly.
Another reason for addiction to drugs or alcohol is the routine and dullness of everyday life with its eternal problems. Here comes the idea that drugs and alcohol can help.
Boredom is also a very serious risk factor for addiction in young people. At this age, people do not yet have the responsibilities that adults have - work, children, family, housing, etc. They can easily get bored, ignite a desire to try something new and original. Something to motivate them nervous system, would unload from the constant stress associated with boredom and dullness. In this case, narcotic substances appear as a "deliverer" from the mediocrity of the "earthly world". But the holiday, unfortunately, does not last long.
Don't be a black sheep
Sometimes people think that alcohol and drugs will help them adapt, become “like everyone else”, and better “match” the situation. After all, often, when communicating with friends, you don’t want to look like a “black sheep”. A person wants others to see in him the “soul of the company”, his “on the board”, a person who can always be relied upon in everything and always.
And if you are different from others, do not drink with everyone or do not use drugs - this creates distrust, and, as a result, exclusion from the group. But self-affirmation and belonging to a group are the most important psychological needs of any person, and especially at a young age. In this case psychological pressure, exerted by peers, has an incredibly strong impact, especially on a fragile psyche.
This can make a person decide to do things that he will later regret very much, and perhaps not only him. And in combination with alcohol and drugs, it can be a reason for committing a crime. Currently in Russia as important funds the fight against alcoholism and drug addiction, are also legal measures, including medical measures, civil, administrative and criminal. For a person who has committed an offense while intoxicated, the court often applies special measures.
Trauma and the development of addiction
Sometimes people accidentally get physically injured, and "addicted" to drugs that alleviate their condition. The category of people who expose themselves to this risk includes manual workers, the older generation, and all those who suffer from injuries.
There are people who suffer from pain from birth due to some kind of congenital physical defects. But more still those who suffered as a result of accidents and accidents.
As a result, doctors give prescriptions for drugs that can cause physical and psychological dependence. Especially if the remedy gives the person a sense of well-being, it leads to the fact that he begins to justify the constant use. If a person does not go to the doctor, he may resort to drugs or alcohol to relieve pain.
Alcohol and drugs: to forget
People may become addicted to alcohol or drugs to get rid of memories of some past events. One of these memories is an unhappy childhood, memories of which are so terrible and unbearable that a person resorts to psychoactive chemical substances.
The fact is that the child's psyche is especially vulnerable and sensitive. Any traumatic events are perceived extremely acutely, especially those associated with physical trauma. Then negative memories can haunt and haunt a person for a very long time and during adult life. Such people can be helped by psychologists who help to change their attitude to past events. If for professional help such people do not apply, they stumble and take the wrong step, choosing alcohol or drugs, which only worsens their condition.
The pursuit of pleasure
Very often, the reason for the development of addiction is that people tend to repeat those incredibly pleasant sensations that they have already experienced once. If you ask any drug addict about this, he will say that these are the best feelings that he has ever experienced in his life.
For him, the pleasure of drug euphoria simply cannot be compared with the joys of everyday life. The reason for this is that drugs overload the pleasure receptors in the brain. It is enough to experience this “incredible” pleasure once in order to “get hooked” on it, become attached psychologically and strive with all your might to repeat the sensations. This is the vicious circle from which it is very difficult to get out on your own. The heights of narcotic euphoria become the stronger, the more painful and lower the drug addict or alcoholic falls during abstinence and withdrawal.
Alcohol and smoking
Drinking and smoking cigarettes are the main and most common causes of deadly diseases that can be prevented by curing addiction in time. These substances are often used together. This means that tobacco addicts are four times more likely to become addicted to alcohol than non-smokers. And alcoholics are three times more likely to be addicted to cigarette smoking than non-drinkers.
The link between drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes has very serious health consequences. A lot of alcoholics smoke. The harm of smoking alcohol and drugs is that the risk of cancer, lung diseases, diseases of the cardiovascular system increases. Statistics show that alcoholics are more likely to die from diseases associated with cigarette abuse than from diseases caused by alcohol abuse. That is why for successful treatment, the question of getting rid of nicotine addiction must be raised. Many programs to combat alcoholism include at the same time getting rid of nicotine addiction.
Features of treatment
For the prevention of alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse, it is important to understand what these phenomena have in common, and how they affect the brain of an addicted person. It is not easy, even despite a sufficient number of different scientific theories. These difficulties result from the fact that in the presence of dependence on several substances at once, it is very important to distinguish which health effects each substance has on its own, and which are the result of the interaction of several substances.
Nowadays, there is a wide range of treatments, treatment programs and medical centers that specialize in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. When choosing a hospital, it is often necessary to know the answer to the question of whether there is a difference between rehabilitation after alcoholism and rehabilitation after drug addiction. The answer to that question is yes, there is, and the difference is in the treatment programs and the detox process.
Although the process of detoxification between drug addicts and alcoholics has much in common, there are some subtle nuances. For example, alcoholic delirium is a sign of alcoholic psychosis, which is inherent only to alcoholics during an exacerbation of the withdrawal syndrome, and therefore it is absent in drug addicts. True, it does not occur in all cases, its complications are especially dangerous. Alcoholic delirium can be identified by the following symptoms:
- convulsions;
- hallucinations;
- the person is shaking all over;
- clouding of consciousness;
- high blood pressure;
- decreased heart rate;
- in severe cases, death.
A drug hangover is different from an alcohol hangover. With an alcohol hangover, the body recovers from the toxic effects of acetaldehyde and alcohol. Main blow receives the liver, which removes these poisons. This leads to a lack of many substances and to dehydration. At the same time, substances in the brain that affect mood are not particularly affected. Drugs affect the brain more, and the reaction to their absence in the body largely depends on the type of tranquilizer.
For example, the withdrawal from amphetamine is the period when the drug stops working. That is, this is a state when a person cannot fall asleep, because a certain amount of this substance is still circulating in the body, although not enough to cause narcotic euphoria. At the same time, there is a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.
Thus, the mechanism of alcohol detoxification differs from the detoxification of drug addicts, since it is based on different principles of treatment. For example, drug addicts receive a drug substitute during withdrawal, but an alcoholic can be brought out of such a state with the help of drugs without resorting to alcohol.
What is common in the process of rehabilitation is that it continues for addicts all their lives: if the quitter gives up, he can break loose. Competent assistance to drug addicts and alcoholics is necessary for the right choice of effective treatment and support, then these people can take the right path to a healthy and happy life.
Drugs and children
Of great concern is the fact that fewer and fewer young people think about the dangers of smoking, alcohol and drugs. Unfortunately, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes - these are the things that you can no longer surprise a modern teenager with.
Many parents are concerned about how to protect children from drug addiction, alcoholism and smoking. Prevention of alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse is very important here. First of all, you need to choose Right words, which will allow a teenager to stop using alcohol or drugs. For example, you can tell a child that only weak people use alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and express confidence that he does not want to be like that. It is advisable to carry out explanatory work even when the child is studying in primary school and even goes to kindergarten.
Indeed, often a person tries his first cigarette and the first glass of vodka while still studying at school. And this phenomenon is growing all over the world. Adolescents start drinking and smoking cigarettes between the ages of 14 and 18. Often this leads to the fact that the young man also tries drugs. And gradually alcohol, tobacco, drugs become an integral part of his life.
Adolescents who are registered in drug treatment centers in most cases are smokers. In the same way as adults, young drug addicts continue to smoke tobacco even after the end of treatment, even if they have recovered from alcoholism and substance abuse.
The treatment of a drug-addicted child makes high demands on specialists - narcologists, psychiatrists and psychologists. The child is very much influenced by peers, and group norms, peer expectations have a stronger effect on this category of people than on adults. This is the main reason why children do not think about the dangers of alcohol and drug intoxication. Also, they do not think about the violation of legal legislation, about illegal acts that can be committed in a state of intoxication, and what results from being in a state of drug intoxication.
Nicotine addiction in children and adolescents is also different from addiction in adults. For it to occur, a child needs a smaller dose of nicotine or alcohol than an adult. Therefore, the prevention of alcoholism and drug addiction is so important, which must be actively pursued, starting with early age. Parents should pay much attention to keeping their children away from alcohol, drug addiction, substance abuse and smoking.
It is impossible to spare efforts and means for this, since the social consequences of alcoholism and drug addiction can manifest themselves very soon and have the most devastating consequences. It is necessary to clearly explain to children so that they understand the danger of drug addiction and alcoholism. After all, if a child hears about the dangers of smoking, alcohol and drugs from the lips of a father whom he respects, loves and takes an example from him, this can play a decisive role in his life.
Alcoholism and drug addiction is a serious problem of modern society.
How can these dangerous diseases be overcome?
In our time, alcoholism, drug addiction is a threat to society.
Often people do not understand how others turn into dependent drug addicts and alcoholics. They mistakenly assume that the reason lies in the lack of willpower and moral principles in drug addicts and alcoholics. This prevents them from stopping the use of drugs, alcohol.
But drug addiction and alcoholism are complex diseases. Therefore, good intentions or a strong will are not enough to stop drinking and using drugs. Because drugs and alcohol cause changes in the brain. Quitting drugs and alcohol is difficult even for those people who decide to do so. But drug addiction and alcoholism can be successfully treated.
Alcoholism and drug addiction have negative consequences for individuals and society as a whole. The total cost of drug and alcohol treatment, loss of productivity and the costs associated with the crime of drug addicts and alcoholics, exceed hundreds of billions of dollars a year. But as dire as these numbers are, they do not fully capture the depth of their devastating health and safety outcomes. Alcoholism, drug addiction undermine health, take lives.
