Saturday, November 15, 2008

Drugs


By Lizzie

Drugs

Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person’s body and brain works. Drugs may include over-the-counter drugs (Tylenol, Advil, Sudafed), prescription drugs (oxycontin, adderall), cigarettes and tobacco, illegal drugs (cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, heroin), and alcohol. Drugs are often times abused and taken for pleasure, and more often than not, taken purposely to alter people’s perceptions. Any person can become addicted to anyone of the types of drugs listed above, if overuse and abuse occurs. As educators, the reality of students abusing drugs is a prevalent one, and it is our job as to offer an education, not only in math, science, and social studies, but also an education on life, and the detrimental issues that come along with drug abuse.

Overview of Addiction

Addiction is the chronic, relapsing brain disease that cause compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the individual who is addicted and to those around them (Volkow, NIDA, 2008). Addiction is a disease that is caused by the chronic abuse of drugs that leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain. At first, the choice of drug abuse is voluntary, but with the continuation of such abuse, the person looses the voluntary aspect of desires, and overtime, repeated drug use no longer becomes a matter of self-control (NIDA, 2008). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Addiction is a state in which an organism engages in a compulsive behavior, even when faced with negative consequences” (Volkow, NIDA, 2008). A major pitfall of addiction is the lack of control in the amount of consumption, of whatever addictive substance is in the body. In most cases, addiction is associated with cravings, and the need to reward ones self with the preferred drug of choice (NIDA, 2008). While abusing drugs, it is the changes the brain goes through that make it so difficult for a person to stop abusing drugs. Similar to other chronic diseases, such as asthma and heart disease, addiction may be managed successfully, and like many other diseases, relapse is always a possibility(NIDA, 2008). One crucial aspect of addiction is that even when relapse occurs, an individual still may recover, and it is important to provide the addicted with treatment to help the individual rehabilitate and regain control, but it is also important to note that people do die from drug-induced causes (NIH, 2008). “Over 26,000 individuals died from drug-induced causes in the United States in 2002, seven times more than those killed in all of the September 11th attacks” (DEA, 2006).

Why do Adolescents Take Drugs?

There are a number of reasons why adolescents take drugs, the main reasons include: emotional issues (insecurities, self-esteem), to feel better, to perform better, and curiosity. Most illegal drugs produce intense feelings of happiness and pleasure. Many drugs offer that initial euphoric feeling, but after that initial feeling has worn off, the actual effects of the drug may take shape (NIDA, 2008). Certain drugs produce different results, for example, cocaine produces feelings of self-confidence and never-ending energy, whereas, heroin offers feelings of leisure and approval (DARE, 2008). People, who suffer from social anxieties like stress or self-esteem issues, may take certain drugs in an attempt to lessen feelings of anguish and emotional instability. Stressors in adolescent’s life include: school, grades, parents, and friends, and these stressors may play a significant role in beginning drug use, continuing drug abuse and relapse. This increase in pressure and stress amongst adolescents forces them to want to see improvement and enhance their social, cognitive or athletic abilities, and many adolescents find that drug abuse is their best option (NIDA, 2008). While conducting an anonymous survey among high school students involved in extra-curricular activities, I asked why some of their peers choose to abuse drugs, and the answers I was given were astounding. Many that took my survey claimed that their peers and them took drugs in order to perform better. One student claimed he chose to abuse heroin because the drug allowed him to wake up on time, and his parents were praising him for his independence for getting himself up and ready in the morning for school. Also, adolescents feel an increasing desire to try new things, “because other people are doing it.” Because of this desire, adolescents are particular vulnerable because of the strong influence their peers have on them, and their feelings of “invincible” while they are young. When asked in my survey why their curiosity drove them to drug abuse, one student replied that doing drugs allowed her to feel more free and open and not feel so confined and insecure in her own skin. By smoking marijuana, she said, she was able to relax and be more free, as opposed to her social anxiety ridden self.

What do drugs do to the Brain?

There are certain parts of the brain that we all know function and operate for different parts of our life. There are parts of the brain dedicated to movement, judgment, memory, coordination, vision, and even reward (Volkow, NIDA, 2008). The cerebellum is involved with coordination, while the hippocampus serves our memory function, and all of these features are communicated throughout the brain via a process called neurotransmission (NIH, 2007). It is common knowledge that drug abuse is able to interfere with the normal communication process in the brain (NIH, 2007). For example, cocaine, blocks the removal of a neurotransmitter called dopamine from the synapse by binding to the dopamine transporters (NIH, 2007). This results in the euphoria “high feeling” of many cocaine abusers (NIDA, 2008). This high feeling teaches the brain to want drugs, and to need drugs. Drugs flood the brain with neurotransmitters that create an unnatural feeling of euphoria, a “high” that interferes with normal brain functioning (NIDA, 2008). The drug (after consistent use), forces the brain to remember these intense feelings of pleasure, thus providing the drug the ability to change the actual physical structure of the brain (NIDA, 2008). By using drugs, the addicted person has taught their brain to associate drugs with pleasure, forcing the person and the brain to not be able to experience normal life without drugs (NIH, 2007).

