Drug addiction - an increasingly present disease today

History and beginnings of drug addiction

From the oldest records it can be seen that primitive people consumed psychoactive substances. They were taken by all peoples in the younger Paleolithic. Archaic ecstasy in primitive man was in the function of religion and medicine. Since the only psychoactive substances that man consumed were plants, he began to give them magical properties. It is interesting that almost every nation has its own legend about Mandragora, a plant with human roots.

Poppy

Poppy is the first plant with psychoactive properties to be mentioned in history. It was cultivated by the Sumerians 5000 years ago, then they transferred their knowledge to Persia and Egypt, and it is also known that opium, which is made from poppies, was used by both Greeks and Arabs. The Sumerians called opium, for the preparation of which they left instructions on clay tablets, gil, which meant luck. Opium is also thought to appear in Homer's works, such as the Odyssey. The beautiful Helena gives Telemachus to drink "nepantes" - a drink that makes forgetting pain and misfortune. It is believed that in the 8th century, the Arabs expanded the poppy culture from Asia Minor to India and China.

Hashish

Hasis is mentioned during the reign of Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2737. p. n. e. as a remedy for cough and diarrhea. In ancient China, it was used as a primitive anesthesia during surgery, and in India as a medicine against various diseases. It is also believed that the Indian holy drink of catfish, among other things, contained Indian hemp from which hashish was obtained. It is known from Herodotus' writings that some Scythian tribes also had the habit of inhaling steam from heated hemp and that they were "in a good mood" after that.

Drug addiction today

Today, the problem of drug addiction is an increasingly common problem of our society. According to police data, between 70 and 80 percent of 15- to 25-year-olds have been in contact with narcotics. In recent years, the limit has dropped to the age of 12, and there are registered drug users who attend the sixth, seventh grade of primary school.

There are no easy drugs! Every drug is dangerous because its action drastically reduces the ability to work, study and concentrate. Some drugs create a psychological dependence which is reflected in the fact that the addict relies on drugs in situations of tension, uncertainty, anxiety, fear, emotional crisis. Other types of drugs create physical dependence, ie tissue dependence on drugs where the body cannot do without a substance for a single day, which means that the body needs a constant concentration of the drug in the blood to function "normally". A sudden interruption leads to a crisis.

Young people usually deny the harmful effects of drugs. In addition, they are often divided into light and heavy drugs, not knowing that it is very easy to switch from so-called light drugs to heavy ones. The reason is that after a period of taking the drug, tolerance to the drug occurs and the dose is increased in order to achieve a satisfactory effect. When that drug, which they call varnish, stops working "them", it switches to a stronger substance. Drugs should not be divided into light and heavy.

A psychoactive substance is a psychoactive substance, whatever it may be.

People who consume psychoactive substances often show changes in behavior, prolonged absence from home, periodic separation from the household and locking in a room or other room, sudden mood swings, disturbed sleep rhythm, changes in functioning at work or school, loss of will and concentration. , lack of interest in previous hobbies, new company or girlfriend / boyfriend he / she does not want to introduce you to, weight loss, increased spending of money, theft of money, items or valuables from home,aggressive behavior caused by some drugs, secret conversations or incomprehensible text messages, etc., and all this can negatively affect the safety in the environment in which they are, and therefore the consequences can be catastrophic.

Depending on the psychoactive substances and their influence, after taking them, you may notice the following: incomprehensible, incoherent, fast, or slow and difficult speech, the person may even talk to himself, or express paranoid ideas, can be very aggressive, verbal and physically, or extremely cheerful for no apparent reason for frequent bursts of laughter, may often have bloodshot eyes, pupils are either pin-shaped or very dilated, eyes are often glazed, unable to fall asleep, or sleep very long so that the person is barely awakened by the parent. All these signs do not have to be present together, but if someone has entered the problem of addiction to psychoactive substances, you will notice at least a few, which is quite enough to take decisive steps to solve the problem.

Treatment of drug addiction

There are clinics that specialize in the treatment of drug addiction, and to which a person who consumes psychoactive substances should be referred.

Many adolescents are disappointed if the first attempt at treatment does not bring the expected results. Then it seems as if all hope is lost and that the rest of life will pass exclusively in the fight against the terrible symptoms of drug addiction.

However, if the treatment is carried out in specialized institutions, with the help of experts in the field of addiction treatment, the chances of achieving long-term success increase. With the use of the latest medical devices, personal and group psychotherapies and with the help of pharmacological blockade, the chances of a cure increase.

Even after leaving the clinic, it is necessary to recognize risk factors and actively work on avoiding situations that could return the person to old habits. Also, maintaining constant contact with psychologists is recommended, as well as coming to regular monthly check-ups.

During recovery, young people must find new interests and hobbies. Although they may initially oppose these deliberately created commitments, once they find a society that shares similar healthy interests, teens will gradually begin to form habits that can last the rest of their lives.