What happens as a result of excessive use of alcohol and drug addiction?
These are the problems:
- Families are falling apart.
- The person loses his job.
- School failures begin.
Drug addiction: what is its essence?
Scientists have proven that as a result of taking drugs, a chronic disease of the human brain develops. It is expressed in an impulsive, uncontrollable desire to use drugs. Gradually, pathological changes occur in the addict's brain. They do not allow him to control himself, hinder his attempts to stop taking drugs.
What happens to the brain when a person takes drugs?
What are the consequences of taking drugs? Drugs contain substances that disrupt brain function. They destroy the brain tissue responsible for sending, receiving and processing information. Drugs (heroin, marijuana) are similar to neurotransmitters. These are substances produced by the human brain. Because drugs are able to "deceive" the brain to cause a state of imaginary pleasure.
The drugs cocaine or methamphetamine can disrupt nerve cells to release abnormal, massive amounts of natural neurotransmitters (primarily dopamine). This interferes with the proper processing of neurotransmitters by the body. As a result, there is an excess of dopamine in the structures of the brain, which causes a feeling of pleasure in the body. Neurotransmitters control movements, emotions, motivation, and feelings of satisfaction and pleasure.
There is an artificial overstimulation of the area that causes a sensation of pleasure, which usually responds to natural factors associated with life situations(eating, spending time with loved ones, relatives). When psychoactive substances enter the body, there is a feeling of unreal, artificial pleasure. As a result, the mechanism of abnormal behavior of a person dependent on drugs is set in motion. Because now the brain of an addicted person seeks to get pleasure as a result of taking drugs, and not as a result of the natural production of neurotransmitters by the body itself.
When a person continues to use drugs, the brain reduces the production of natural dopamine. This decrease forces the addict to use more and more drugs in order to increase dopamine function and bring it artificially back to normal. But now it takes more and more narcotic drug to get the desired feeling of euphoria.
Long-term disturbances cause changes in other brain functions as well. The neurotransmitter glutamate affects learning ability. When the normal concentration of glutamate in the brain changes due to drug addiction, a person is deprived of the opportunity to carry out intellectual activity. Now he is unable to mental activity make the right decisions, exercise self-control. He does not feel well without drugs.
In a person who has become addicted to drugs, heroin, marijuana and other drugs cause an uncontrollable desire to use drugs for pleasure. Now he needs these drugs more than anything he has in his life (family, friends, career, health, happiness).
What is the mechanism of drug addiction formation?
How does a person become an addict?
People start experimenting with drugs for a variety of reasons:
- Some want to try out of curiosity.
- Others just want to have a nice evening in the company.
- Still others see that friends are doing it.
- The fourth seek thus to improve athletic performance.
- Others use this method to alleviate some psychological problem.
- Some people already have it in their families.
- Some do it because of traumatic, childhood experiences.
Accidental ingestion of a drug does not automatically lead to the development of drug addiction. But there is no specific boundary that separates the accidental use and the systematic use of a drug. This fine line depends on individual features person. Regardless of the frequency, frequency and amount of drugs consumed, it causes an increase in negative problems in the life of an addicted person. These problems relate to work, school, study, relationships with parents, acquaintances and friends.
What is the development process of drug addiction?
A person experimenting with drugs is sure that he can stop at any moment. But medical practice shows that usually a person continues to take them. The reason is that now only the narcotic drug allows him to feel complete and happy, causing euphoria. Rare dependent people are able to recognize the moment when they crossed a dangerous line, beyond which trouble awaits them.
An irrepressible addiction to drugs always sneaks up unnoticed. It increases sharply. Now people take drugs more and more often, in large doses. Gradually addicted person is no longer able to do without drugs. He is haunted by panic and pain if he has not taken drugs. In this situation, it is already very difficult for the addict to stop. If he does not find an alternative to narcotic drugs, their consumption will continue. This is how addiction develops.
When drug addiction subdues a person, he may miss or often be late for work, school. His performance at work may gradually deteriorate, he begins to neglect social or family obligations. But he can't stop on his own. What began as a voluntary choice has turned into a physical and psychological dependence on the drug.
Why do some people get addicted to drugs while others don't?
No one can foresee the appearance of addiction to narcotic drugs in a particular person. The threat of this disease depends on a number of conditions:
- Individual biological features.
- Social environment.
- This person's age.
- Duration of drug use.
The more such risks a particular person has, the greater the likelihood of developing addiction increases.
What conditions contribute to the growth of dependence on narcotic substances?
- Genetic traits can increase a person's vulnerability to the effects of drugs. These risks can exacerbate gender differences, various mental disorders.