Some drugs, like heroin and marijuana, have a similar structure to chemical messengers in the brain, and are able to challenge the brain receptors and active and send abnormal messengers throughout the brain (NIDA, 2008). Mostly all drugs focus on targeting the brains reward system (which includes the desire for food, water, and sex) by flooding the circuit with dopamine (NIDA, 2008). Long-term drug abuse causes changes all over the brain in the chemical make-up, as well as, other communication circuits (NIDA, 2008). Drug abuse forces the user to experience uncontrollable cravings when they stumble upon a place or person associated with their drug addiction. For example, if I am a meth user, and I am going through treatment, it may not be in my best interest to revisit my drug dealer’s house where I went on numerous binges. If I were to visit the dealer’s house, I probably would experience uncontrollable cravings and experience an extreme sense of withdrawal. Also, abusers demonstrate changes in areas of the brain critical for decision-making, learning and memory and behavior control (NIDA, 2008). These factors alone are huge reasons why drug addiction is so difficult to fight, because the abuser loses all sense of self-control, which sometimes pushes the user into a deeper addiction (NIDA, 2008).

As a teacher, how can you identify a user?

If someone is using drugs, you might notice changes in how the person looks or acts. As an educator, it important to observe your students, and when to know when something is amiss. Here are some signs to help identify a drug user, now remember; these signs may also be triggers for other issues in a person’s life…KEEP OBSERVING!

A person using drugs may: lose interest in school, change friends (to hang out with kids who use drugs), become moody, negative, cranky, or worried all the time, ask to be left alone a lot, have trouble concentrating, sleep a lot (maybe even in class), get in fights with parents, teachers, or peers, have red or puffy eyes, lose or gain weight, cough a lot, or have a runny nose all of the time (Nemours Foundation, 2008).

These are only some common symptoms associated with drug use. As an educator, it is our duty to observe our students at all times, and actively engage our students in the learning process. If any one of our students fail to do so, and show these symptoms, it is important to immediately seek help via the administration, parents, peers, or law enforcement officials.

Prevention Programs

Drug addiction is always preventable, and it is our job as a society to offer prevention programs aimed at providing our youths with critical thinking skills that will allow them to make sound, ethic decisions. “Preventing early use of drugs and alcohol may reduce the risk of progressing to later abuse and addiction” (Volkow, NIDA, 2008). Dr. Volkow also states that, “the risk of drug abuse increases greatly during times of transition, such as changing schools, moving, or divorce. If we can prevent drug abuse, we can prevent drug addiction. In early adolescence, when children advance from elementary through middle school, they face new and challenging social and academic situations. Often during this period, children are exposed to abusable substances such as cigarettes and alcohol for the first time. When they enter high school, teens may encounter greater availability of drugs, drug abuse by older teens, and social activities where drugs are used” (Volkow, NIDA, 2008).

Preventative programs are key when they are early and often, and they should also be initiated by identifying who may have come into contact with certain risk factors stereotypically associated with drug addiction: “poor parenting, chaotic, inconsistent home, lack of nurturing and positive relationships, inappropriate classroom behavior, poor school performance, poor social skills (anger, aggression), delinquent friends and social group, verbal approval of drug related activities and use, and should then provide protective programs that may aid in protecting these adolescents from the potential harm in drug use and addiction” (Volkow, NIDA, 2008). Then, after identifying adolescents capable of drug use and addiction, their needs to be a preventative program (i.e. “DARE”- Drug Abuse Resistance Education) that should also be based on the community in which they are affixed, and have an understanding of the cultural surroundings of that particular community. These programs, tailored toward the specific community they are serving, should include: “training to help children and adolescents resist drugs, moral education to prevent drug use, increased sociality among adolescents, and the overall education of the negative aspects of drug use” (Nemours Foundation, 2008). These programs should also include dialogue with former drug users from the community that may relate to the adolescents and their hardships, and offer advice, counseling and care for adolescent already involved in drug use (Nemours Foundation, 2008). These programs should be long-term, starting at a young age, and should foster morality among children and adolescents K-12.

References

1. Electronic Drug Information recommended by the Drug Enforcement Agency. (2006). Retrieved November 5, 2008,

from http://www.justthinktwice.com/costs/ DEA 2006.

2. Electronic reference and interview on the subject of adolescents and addiction (2008). Retrieved November 5, 2008,

from http://hbo.com/addiction.

3. Electronic reference highlighting youth interpretation and information on drug abused through Drug Abuse Resistance Education-D.A.R.E. (2008). Retrieved on November 8 ,2008, from, www.dare.com/home/druginformation.

4. The Nemours Foundation interpretation on the effects of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. (1995-2008). Retrieved on November 9, 2008, from http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/drugs_alcohol/know_drugs.html.

5. Rice, Ph. F., & Dolgin, K.G. (2005). The adolescent: Development, relationships, and culture (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

6. Volkow, Nora D. M.D. and Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institute of Health, (2008). Info Facts: High School and Youth Trends. 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2008 from http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/HSYouthtrends.html.

7. Volkow, Nora D. M.D. and Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institute of Health, (2008).

The Science of Addiction. Retrieved November 6, 2008,

from http://www.nida.nih.gov/scienceofaddiction/index.html.



No comments: