Drug addiction is a socially contagious disease. In addition, drug addiction is the cause of many comorbidities.

Addiction is an irreversible process. All changes that have occurred as a result of drug use, such as a change in the inner world, ways of being and relationships with other people, remain with a person forever.

More than half of drug addicts come from incomplete or broken families in which parents suffered from alcoholism, psychopathy, and depression.

Often, the emergence of drug addiction is facilitated by the absence of other children in the family, conflicts between parents, an overly caring or, conversely, overbearing mother.

V.D. Mendelevich (2001) describes the type of "addicted" father, who is characterized by: increased demands on himself and his environment (in particular, on his wife and child), workaholism, unwillingness to take into account the individual, age characteristics of the child and the peculiarities of the situation.

He is also distinguished by emotional coldness combined with cruelty, a tendency to compete, hyperactivity and sociability, often of a superficial nature and not accompanied by a desire to understand and emotionally accept the interlocutor.

The father or other relatives of a drug addict often exhibit addictive behavior, which manifests itself in the form of workaholism, overvalued hobbies (in particular, addiction to recovery), alcohol addiction, gambling, religious fanaticism, etc.

This allows us to speak of a family addictive scenario. In the formation of teenage drug addiction, an important role is played by the mental immaturity of a teenager, expressed in reduced self-criticism, resentment, vulnerability, inability to independently make decisions and plan actions, and resist external influences.

Risk factors are pedagogical neglect, contacts with asocial peers, depressive disorders, low ability to cope with problem situations.

The first acquaintance with the drug is most often due to the following motives:

• desire to satisfy curiosity;

• the desire to experience a sense of belonging to a particular group;

• group pressure;

• attempts to express their independence, and sometimes a hostile attitude towards others;

• the desire to achieve a rise in mood;

• the need to achieve complete peace and relaxation;

• trying to get away from something oppressive.

The following factors contribute to the first acquaintance with drugs (in order of importance):

• personality deviations;

• lack of sustainable, socially oriented interests,

• antisocial behavior,

• alcoholization,

• awareness of the euphoric effects of PAS (psychoactive substances);

• the desire to evade study and work;

• unfavorable features of upbringing: incomplete or dysfunctional family, upbringing with relatives or in an orphanage, neglect;

• indulgent upbringing that prevents the adolescent from developing a sense of duty and responsibility;

• features of the influence of a significant group of peers;

• communication with offenders and criminals, a company of drug addicts, drug dealers

Spreading

Today, humanity spends as much on psychoactive substances as it does on medicine or the arts. The number of people who abuse drugs and other psychoactive substances in the world is now about 50 million people, 85% of them are in the American continent (10 times less in Asia).

Russia is one of the sinister five countries with the highest number of drug addicts. The total volume of narcotic substances confiscated on the territory of the Russian Federation over the past five years has increased a thousand times and reached 60 tons per year, while the annual drug turnover in the country is 6,000 tons.

Each drug addict draws 5-7 people into the drug lifestyle which gives the process the character of an epidemic. The growth of drug addiction is accompanied by the growth of venereal diseases, AIDS, viral hepatitis.

The death rate among drug addicts is 20 times higher than among the general population. Death occurs due to overdose, somatic complications, suicide. According to the Ministry of Health of Russia, over the past ten years, drug-related deaths have increased 12 times, among children it has increased 42 times.
86% of drug addicts are between 15 and 25 years old.

The average age of onset of addiction has now dropped to 12 years. Currently, 45% of boys and 18% of girls use drugs.

In Moscow, 28.5 thousand people are under dispensary and preventive narcological supervision, the real number of patients, according to experts, is 150 thousand, and possible drug users - a million people.

According to a survey of people under 25 years of age conducted in St. Petersburg, hard drugs are used by 70% of boys and 30% of girls; every fourth of those surveyed already suffers from a pronounced addiction. Consumption of marijuana and other hemp derivatives was observed in almost all surveyed. 80% of active drug users have been using them since the age of 15-17.

Opiomania is more common in Russia than all other forms of drug addiction combined. Heroin is currently the most widely used opiate.

Heroin most commonly used by urban residents aged 18–25, three times more likely by men than by women. More than half of them come from incomplete or broken families, many parents abused PAS. Almost all of them suffer from some kind of mental disorder, most often depression, as well as alcoholism and psychopathy.

Among doctors, due to easier access to PAS, the incidence is higher than the average among the population.

Hashishism is the most common type of drug addiction in the world after alcoholism. In Russia hashishists make up to a third of all drug addicts.

Marijuana, legalized in a number of countries, is rightfully considered the gateway to the world of drugs. More than 200 million people use marijuana worldwide.

The cheapening of the process of making cocaine (the synthesis of crack) has led to a marked increase in the consumption of stimulants. There are as many nicotine addicts as alcoholics, and often these addictions are combined.

At the same time, more people die from smoking than from alcoholism, drug addiction, homicide and suicide, traffic accidents and AIDS combined.

Since pure drugs are expensive, teenagers use cheap intoxicants, while preferring volatile solvents, especially dangerous because of the risk of tissue damage with repeated use, overdose and asphyxia when using plastic bags. Breathing gas from lighter cans is also a fire or explosion hazard.

pathological attraction to the use of drugs; a disease resulting from the use of drugs that cause euphoria in small doses, and in large doses - stunning, narcotic sleep. It is characterized by an irresistible attraction to taking drugs, caused by addiction that occurs with the systematic use of drugs; a tendency to increase the doses used, the formation of an abstinence syndrome (-> abstinence) - with poor health in the absence of drugs; with mental and physical dependence.

With constant drug use, as the disease develops, personal changes in a person increase, manifestations of social and mental degradation are observed, characterized by intellectual and emotional impoverishment, the loss of all interests not related to drugs; as well as signs of physical distress: somatovegetative disorders, early decrepitude, etc. Suicides are frequent in this group of people.