- The environment of a person: family, friends, colleagues, classmates and so on. It is important what moral principles were laid down in the course of upbringing, what kind of life the immediate environment of this person leads.
- Early initiation of drug use. The earlier drug use begins, the more likely a person is to become an addict. This is especially dangerous for people in their teens. Since drugs have a negative effect on the functions of the brain that regulates the decision-making process, a teenager's self-control deteriorates. For this reason, individuals in puberty are highly susceptible to risky behavior and drug addiction.
It is possible to treat addiction. There are tools available to help counter the powerful destructive effects of drug addiction.
How can drug addiction be overcome?
This disease can be successfully managed. If a person uses drugs because they fill a void in his life, he is at risk of ruining his life through accidental use or drug addiction. To maintain a healthy life balance, it is imperative to have other positive experiences in order to feel comfortable. It is very important for a person to have interests, hobbies and a favorite thing in his life. Need to communicate with interesting people. Then there will be no need for drugs to artificially get a sense of pleasure.
A fund for the fight against drug addiction was created in the country. It exists in Moscow. This fund employs specialists who are looking for opportunities and ways to help drug addicts. There was no such fund before. It was created to solve the problem of drug addiction. If people cannot end this addiction on their own, they can get help from the foundation. This fund is helped by people who are not indifferent to such a disaster.
The Orthodox Church does not stand aside from this problem. Therefore, she created the Charitable Foundation of St. Righteous John to help drug addicted citizens. Many people have been able to get on the right track thanks to this foundation. Today, such an organization exists in many major cities countries. The activity of such a fund is an example of an indifferent attitude to a national problem. Representatives of the foundation organize events promoting a healthy lifestyle.
To combat drug addiction, a foundation was created in the city of Ivanovo. There is also an organization in Samara where specialists help people who are addicted to drugs get rid of this disease. In Yekaterinburg, the City Without Drugs Foundation was created. It has been in existence for fifteen years. In Moscow, the No Narcotics Foundation has been set up to fight drug addiction, which is doing serious work to prevent drug addiction. The City Without Drugs Foundation is supported by residents of the country who have an active life position. Former drug addicts We are grateful to this foundation for its help. A similar fund operates in Irkutsk. The Foundation is working to prevent drug addiction. To help the foundation, caring people hold charity events.
Prevention of drug addiction
Addiction is a preventable disease. Research results have shown that the involvement of family, school, funds mass media are effective in combating drug abuse. Education and outreach are key to this preventive work to help youth and the general public understand the risk of drug abuse. Teachers, parents, medical professionals should explain that drug addiction can be prevented.
What is the essence of alcoholism?
The problem of alcoholism is very acute.
Alcohol (or ethanol) is an antiseptic and solvent that is widely used in medical practice. But this alcohol has a toxic effect on the human body if the substance is taken orally in large doses.
Almost all people have tried alcoholic beverages at least once in their lives. But why does not everyone develop alcohol dependence? The main factors that contribute to the development of alcohol dependence are personality traits that prevent the adaptation of this person in public life:
- There are no life goals.
- Excessive shyness.
- Constant mental and emotional stress and strain.
- Inability to cope with the problems that arise in life.
- No hobbies or interests.
- Monotony in life.
- Psychological trauma.
Alcohol addiction is a disease. Drunkenness kills people. What could be worse?
It is characterized by the abuse of alcoholic beverages, despite the negative consequences.
Risk factors for developing alcohol problems can include:
- Low self-esteem.
- Anxiety.
- genetic features.
- Flaws in education.
It is believed that alcoholism goes through three phases in its development.
The first phase is characterized by the following symptoms:
- No gag reflex to alcohol.
- The feeling of aversion to alcohol after drinking disappears.
- An alcoholic is looking for an excuse to drink again.
- The ability to control the amount of alcohol taken is lost.
- An alcoholic is unable to stop drinking alcohol.
- He gets pleasure only after taking alcohol.
The second stage is characterized by the following:
- Doses of alcohol increase.
- A person accepts it in forms condemned by society (for example, in the workplace).
- A person feels efficient only by taking alcohol.
- Several times the dose is increased necessary for man to get drunk.
- Hangovers become habitual.
- For the first time, violations of the function of internal organs appear: blood pressure rises, there is a strong heartbeat, as the cardiovascular system suffers. Sweating torments, as the endocrine system is disturbed. Disorders of the digestive tract become habitual.
- The dependent person does not remember many events.
- Develops, the signs of which are hallucinations, obsessions, attacks of aggression.
The following symptoms are characteristic of the third stage of this disease:
- Depletion of the body.
- Hangover even from small doses of alcohol.
- Intellectual and moral degradation.
- Insomnia if you do not take alcohol.
- Seriously affected internal organs (heart, liver, kidneys, brain). This can lead to the death of an addict.