The most common type of drug addiction is chronic alcoholism. As special types, there are morphinism, opiophagy, hashishism, addiction to heroin, etc.

ADDICTION

narco + greek mania - passion, attraction, madness). The general name of a number of diseases characterized by an irresistible attraction to the use of increasing doses of drugs in connection with the mental and physical dependence that arises in relation to them. When you stop taking drugs, withdrawal symptoms occur, which is an objective sign of H. The course is more catastrophic than with alcoholism. The phenomena of personal degradation and decline in the activity of internal organs appear and progress much faster. Types of N. differ according to the main drug taken by the patient. Polydrug addiction is often observed.

Synonym: drug addiction.

ADDICTION

from the Greek narke - stupefaction + mania - passion) - a pathological craving for drugs. N. arises gradually at the systematic and frequent use of these substances. For all types of N., a state of abstinence ("breaking") is characteristic - feeling unwell in the absence of narcotic substances.

One of the most common types of N. is chronic alcoholism. Its main symptom is hangover syndrome. With intoxication caused by prolonged use of alcohol, hand trembling, headache, irritability, captiousness, loss of working capacity, etc. appear. These phenomena temporarily disappear when relatively small doses of alcohol are taken.

Dr. types of N. - morphinism, opiophagia, hashishism, addiction to heroin, marijuana, etc. Long-term use of narcotic substances leads to complete degradation of the personality, loss of all interests (except interest in drugs), emotional and intellectual impoverishment. See drug addiction.

Addiction

Word formation. Comes from the Greek. narke - obscuration of consciousness + mania - passion.

Specificity. Pathological attraction to narcotic drugs. With the systematic use of drugs, addiction occurs, associated with the emergence of a state of abstinence, which is a feeling of poor health in the absence of narcotic substances. With constant drug use, personality degradation occurs, characterized by intellectual and emotional impoverishment, the loss of all interests not related to drugs.

Kinds. The most common type of drug addiction is chronic alcoholism. Morphinism, opiophagia, hashishism, addiction to heroin exist as special types.

ADDICTION

An obsolete term for: 1. Excessive craving for drugs. 2. A psychotic state resulting from long-term drug abuse.

ADDICTION

from the Greek narke - numbness + mania - passion) - a disease resulting from the use of narcotic drugs that cause euphoria in small doses, in large doses - stunning, narcotic sleep. It is characterized by a strong attraction to taking drugs, a tendency to increase the doses used, the formation of an abstinence syndrome, mental and physical dependence. As the disease develops, personal changes in the addict increase, manifestations of social and mental degradation are noted, signs of physical distress appear - somatovegetative disorders, early decrepitude. Suicide is common among this group of people. A drug addict is a generator of conflicts, primarily intrapersonal and family. Struggle against N. promotes prevention of conflicts.

Addiction

Syn.: Euphoric mania. Narcotism. The general name of diseases manifested by an attraction to the systematic use of narcotic drugs and certain drugs in increasing doses due to persistent mental and then physical dependence on them. Therefore in case of the termination of their reception development of abstinence is possible (see).

ADDICTION

a disease resulting from drug abuse (see Drugs). N. leads to disruption of human life and social degradation of the individual. The reason for N. is the ability of narcotic substances to cause a state of intoxication, accompanied by a feeling of physical and mental comfort and well-being (high). Addiction to taking drugs can develop during long-term use of a drug prescribed by a doctor, if the patient independently increases the dose of the drug or continues to take the drug when it is no longer necessary. Another, most common way of developing N. is the conscious use of narcotic substances for the purpose of obtaining pleasure, when a person wants to again and again experience the sensations caused by drug intoxication. Soon he finds himself in the captivity of N., from whom he is not able to get rid of on his own. Sexual relations with N. become chaotic, as a result of which venereal diseases, including AIDS, become widespread among drug addicts and their families. N.'s treatment is possible only in a psychiatric hospital, with careful observation and control.

Addiction

In medicine - a disease, in psychology - deviant behavior, expressed in a pathological chronic craving for drugs (see) and manifested not only in the mental sphere, but also in metabolic changes. It is characterized by a state of abstinence with poor health in the absence of drugs. N. include alcoholism, morphinism, hashishism, addiction to heroin, marijuana, etc. Long-term drug use leads to personality degradation, loss of interest, a progressive decline in health, impaired sexual function and the gene structure of germ cells, emotional and intellectual impoverishment .

Addiction

from the Greek narke "clouding of consciousness" and mania "passion") - a pathological craving for drugs. Types of drug addiction: chronic alcoholism, morphinism, opiophagy, hashishism, addiction to heroin, marijuana, etc. Cf. a description of this phenomenon in the work of C. Baudelaire "Artificial Paradise".

In the Russian Federation, which was stricken with terrible corruption, unprecedented since the Romanov era, the fight against drug addiction is now being carried out by many thousands and formed from retired military Gosnarcocontrol, the effectiveness of its activities, as it became clear to specialists from the very beginning, was doomed to failure in advance (only a small amount is withdrawn from circulation). part of the drugs and only separate cases, usually of small drug dealers, reach the court, while most of these cases crumble to dust there.The big sharks of the drug business pay off or, which is also likely, they themselves have already infiltrated the power structures and dictate their will by legal means). The only major country in the world where the counteraction to the drug mafia is carried out uncompromisingly, very tough and quite successfully, and to the accompaniment of the lamentations of human rights activists about violations of individual rights, is China (apparently, the historical memory of the English drug intervention is well preserved there). Treatment of drug addiction is ineffective, except for the relief of withdrawal symptoms, intoxication psychoses and critical conditions caused by drug overdose. The only saving opportunity for a small part of drug addicts to overcome psychological dependence is their rehabilitation under special programs, the main elements of which were previously successfully used by A.S. Makarenko (1888-1939) in labor colonies during the re-education of juvenile delinquents. A.S. Makarenko expressed the essence of his experience in the following words: “As much as possible requirements for a person and as much respect for him as possible.” Synonyms: drug addiction, drug addiction.

Drug addiction is characterized by a phase course with the presence in its structure of several gradually emerging syndromes:

1. physical dependence syndrome, these three syndromes combine to form general drug syndrome,

Character traits

The main sign of drug addiction is the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, as a consequence of the presence of physical dependence on a particular substance.

Addiction

Different drugs cause different addictions. Some drugs cause strong psychological dependence, but do not cause physical dependence. Others, on the contrary, cause a strong physical dependence. Many drugs cause both physical and psychological dependence.

Irresistible attraction is associated with mental (psychological) and sometimes physical (physiological) dependence on drugs. Distinguish positive attachment- taking a drug to achieve a pleasant effect (euphoria, a feeling of cheerfulness, increased mood) and negative attachment- taking a drug in order to get rid of tension and poor health. physical addiction means painful, and even painful sensations, a painful condition during a break in the constant use of drugs (the so-called withdrawal syndrome, breaking). These sensations are temporarily relieved by the resumption of drug use.

The predisposition to the formation of addiction may have a genetic nature associated with the inheritance of structural features of the brain.

Narcotic substances

The list of substances that can cause addiction is very large and is expanding as new drugs are synthesized.

The most common types of drug addiction are substance abuse (the use of drugs that are not considered as drugs, chemical and herbal substances), alcoholism (addiction to drinks containing ethyl alcohol), tobacco smoking (addiction to nicotine) and the use of cannabis preparations (hashish, marijuana).

Also common is the use of psychoactive substances of poppy alkaloids (opium, morphine, heroin), coca (cocaine) and many others, including modern synthesized drugs such as LSD, amphetamines and ecstasy.

It should be especially noted that many of the narcotic substances do not correspond to the signs offered by medicine, so many substances do not cause an irresistible craving and a tendency to increase the dose, moreover, after using many synthetic narcotic substances, a person no longer desires further experiments with his consciousness due to acute crises experienced from the effects of the drug.

Addiction and Society

From the point of view of generally accepted sociology, drug addiction is one of the forms of deviant behavior, that is, behavior that deviates from generally accepted moral standards.

Among the causes of the emergence and development of drug addiction, character traits, mental and physical disorders, and the influence of various social factors are most often cited. There are also frequent cases of drug addiction among patients who are forced to take drugs for medical purposes for a long time. Many drugs used in official medicine (mainly sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and narcotic analgesics) can cause severe types of drug addiction, which is a serious complication in their use.

In some countries, the use of psychoactive substances is associated with certain religious and cultural customs (drinking alcohol, chewing coca leaves by Indians, smoking hashish in some Eastern countries). In Europe and America, the last rise in the level of drug addiction began in the 1960s. Since that time, this phenomenon has become a serious public issue.

In Russia, the issue of drug addiction attracts the attention of various public and religious societies. The Russian Orthodox Church has developed a project “The concept of the Russian Orthodox Church for the rehabilitation of drug addicts.” Also, a large number of Protestant churches organize rehabilitation centers for the treatment and release from drug addiction.

The fight against drug addiction

Expertise

Legislative measures, media, actions of law enforcement agencies

The fight against drug addiction is carried out primarily at the legislative level: in almost all countries there are tough criminal sanctions for the production, transportation and distribution of a number of narcotic drugs. Widespread promotion of a healthy lifestyle, life without drugs is of great importance. It is very important to realize that drug addiction is more a disease of society than of an individual, and the cause of infection, aggravation or awakening of the disease can be every spoken word at the right time and in the right place. Therefore, most researchers tend to believe that it is much more effective (albeit much more difficult) to provide social conditions that prevent drug abuse. This is especially true of the main risk group - young people.

Drug addiction is defined by the laws of the Russian Federation as "a disease caused by dependence on narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances included in the List of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors subject to control in the Russian Federation" . Accordingly, pathological dependence on alcohol, tobacco or caffeine is not legally classified as drug addiction, although they, according to a number of criteria, are classified as narcotic substances. Medicine considers dependence on these substances as narcotic.

In some countries, the army is used in actions against the drug mafia - for example, the United States used army units against guerrilla units involved in the production of drugs in certain states in Latin America. On the other hand, it is known that after the introduction of Western army units (led by the United States) into Afghanistan, the production of heroin in that country increased quite significantly. A significant part of these products then ends up in Russia and other European countries.

• Instead of criminalizing and punishing people who use drugs, offer preventive health care and treatment to those who need it.
• Encourage States to introduce experimental models of legal regulation of drugs (eg cannabis) to undermine the power of organized crime and protect the health and safety of citizens.
• Expose rather than reinforce common misconceptions about drug markets, drug use and drug addiction.
• Countries that continue to invest primarily in coercive methods (despite the facts) should focus their repressive measures on the violent crime of organized crime and large-scale drug traffickers in order to reduce the damage done to society by the illicit drug market.

Treatment (medical aspects)

Treatment of severe forms of drug addiction (such as heroin addiction) in most cases does not lead to success. The methods used in specialized clinics are effective only in the case of the active position of the patient himself. But even in such cases, after recovery, relapses are not uncommon.

Prevention of drug addiction

Promotion of healthy lifestyles

International educational projects aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle conduct a variety of activities aimed at the widest dissemination of the principle of "life without drugs".

Psychotherapy in the treatment of drug addiction

Only the combined efforts of psychology, medicine, sociology give good results in the treatment of drug addiction. The drug addiction recovery program aims to help people in the physical, psychological, spiritual and social spheres. A prerequisite in the psychotherapy of drug addiction is to work with the roots of addiction.

Pedagogical prevention measures

Principles of preventive work

The organization of measures for the prevention of drug addiction is built on the basis of targeted programs, united by a common concept of preventive work. The purpose of such work is to create a situation in the youth environment that prevents drug abuse and reduces the harm from their use. Any prevention program should include specific activities in each of the following areas:

• Dissemination of information about the causes, forms and consequences of drug abuse.
• Formation in adolescents of the skills of analysis and critical evaluation of information received about drugs, and the ability to make the right decisions.
• Providing alternatives to drug use.

The purpose of work in this direction- correction of socio-psychological characteristics of the individual. Targeted work with the risk group - the identification of risk groups and the provision of adequate assistance in overcoming the problems leading to the emergence of cravings for drugs. Interaction with organizations and structures conducting preventive work. Work to change attitudes towards drug abusers - it must become more humane. However, any attempts to spread ideas about the legalization of drugs, the legitimacy of their use and facilitating access to them must be stopped. These are the general principles of preventive work. The school, as a social institution, has a number of unique opportunities for their successful implementation:

• The possibility of instilling healthy lifestyle skills in the learning process and monitoring their assimilation.
• Influence on the level of claims and self-esteem.
• Free access to the teenager's family for analysis and control of the situation.
• Opportunity to involve specialists in prevention.

It is possible to formulate a number of rules for the construction of preventive programs at school: Any work in the field of anti-drug education should be carried out only by specially trained personnel from among the employees of the school within the framework of comprehensive programs based on the approved concept of preventive work. Educational programs should be carried out throughout the child's schooling, starting in elementary grades and continuing until graduation. Programs should provide accurate and sufficient information about drugs and their impact on a person's mental, psychological, social and economic well-being. The information must be relevant and provide knowledge about the consequences of drug abuse on society. Emphasis should be placed on promoting healthy lifestyles and building the life skills necessary to resist the urge to try drugs or “get close” to them in times of stress, isolation or life setbacks. Information should be provided taking into account the characteristics of the audience (gender, age and beliefs). Parents and other adults who play an important role in a child's life should be involved in the development of a drug education strategy. To evaluate the effectiveness of any prevention program, regular sociological studies conducted by independent experts are necessary. Here are some things to avoid when working in the field of drug education: Using scare tactics: These tactics have been proven to be ineffective. Distortions and exaggerations of the negative effects of drug abuse when describing their effects. One-time nature of actions aimed at prevention. This approach prevents teenagers from developing drug resistance skills. False information. Even after a single submission, all further information will be rejected by adolescents, who today are quite well informed. References to the cultural background to drug use. Justifying drug use, for whatever reason. The training of qualified personnel is one of the most important conditions for preventive work. According to German researchers, the effectiveness of preventive activities is only 20%, of drug treatment - 1%. These figures confirm that the disease is easier to prevent than to spend energy and money on its treatment.

UN on drug addiction

2005

Prevalence by drug type

According to the UN document, the most widely used drug is cannabis (nearly 150 million users), followed by amphetamine-type stimulants (approximately 30 million mainly methamphetamine and amphetamine, and 8 million ecstasy). A little over 13 million people use cocaine and 15 million use opiates (heroin, morphine, opium, synthetic opiates), including approximately 10 million people who use heroin.

At the same time, there has been a sharp increase in the popularity of so-called "soft drugs" - especially marijuana, the world's most common illegal drug. Amphetamine-type stimulants (principally ecstasy in Europe and methamphetamine in the US) have also experienced high rates of abuse over the past decade, followed by cocaine and opiates.

Forecast of the development of the situation

According to UN experts, the development of the situation on the drug market depends entirely on the situation in Afghanistan, where the main crops of opium poppy are concentrated and where three-quarters of the world's illicit opium has been produced in recent years.

At the same time, for the fourth year in a row, the overall stabilization and reduction in coca cultivation (in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia) and cocaine production have been maintained. The cannabis market continues to be active. Its consumption is growing in South America, Western and Eastern Europe, and Africa.

Russia

The document states that Russia appears to be the largest heroin market in Europe. The total number of drug users is between 3 and 4 million, one third of which are heroin abusers. In Russia, according to official statistics for 2009, the number of drug addicts is estimated at 503,000 people registered with the dispensary, and the actual number, calculated according to the UN methodology, is more than 2.5 million. Based on the results of special epidemiological studies, the total number of drug users, including " hidden" drug addicts, can be three times the number of officially registered. In addition, Russia has one of the highest rates of HIV infection associated with injecting drug use in the world, and was rising rapidly until 2001. However, in 2002, the number of new HIV infections associated with drug injections fell sharply both in the Russian Federation and in several other countries of the former USSR. According to the Federal Drug Control Service, every day in Russia 80 people die from drug use, more than 250 people become drug addicts.

At the same time, according to the UN, in Russia the role of law enforcement agencies in the fight against drug addiction is great - they intercept up to 40% of the heroin entering the country. At least 10 kg of heroin are seized every day in the country, which is the daily injection rate for more than 2 million drug users.

Links

• Handbook of Psychiatry (1985) / Non-alcoholic substance abuse (drug addiction)
• Psychological and physiological foundations of drug addiction treatment according to the method of G. A. Shichko. Proceedings of the first American-Russian conference on overcoming addictions and the formation of a sober lifestyle (USA).
• March of the White Death Analytical summary of the situation with drug addiction in Russia (author of the article, writer and psychologist Vladimir Lvovich Levy)

Notes

1. The formation of drug addiction is associated with features in the structure of the brain
2. drug toxicity
3. Draft Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church on the rehabilitation of drug addicts,// Patriarchia.Ru, September 6, 2010.
4. Ekho Moskvy on March 20
5. Science and technology in the fight against drug addiction (Russian). Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
6. Federal Law of January 8, 1998 N 3-FZ "On Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances" (as amended)
7. Alcohol: Our favorite drug The Royal College of Psychiatrists
8. Alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than illicit drugs (Medinfo from The Lancet)
9. Alcohol is the most harmful drug, followed by heroin and crack
10. David J Nutt "Addiction: brain mechanisms and their treatment implications", The Lancet, 1996, 347 : 31-36
11. David Nutt ProfMedSci , Leslie A King PhD , William Saulsbury MA , Colin Blakemore ProfRS Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse , The Lancet March 2007 369 (9566): 1047-1053
12. Global Commission on Drug Policy Report
13. P. P. Ogurtsov, H.V. Mazurchik. "Treatment of chronic hepatitis C in people with drug dependence". "Hepatological Forum", 2007, No. 3
14. Every day in Russia, 80 people die from drugs - RIA Novosti
15. “The army of drug addicts in Russia numbers about 2.5 million people”, “RosBusinessConsulting” dated June 26, 2009: “In Russia, the army of drug addicts numbers from 2 to 2.5 million people, mostly between the ages of 18 and 39, and 80,000 recruits are replenished every year.”
16. RosBusinessConsulting - News of the day - UN: Law enforcement agencies in Russia intercept up to 40% of heroin entering the country

Drug addiction treatment is not a quick and very complicated process. Drugs, by changing the thought processes of a person, erase his criticism of his actions regarding the use of a narcotic substance. What to do and what to do if there is a desire to give up the drug and prolong your life?

Drug addiction treatment +7495 1354402

What are drugs

There are two concepts:

A psychoactive substance (a substance that can cause changes in consciousness and form mental and physical dependence), and

Drug (psychoactive substance prohibited by the state for free circulation).

That is, drugs are substances that, due to their medical and social danger, are included in the List of narcotic and potent drugs. Moreover, in different states these lists are different. And even in one state, over time, new substances may be added to this list and / or some substances may be deleted.

The disease caused by the abuse of drugs on this List is called drug addiction. If the disease is associated with the abuse of a psychoactive substance that is not included in the List of narcotic drugs (for example, volatile solvents, tranquilizers), then it is defined as substance abuse.

It must be remembered that alcohol is also a psychoactive substance that can cause a disease - alcoholism; smoking tobacco, drinking coffee (also psychoactive substances) - causes respectively nicotine and caffeine addiction.

What are the drugs

Drugs are usually classified according to the main direction of their effects.

There are drugs:

• The first group of drugs - drugs that, in addition to euphoria, cause a sedative (calming) effect. These are drugs of the opiate group (raw opium, often referred to in the jargon of drug addicts as "chernyashka"), medical narcotic analgesics - morphine, omnopon, promedol; heroin (in the jargon of drug addicts - “white”, “Ger”, “Gerych”, “slow”), methadone.
• The second group of drugs are psychostimulants - cocaine ("coke", "fast"), crack, amphetamines, incl. pervitin ("screw"), ecstasy, methamphetamines.
• The third group of drugs - drugs that cause psychosis with impaired consciousness and profuse hallucinations. They are called hallucinogens, or psychedelics. This group includes cannabis (hashish, marijuana - “weed”), LSD, “pi-si-pi” (PCP). The last two drugs can cause a state in which a person does not control his actions, does not understand where he is and who surrounds him, experiences frightening visions.

Where is the line between a person who “just” uses drugs and an addict

Such a border does not exist. There are people who have tried some drugs and have not become addicts. If a person had only a one-time use of a drug, which did not lead to the development of dependence, and in his subsequent life the drug was no longer taken, then we can talk about the absence of drug addiction. Unfortunately, in our time, especially among the urban population, among adolescents, drugs are very common and there are more and more people who have tried drugs every year.

A drug addict is a person who has used a drug and who has developed a drug addiction.

How quickly addiction develops

Addiction to a drug (psychoactive substance) begins to form from the first use. And the "thrust" to take the next "dose" is manifested, for example, heroin - in 90% of those who tried it for the first time. It is already difficult for them to refuse to re-use it. But, the dependence has not yet been fully formed at this point. The rate of formation of dependence in each person is individual and depends on the characteristics of the development of higher nervous activity and metabolic processes of the whole organism. It is enough for one person to "try" 1-2 times any drug, for another it may take a longer time and more episodes of drug use.

Other opinions about drugs

Yes, other opinions about drugs, unfortunately, exist. Some doctors, unfortunately, underestimate the pathogenic effect of a drug on the brain and believe that before the disease forms, there is usually a more or less long period of episodic drug use (search for the most “suitable” and repeated appeal to “liked”, “ his" drug). This period they call the period of drug addiction. The beginning of the disease is considered the transition to the systematic, daily use of drugs (in the jargon of drug addicts, this is denoted by the phrase "get on the system"). It is understood that the daily use of the drug is due to the formed mental dependence, i.e. an irresistible desire to experience the effects of a narcotic substance. However, the conditionality of this “edge” should be emphasized, since According to many drug addicts, the desire to re-experience the effect of the drug (“coming” and “high”) arises after the first experience of experiencing these states.

What effect do drugs have on the human body?

First of all, it should be noted that the drug acts on cells and other structures of the brain, on interneuronal connections and biological metabolic processes of the nervous system. It is because of experiencing the main euphoric effect of the drug (high, high, etc.) on the higher nervous system that a person uses the drug. Due to the change in the biological processes of the brain, the drug is integrated into the metabolic processes of the nervous system, displacing and, as it were, replacing the natural endorphins produced by a healthy body, and a biological dependence on the drug develops.

Psychic dependence is formed more complicated and has multilevel schemes, almost all structural elements of the brain are involved, including memory, association, reflexes, the subconscious, etc. That is why this dependence is the most persistent. The common effect for all drugs is the artificial, pathological stimulation of the "pleasure centers", which is manifested by a more or less prolonged experience of positive, but pathological (i.e., not normally characteristic of a person) emotions. The experience of ecstasy is firmly fixed in the memory, and a person is irresistibly attracted to these sensations again and again. Later, addiction also includes another component - the desire to use the drug in order to prevent painful mental or physical sensations.

With the systematic use of the drug, one becomes accustomed to excessive stimulation, and in the absence of the drug, a person is no longer capable of experiencing positive emotions, and cannot even experience the usual smooth comfortable state. “Under the drug” the entire metabolism is rebuilt. Therefore, when the drug is canceled, the established pathological balance in the body is disturbed and a withdrawal syndrome develops. This is the essence of the so-called physical dependence.

With opiate addiction, the withdrawal syndrome is the most painful and difficult to bear and is slang called “withdrawal”. The use of hallucinogens forms in a person a rigid attitude to change his consciousness, to go into the "fourth dimension". At the same time, the emotional attitude to the real world changes, which loses its former value, becomes “gray and boring”.

What is called addiction

In medicine, drug addiction is a chronic progressive disease caused by drug abuse, and manifested by mental and physical dependence on the drug, an increase in the tolerance of the habitual substance, as well as personality changes.

In the United States, drug addiction is defined as a chronic brain disease.

How drug addiction differs from other chronic diseases

With its duality. On the one hand, it brings suffering, making a person a slave to the drug, destroying his body and soul. But on the other hand, drug use is associated with mental pleasure. Destructive disease is followed by pleasure! The fact is that the brain, innervating the whole body, does not itself have sensitive nerve endings, therefore, the death of brain cells (neurons), when exposed to narcotic substances, is not accompanied by pain. Dying, neurons are destroyed and release substances that, reacting with a narcotic substance, stimulate the production of endorphins (pleasure hormone) and cause an appropriate reaction of the nervous system, in the form of stimulation, euphoria, tranquilizing effect, clouding of consciousness, inappropriate behavior, hallucinations, etc. .

This monstrous duality of the disease makes it extremely difficult to overcome. Patients themselves feel their split: they want to be treated, but are not able to overcome their own slavery. The drug suppresses the will of a person, erases his "I", while there is no objective criticism of his state, which becomes formal and / or situational.

How bad is addiction

It is terrible because it destroys the brain and this is irreparable, which makes this disease the most severe and chronic, deadly and extremely difficult to overcome. The drug destroys the brain, changes thought processes, erases the individuality, personality of a person. Drug addiction can be considered a deadly disease for several reasons, although brain damage is a good enough reason for death. But, nevertheless, I will give other pathologies that are formed during the use of drugs.

Firstly, drugs have a toxic effect not only on the brain, but also on the entire body, reduce immunity, disrupt the functions of vital organs (heart, liver, pancreas, kidneys), make a person vulnerable to infections that are widespread among drug addicts. (viral hepatitis, syphilis, HIV, sepsis).

Secondly, the desire to experience acute ecstatic emotions pushes drug addicts to use more and more large doses of the drug, which in the end leads to taking a lethal dose, the so-called drug overdoses, which are manifested by coma and respiratory depression until it stops and death.

Thirdly, the suicide rate among drug addicts is 350 times higher than the average among the healthy population.

Fourthly, in a state of drug intoxication, the frequency of accidents also increases hundreds of times, because a person who is in drug euphoria and does not feel pain has a dulled self-preservation instinct.

What is the life expectancy of drug addicts?

It ranges from 5 to 10 years (on average - 7 years). Every year 5-7% of drug addicts die.

What does it mean that addiction is a chronic disease?

This means that the dead cells (neurons) and the metabolic changes that drug use brings to the body are irreversible.

Those. for the rest of his life, he remains ready to resume the whole picture of drug addiction at the first entry of the drug into the body, even if this happens after many years and even decades of refusing to use the drug.

Is addiction curable?

This is somewhat incorrect question. As I have already said, drug addiction is a chronic disease and, like any chronic disease, it is never completely cured. The disease can continue (exacerbate) at any time, and even in the presence of a long remission.

At the moment, we can talk about remission in the disease, in its duration.

At the biological level:

• at the level of metabolism, the process is reversible and resolvable.
• physical changes in the brain (cell death, structural changes, etc.) are not completely reversible, but it is possible to significantly improve the condition.

On a mental level:

• It is this problem that is the main obstacle to healing.

Today, world experience proves that even a drug addict who has systematically used drugs for 5-7 years can achieve a stable remission that can last 10, 20 or more years. But this requires a lot of work, and mainly for relatives and close people of drug addicts.

It is important to know as much as possible about drug addiction and understand what kind of help addicts need, how to “treat”.

How can drugs be introduced into the body?

When talking about drugs, they immediately remember the most common route of drug administration - intravenous. However, there are more ancient ways of introducing drugs into the body: smoking, ingestion, inhalation of the powder into the nose. A drug addict can “sniff” or smoke heroin for several years without having a single trace on the body.

What are the signs of intoxication with drugs of the opiate group (heroin, etc.)

The most striking sign of opiate intoxication is the maximum constriction of the pupils, which at the same time cease to expand even in a darkened room. However, often those who want to hide this sign from others disguise themselves by instilling drops in their eyes to dilate the pupils. Another striking sign is pronounced drowsiness, lethargy, relaxation. Being under the influence of opiates uncontrollably "nods". Scratching movements are very typical in this case, because. This condition is characterized by pruritus. In drug addicts with many years of experience, the effect of opiates is perverted, and relaxation and drowsiness are replaced by agitation and unproductive excitement. A feature of opiates is the inhibition of intestinal motility, so constipation is common among those who use these drugs regularly.