Sometimes people wonder which is worse - alcoholism or drug addiction. But what could be worse than destroying your own life? Both of these diseases are a great evil. And what's worse than that? Only death.
Some people who drink alcohol for a long time may stop drinking on their own. But most do it only temporarily.
Long-term abuse of alcohol and drugs, the development of alcoholism and drug addiction can be devastating and even life-threatening.
They negatively affect the functioning of almost all organ systems. But the problems of alcoholism and drug addiction can be successfully solved.
Thanks for the feedback
Comments
Megan92 () 2 weeks ago
Has anyone managed to save her husband from alcoholism? Mine drinks without drying up, I don’t know what to do ((I thought of getting a divorce, but I don’t want to leave the child without a father, and I feel sorry for my husband, he’s a great person when he doesn’t drink
Daria () 2 weeks ago
I have already tried so many things and only after reading this article, I managed to wean my husband from alcohol, now he doesn’t drink at all, even on holidays.
Megan92 () 13 days ago
Daria () 12 days ago
Megan92, so I wrote in my first comment) I will duplicate it just in case - link to article.
Sonya 10 days ago
Isn't this a divorce? Why sell online?
Yulek26 (Tver) 10 days ago
Sonya, what country do you live in? They sell on the Internet, because shops and pharmacies set their markup brutal. In addition, payment is only after receipt, that is, they first looked, checked and only then paid. And now everything is sold on the Internet - from clothes to TVs and furniture.
Editorial response 10 days ago
Sonya, hello. This drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence is indeed not sold through the pharmacy chain and retail stores in order to avoid overpricing. Currently, you can only order official website. Be healthy!
Alcohol and drug addiction are perhaps the most serious and dangerous scourges of our time. This is not a problem of one person and those around him, but a problem of the whole society, nation, since each person is a part of society.
Hostages of alcohol
These negative habits shorten a person's life, thereby increasing mortality, entail the birth of defective offspring with congenital anomalies.
By leaps and bounds, the figure that reflects the global amount of alcohol consumed is growing. Both young and old suffer from this. An incredible number of people become hostages of alcohol.
The problem of drug addiction has reached no less catastrophic proportions. Illicit trade, drug abuse, increased deaths from overdose - such headlines can be found in press reports of any country from an underdeveloped country to a giant country of economic and political scale.
Like a serious illness that destroys the body from the inside, drug addiction and alcoholism, in addition to health, destroy a person’s life, cause trouble and failure, where they begin to pursue life path. The insidiousness also lies in the fact that these diseases subdue not only the person himself, but bring suffering and torment to his family, close circle. Often the life of most of these people comes down to the fight against alcohol and drugs, but, unfortunately, this struggle does not always bring a positive result.
It has been repeatedly noted that in a family with an alcoholic father, the most negative consequences are reflected in children. Not every woman will have enough love, strength, patience to fight her husband's illness. Often the wife gives up and, succumbing to the influence of alcohol, she begins to drink. It is easy to imagine that children, having lost parental attention and care, are left to their own devices.
This free space, lack of control, freedom of action in most cases leads to the fact that the children of alcoholics begin to commit excesses, become delinquents. Drinking parents whose children are minors may be deprived of parental rights. This is a very unpleasant process, but, unfortunately, there are much worse options when a child, looking at a parental example, also begins to abuse alcohol. He often becomes an inveterate drunkard, ruins his body and has much more terrible chances of dying young.
There are families that lack the strength and patience to deal with these terrible ailments. As a result, the closest people refuse to suffer from alcoholism in order to avoid a life of constant fear and stress. The family members of those who have not escaped this disease simply give up in the fight against this evil.
Drug addiction and alcoholism
There is a parallel between drug addiction and alcoholism. Both the first and the second are elementary dependence on chemical substances. Drug addiction is dependence on the substance contained in the drug. Although in themselves these substances can be medicines. The main component of alcohol is ethyl alcohol, which causes a habit. Unfortunately, this dependence is the work of the person himself.
Science has proven that once inside the body, alcohol travels through the bloodstream to every human organ, harming and destroying it. It is not necessary to exclude the content of carcinogenic and toxic substances in low-quality alcohol. Alcohol helps them freely enter the human body.
It has an irreversible and detrimental effect on brain cells, weakens the sexual centers located in spinal cord. In abusing women, the functioning of the mammary glands is disrupted, and subsequently, in general, it may stop.
In order to provide assistance to an alcohol- or drug-addicted person, it is necessary to have an idea of the causes and consequences with which they are fraught.
There is such a thing as "addictive behavior". It is characteristic of those people who are predisposed to habits of one kind or another. An important imprint leaves heredity on it. A rather dangerous category can be safely attributed to those people who had drug addicts or alcoholics in their family. This in no way prejudges the fate of a person, it is simply necessary to be aware of such a predisposition and control your actions.
Biochemical characteristics of a person under the influence of alcohol
Each organism is individual, and each has its own biochemical characteristics.
In the human body there is an enzyme that breaks down ethyl alcohol - alcohol dehydrogenase. But in different amount. For example, women are more deprived of it than the male part of the population. From which we can conclude that alcohol addiction will quickly overcome the fair sex. One of the causes of dependence in women is the psychological background - their excessive emotionality and susceptibility. But in contrast, you can call the instinct of self-preservation, which by nature is more inherent in ladies. This may be one of the reasons why there are more men than women in drug treatment clinics.
Society, habitat, family traditions, upbringing, in which the formation of the personality takes place, has two opposite properties - to save a person, and to push him to any form of dependence. Simple casual curiosity or a dysfunctional environment can be fertile ground for a first introduction to drugs or alcohol. Further, the substance itself performs its dirty “work”, interfering with the biochemical processes of the body. People with a predisposition to alcoholism and drug addiction already have a need for this substance, despite the knowledge of the harm it brings.
Drugs have their roots in ancient times. Greek translation of this word - numbness, madness passion. Abnormal, insane fun after the use of substances of plant origin accompanied more than one religious holiday of different tribes of the jungle, bacchanalia in Greece and Rome ...
Drug addiction is a continuous process of using toxic substances that are very similar in one of their features - they create in people the illusion of temporary support and pleasure.
The sharpest process of imaginary pleasure, for the sake of which drug addicts are ready for any offense, lasts no more than a few minutes. Then comes the stage of a kind of amorphousness, complete indifference to the surrounding reality. The person is half asleep, delusional relaxed state.
The reason for the prevailing opinion about the greater evil of drug addiction than alcohol is unclear. Drinking alcohol in huge doses is not as shameful as becoming a drug addict. Some countries are striking in their loyalty in this regard. People who use narcotic substances will be punished in accordance with the Criminal Code, and anyone can purchase alcohol both in terms of cost and availability, which leads to complete national degradation, soldering huge amount population.
Although, in fact, it is pointless to compare whose appearance is more pathetic and depressing - alcoholics with shaking hands or thin drug addicts with sunken burning eyes. And with that, and with another it is necessary to struggle cardinally.
The fight against alcoholism
The first outbreak of widespread drug use was an attempt to exterminate mass alcoholism.
In the most banal way, one evil was replaced by another - alcohol began to be replaced by drugs.
Thomas de Quincey, a poet who lived in England in the 19th century, suffered from alcoholism. In his works, he colorfully described the sensations that he experienced by using a drug. He came up with a crazy idea how to cure one addiction by another. Thanks to a large number of fans, this idea has grown at a tremendous speed. There were communities, clubs of opiate smokers, which were visited by many people, comforting themselves with the idea that they were fighting alcoholism. For more than a dozen years, one generation of England after another fought evil in the most absurd way, using no less harmful means.
The cause of drug addiction can be a number of reasons:
- curiosity;
- stressful situation;
- serious illness;
- basic imitation.
A negative example is set by celebrities, some of whom do not use drugs easily, but also advertise such an unflattering lifestyle in a peculiar way.
Not only is it not hidden, but becomes public knowledge, some describe the sensations experienced in colors, thereby fueling interest and arousing the desire to try.
There are some kind of youth drugs that allow you to party in clubs without getting tired. A large percentage of young people swallowing these pills do not even bother to think that this is a harmless drug that produces energy, but in fact the same narcotic substance.
Unfortunately, there are circumstances when, for health reasons, a person is forced to take painkillers, sleeping pills, psychotropic drugs, one of the components of which is a drug. Such situations are quite risky, since the systematic use of drugs containing drugs can lead to addiction. As a result, the sick person needs a dose of medication not for the purpose of treatment, but to combat the brittleness and unpleasant sensations that accompany it.
Quite often you can hear the opinion that alcohol is less of a problem than drug addiction. What the person himself chooses to face and his choice does not depend on the “lightness” or “severity” of the problem. It is convenient for him, he, unfortunately, likes it, in the end, it suits him and corresponds to his personality.
Negative Functions of Addiction
Alcoholism and drug addiction cause irreparable harm to the human body, destroy its personality. The only difference is that drugs accomplish their terrible purpose more quickly.
The life expectancy of people who use drugs is very short. Only a few survive to old age. Often drug addicts die not of their own death, but by accident or overdose. A drug overdose is a process that only takes a few seconds. In the human brain, the respiratory center is blocked and the person dies due to respiratory arrest. Since this process is practically instantaneous, there is simply not enough time to save the life of a dying person and doctors remain powerless.
Alcohol, too, cannot be written off, only it, unlike drugs, acts more slowly. Many people who drink alcohol believe that this is not a problem and vodka with wine, unlike narcotic substances, does not cause withdrawal symptoms.