What is characteristic of stimulant drug intoxication

Elevated mood and increased activity up to fussiness. The eyes shine, the pupils are dilated and do not narrow even in bright light. The face turns red. No sleep. Sexual attraction is disinhibited. With excessive stimulation, irritability and aggressiveness are possible. In this case, uncoordinated sharp movements, and even convulsive twitching of the muscles, may appear.

How does marijuana toxicity manifest?

First of all, attention is drawn to the eyes of the "smoky" - the eyes with dilated vessels of the conjunctiva, which makes the whites of the eyes, as it were, acquire a pink color. Characteristically silly behavior and laughter. For reasons that are incomprehensible to others, someone who is intoxicated with marijuana can laugh uncontrollably. This is especially true if several people have used the drug. Often you can catch the peculiar smell of "grass", which is usually compared with the smell of hay. When the action of the drug ends, a very striking sign develops - “wolf hunger”.

What signs give reason to suspect that your loved one, more often a son or daughter, uses drugs

Experts have about 200 signs that can suggest danger. It is impossible to list them all here.

Here are the brightest ones:

personality changes:

• loss of contact with loved ones
• previously uncharacteristic secrecy,
• depression,
• aloofness,
• perpetually anxious look
• untidiness in clothes,
• keeping your room

environment changes:

• distance from old friends
• the emergence of new friends and acquaintances with whom the child refuses to introduce his loved ones;

behavior changes:

• frequent, unmotivated or formally explained absences from home,
• without specifying the place of pastime,
• late return home
• ignoring the old rules,
• missing from home for several days;

loss of former interests:

• decline in school performance
• absenteeism,
• indifference to old hobbies,
• general passivity;

mode changes:

• late bedtime,
• later, closer to dinner, awakening,
• fluctuations in appetite - either its suppression or increase, with a preference for sweets, chocolate,
• the appearance of a habit for a long time to wash in the bathroom, sit in the toilet;

new, previously uncharacteristic behavior:

• wear long sleeves even in hot weather,
• the desire to overheat,
• increased financial requests under various pretexts,
• missing money or things from home,
• discovered debts to neighbors or acquaintances,
• the presence of areas in the apartment that are inaccessible to loved ones (closed drawer, box, etc.),
• the appearance of smoked spoons in the house,
• accidental detection of a syringe, scraps of foil, powder of various shades, from white to brown, or unknown tablets,
• identifying the signs of drug intoxication or withdrawal described here.

How does the “withdrawal” manifest itself during the withdrawal of opiate drugs

First, let's say that "withdrawal" reflects the formed physical dependence on the drug and is an indisputable sign of drug addiction. The timing of the onset of its first signs after the last use of the drug depends on many factors, including the dose of the drug used per day and the duration of the disease. In some, it develops after 5 hours, in others - after 18 hours.

It begins with growing anxiety and anxious expectation of its development, then there is lacrimation, runny nose, uncontrollable repeated sneezing, coughing (which mimics the picture of the flu).

Gradually, the diameter of the pupils begins to grow: they do not respond to changes in illumination. The pulse speeds up, blood pressure rises. There are bouts of fever and chills.

Approximately one day after the last use of the drug, extremely excruciating pains in the body develop, more pronounced in the legs and along the spine. The patient cannot sleep.

After another day, during which all of the above manifestations increase, cramping pains in the intestines, repeated vomiting, diarrhea with false urges appear (which mimics food poisoning or pathology of the gastrointestinal tract). If patients are not helped, then, as a rule, at this stage of “withdrawal”, they break down and rush to get the next portion of the drug, which immediately removes all these symptoms. The peak of development of the opiate withdrawal syndrome (this is the medical term for "withdrawal") falls on 3-4 days after the last drug intake.

A significant relief of the condition occurs by the 10th day, and the complete disappearance of the symptoms of “withdrawal” occurs within several months (from 1 to 6). It should be remembered that the picture of “withdrawal” may not be so bright, the pain may not be expressed, but the stereotype of the onset of symptoms is the same.

Is it necessary to help the patient during the "withdrawal"

It depends on situation. If the patient himself asked for help, recognizing his dependence on drugs, then the provision of assistance is a manifestation of a humane attitude towards him. If the patient does not admit to being close to the fact of his drug use, then it is better to pause and use the “withdrawal” as a factor forcing recognition. It must be said that for sick young people who are not burdened with serious illnesses, “breaking”, despite its excruciating, is not life-threatening. This is worth remembering in case of blackmail by the patient, when he puts his conditions to relatives, frightening with his death, and sometimes demands unrealistic treatment conditions (placed in a separate ward, etc.). There are frequent cases when patients, having set a goal for themselves, are able to survive the “withdrawal” without outside help and without even resorting to taking medications (in the jargon of drug addicts, this is referred to as “breaking dry”).

Does Marijuana Addiction Develop?

Like all other drugs, marijuana sooner or later makes a person who systematically uses it addicted. When it is canceled, a state of apathy, lethargy develops, and volitional activity is lost. In addition, a person who systematically uses marijuana “tastes” other drugs as well. Faced with more acute experiences from them, he is rarely satisfied with the sensations brought by marijuana. Thus, marijuana is, as it were, a launching pad for turning to more dangerous, “hard” drugs.

What is meant by dividing drugs into “soft” (or “light”) and “hard” (or “hard”)

The basis for this division is the acuity of sensations when taking drugs, which underlies the varying degrees of their narcogenicity. This medical term is understood as the speed of formation and the strength of addiction to the drug. The highest degree of narcogenicity is possessed by opiate drugs and, first of all, heroin. The rate of formation of mental dependence was already mentioned in the answer to question 3, and physical dependence on heroin is formed after two weeks of its daily intravenous administration.

It should be emphasized that all drugs, both “soft” and “hard”, sooner or later make a person dependent, change the deep foundations of his emotional sphere, will, attitudes. In addition, numerous scientific studies have shown that by interfering with intracellular metabolism, all drugs (including allegedly “light” and “harmless” marijuana) have toxic, destructive effects on the kidneys (marijuana nephritis develops!), Liver, pancreas, muscle hearts. Not to mention the brain as a regulator of all human life.