Doctors - narcologists who deal with the problem of alcoholism believe that addiction has already appeared in those people who drink alcohol-containing drinks more than once a week. Of course, stronger drinks do their job faster due to the higher percentage of alcohol they contain. But the same beer in its negative qualities is ahead of another, stronger alcohol. It renders negative impact on the endocrine and cardiovascular systems of the human body.
You can repeatedly observe how people after a working day allow themselves to drink a couple of bottles of beer. For no reason, just believing that beer relaxes and relieves stress after work. If we are naturally designed to relax, is it worth resorting to such artificial, deceptive relaxation through chemicals? The production of endorphins, the so-called pleasure hormones, is incorporated in human body from nature, so you need to safely avoid artificial and far from harmless substitutes for them.
Unfortunately, alcohol and drug addiction are getting younger every day. Drug addiction is very widespread among adolescents and young people. For many children, acquaintance with the potion takes place on school grounds.
First of all, parents themselves have no right to set a bad example for their children - to use alcohol or drugs.
But unfortunately, even in prosperous families, no one is immune from the fact that a child will take the path of alcoholism or drug addiction.
Often parents do not notice what is happening with their child. Slight suspicions can turn into conviction when the situation is already on the verge. There is a category of parents who, like snails, hide in their shell, dismissing even the slightest thought that the child has taken the wrong path.
But only the mother and father have every chance not to let the brewing problem take its course. Who, if not they, will notice the slightest nuances:
- in the behavior and mood swings of your child;
- a new company or individuals with whom he began to communicate more often;
- hear unusual, suspicious music;
- catch notes of deceit;
- resourcefulness.
The behavior of teenagers "high" is different from normal and habitual. An attentive parent will notice the difference.
Signs of Addiction
A person under the influence of a drug has dilated pupils. This is one of obvious signs. But experienced drug addicts solve this problem with the help of special drops. In addition to the pupils, at first there appears an increased and not quite adequate to the situation hysterical laughter, or vice versa:
- excessive calmness;
- complete indifference to what is happening.
Another alarming call may be an unusual smell coming from a teenager, strange objects that parents did not notice before:
- tubes;
- plastic bottles with cut holes;
- spoons burnt over fire.
Along with the habit of using drugs, children develop the habit of lying and dodging. And do it with special pleasure and passion. This painful need to lie and get out can be safely considered one of the signs of impending trouble.
There is an opinion - to prevent, you need to warn. But this is debatable enough. Each person is individual, and the personality of a teenager is even more vulnerable and may not be fully formed, so it is necessary to take into account all the subtleties of his character and capabilities in order to correctly convey the idea of the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
Strong curiosity of teenagers
Excessive curiosity inherent in the child can play a cruel joke and only push him to want to experience it for himself. And vice versa, a suspicious, timid child will forever leave the idea of acquainting with alcoholic beverages or narcotic substances.
Not the most a simple task this is for parents, but who, if not they, will pick up the key to their child and will not let him stumble.
If, nevertheless, disturbing suspicions led to disappointing conclusions, then there is an easy way to make sure - to conduct a urine test.
In the pharmacy, along with other tests, there are devices that check for the presence of several types of drugs. You can carry out this procedure at home and the result will not keep you waiting.
There is a flip side of the coin in monitoring the younger generation - excessive suspicion. If several family members begin to simultaneously look for something unusual in the appearance and behavior of the youngest in the family, this can aggravate the situation. In order not to aggravate the relationship and not undermine the child's trust in you, carefully but firmly make sure that the suspicions are not groundless.
The harmful effects of alcohol and drugs
In addition to the fact that alcoholism and drug addiction bring great harm to the person who uses them, the life of society as a whole depends on them.
A large percentage of illegal actions occur under the influence of alcohol and drugs:
- hooliganism;
- personal violence.
There comes a peculiar stage of aggressive excitement, when people in intoxication commit unpredictable and often wrong actions.
Narcotic substances are quite expensive and drug addicts commit many crimes in search of funds for a new dose.
The number of accidents is much higher in those people who use alcohol and drugs:
- they have reduced concentration;
- work capacity decreases;
- labor discipline begins to “limp”.
A huge number of traffic accidents occur most often at the moment when there is a drunk driver or pedestrian on the road.
Studies show that drug addiction and alcoholism in most cases are characteristic of people who have no social prospects, are unsettled in family, work, and everyday life. These problems also come from the country as a whole:
- economic crisis;
- social injustice;
- unemployment;
- lack of opportunities for cultural development.
Of great importance are the traditions of the country in relation to alcohol. Naturally, where the use is not elevated to the rank of permissibility, the percentage of alcoholics and drug addicts is much lower.
How to get rid of addiction?
Getting rid of addiction is not an easy and rather long process. One has only to imagine how difficult it will be to fight, to change one's habits, to completely abandon what occupied almost the first place in a person's life.
There are several ways to help fight addiction. But one of the most important components is the desire of the person himself to part with the addiction.
One of the most effective ways is coding, long-term treatment in a system with psychological and drug therapy.
There is a category of addicts who visit anonymous groups of drug addicts or alcoholics, where psychotherapists work with them. As a result, many of them achieve a state of stable remission and, upon stopping their treatment, try to help those who are addicted.
Unfortunately, there are often patients who need a lot of work to bring to a doctor or clinic. They show denial of the disease. To be left alone, they can repeatedly promise that they will cope with their addiction themselves. But one desire is not enough and the process should be led by a doctor. You should not look for specialists in narcology by an ad in a newspaper. It is recommended to contact a specialized clinic to find a competent doctor.
It is not easy in this situation for the relatives of the patient. It is quite natural that you want to understand, regret, make concessions. But this is a kind of disservice. We need to separate the person from the disease. A daily mention of the disease, poking your nose will be erroneous. But it’s not worth letting the treatment be put on the back burner. It is necessary to make every effort to ensure that the dependent person gives the go-ahead to visit a specialist. After all, a competent narcologist will be able to assess the extent of the problem, establish the correct diagnosis, give recommendations not only to the patient, but also help his relatives find the right approach to getting rid of addiction.
Addiction treatment
Treatment is accompanied by considerable psychological difficulties, because it is not physically enough to cope with the problem. In the world, enough methods have been invented that are used in the fight against addiction:
- hypnosis;
- coding;
- sewing up the ampoule;
- drug treatment;
- psychotherapy.
And the opportunities are not over yet, but are developing every day.
Medications help to cope with physical cravings, reduce the sensations that cause discomfort. These are only the first steps in the fight against the disease.
An alcoholic or drug addict who is worried that the withdrawal process will be very difficult, his whole life will be broken by treatment, it is worth considering, a life full of healthy human joys is worth fighting for.
Medicine and scientific discoveries do not stand still. There are drugs that help to cope with addiction without causing thrill canceling or reducing it to a tolerable level. In addition to coding, there are a large number of treatment regimens for which it is not always necessary to go to a hospital or a closed clinic. Often a person can continue to lead a normal life, study, work, travel, but at the same time wage the most important struggle with his addiction.
Psychological restructuring of the worldview
The most difficult is the psychological restructuring of the worldview. An experienced drug addict or alcoholic is used to living differently, not thinking about others, not thinking about relatives and friends, not caring about anything, except how to get a new portion of funds that help achieve euphoria. A person has acquired new acquaintances, where people think the way he does. And as we think, so we live.
If possible, it is necessary to change the social circle of an addicted person, to protect him from contacts with past harmful acquaintances, to tear him away from the harmful environment where he previously lived.
In this situation, it is the organizations for the fight against drug or alcohol addicts that can help. There, people come into contact with the same people who are bogged down in addiction, jointly look for a way out of a difficult situation, and provide support to each other. Under the influence of the above factors, old negative habits gradually fade away, a person’s view of the surrounding reality changes, he sees others. life examples, changing stereotypes, and, accordingly, can change itself.
Summing up, alcohol and drugs can be safely called a virus that hovers in society. Everyone should remember that this very society is not abstract, not somewhere outside the window, on the TV screen, on the other street ... It is nearby and surrounds us every day. You, neighbors, shop assistants, passers-by on the next street, people on the other side of the city, this is the whole society, one big organism. And everyone knows what can happen if a dangerous destructive virus enters the body.
Cardinal life change
Wanting to live a happy life, achieve success, solve emerging problems and change your life in better side, you need to be able to be aware of what is happening, not hide from problems and look for possible ways their decisions. Drugs and alcohol often make people indifferent, unable to understand anything. It is unlikely that drug addicts think about the fact that their body is falling apart by leaps and bounds and they are moving by leaps and bounds to the edge of the abyss. Homeless alcoholics do not realize how impartial, repulsive they look and how unpleasant the smell coming from them.
With each dose of a drug, with a new sip of alcohol, people's ability to realize the negative changes taking place in their lives decreases. As a result, the last realization will be the thought of how to get more. And before that, by man will pass the realization that he lies a lot, commits illegal acts, causes suffering and pain to the people around him.
This problem needs to be addressed at the level of each person. There are countries where prohibitions are practiced, but as you know, the forbidden fruit is always sweet, and can lead not to a recession, but to an even greater wave of addiction. While it is not too late, it is necessary to educate the younger generation, to give a correct idea of these diseases, to show the true "face" of alcoholism and drug addiction. After all, if humanity does not stop, does not start thinking about the future of not only its own, but also future children, then it will doom itself to a slow but certain extinction.