How drugs change personality

The most basic human need is the need for a drug.

It pushes aside the basic (i.e. basic) needs of a person as a living being - the need for food, security (the instinct of self-preservation), the sexual need (the instinct of procreation), the cognitive need. There are patients who, knowing that a drug addict friend is HIV-infected, injected themselves with the drug after him with the same syringe.

The fact that the fear of death is not able to stop the drug addict from using the drug should be remembered when choosing a method of treatment. The drug addict subordinates his whole life to his most basic need, neglecting the previous moral principles, obligations to loved ones, the value of life itself (his own and his loved ones). Drug addiction makes a person deceitful, dodgy, shameless. Man ceases to be what he was before. It is very important that these changes are supported by the use of the drug. If the drug addict, accepting help, embarks on the path of overcoming the disease, then the painful features recede, the personality is transformed.

What is the typical social path of an addict

For a drug addict, the drug is required daily. However, since drugs are expensive substances, sooner or later the addict faces the question of where to get the money.

For some time, property is being used, maybe a car, a garage, a summer house is being sold. Finally, everything that was sold or kept by the family from sale.

Thus, there is a mandatory criminalization of drug addicts. Let us add to this that if a citizen is found to have a drug in a dose exceeding a single therapeutic dose (in medicine for opiates - 0.01), he, according to Russian law, is prosecuted for possession of drugs.

What predisposes to drug use

Lack of parental love and participation (unstable or incomplete family, parents dependent on alcohol, emotional characteristics of parents), distorted upbringing of the child (overprotection, environment of all accessibility), leading to the formation of an immature (unable to rely on their own resources) personality. individual personality traits, both biological (hereditary predisposition to addiction diseases) and mental (weakness of will, inability to fight to achieve the goal): underdevelopment of higher moral feelings.

Finally, one cannot exclude the peculiarities of the social environment - the factor of the immediate environment (friends in the yard, fellow students, spouse who uses drugs). How to encourage a drug addict to admit it in front of loved ones? Let's start with the fact that relatives should have high confidence in the fact of drug use. Some of the listed signs of possible drug use may be associated with other circumstances or mental disorders.

If relatives maintain contact with the drug user, then this goal is achieved through a calm, frank conversation, maybe not on the first try. But if family relationships are far from harmonious, it is extremely difficult to do this, and relatives need to seek the advice of specialists (psychotherapist, psychiatrist-narcologist) in order to develop individual tactics of behavior.

What to do if your child admits to using drugs but refuses to be treated

It is imperative to make repeated attempts to convince of the need for treatment, uniting the efforts of all interested and significant people for the patient (relatives, friends, spouses, employees, teachers, etc.).

There is a specially developed method of prompting a drug addict (or alcoholic) to seek help, which is called “intervention”. Each of the participants in the intervention (parents, spouse, child, boss) tries to help the patient realize the existence of a problem by reporting those changes in him and the change in their life that are caused by the use of the drug (or alcohol). When the desired result is achieved, they offer a way out - treatment in a specific medical institution, a rehabilitation program. This method often requires the participation of a psychotherapist to coordinate and dose the efforts of the actors.

Is it possible to treat a drug addict without his consent?

In Russia, the treatment of drug addicts is regulated by the Law of the Russian Federation “On Psychiatric Assistance to the Population and the Rights of Citizens in the Provision of It”. According to the legislation, the treatment of a patient with drug addiction, substance abuse or alcoholism is carried out on the basis of his voluntary consent. Treatment without the consent of the patient is carried out only by a court order when a citizen is held criminally liable.

What does it mean to help a drug addict overcome their illness?

This assistance consists of several stages. First, the patient needs help during the period of "withdrawal". This task is usually solved by physicians, preferably in a narcological or psychiatric hospital. After 10-14 days, the so-called post-abstinence period begins, which lasts up to 1.5 months after drug withdrawal. There are two approaches to managing patients at this stage.

The first involves the continuation of drug treatment of the patient in order to stabilize his mental and physical condition: improving mood, restoring sleep, mitigating the severity of craving for drugs (the so-called cravings), correcting behavioral disorders. It is recommended that during this period the patient be isolated from the usual environment and be in a hospital.

Another approach to the management of patients in the post-abstinence period has a psychotherapeutic focus and immediately involves the inclusion of the patient in a particular rehabilitation program with psychotherapeutic management, also in a hospital or rehabilitation center.

The third stage is rehabilitation. It usually takes place on an outpatient basis. Patients continue to work according to the chosen program, attending psychotherapeutic groups or self-help groups. The goal of rehabilitation is to teach the addict to live without using drugs. The third stage is the most important and determining the result of helping a drug addict.

What are the results of drug addiction treatment

All over the world, the rates of success in helping drug addicts are the same. Help, limited only to the first stage (“withdrawal withdrawal” or “detoxification”), gives a very low result - approximately 3% of patients abstain from the drug for at least six months. But the passage of a rehabilitation program by patients during the year increases the effectiveness of care by almost 10 times: annual remission rates are observed in 20-30% of patients. With repeated passage through the rehabilitation program, the chance to enter these 20-30% increases.

After what time can we talk about the reliability of the achieved result

Experts dealing with the problem of drug addiction agree that the process of psychological and social recovery of a drug addict lasts about 5 years. It is very important that in the future the recovering person does not stop in his psychological and spiritual growth.

Is it possible to treat "withdrawal" at home

It is preferable to treat the patient at the stage of drug withdrawal in a medical hospital under round-the-clock medical supervision. When treating patients at home, there is always a danger of combining drug use with the drugs used, which can result in an overdose of the drug and the development of coma with respiratory arrest. Leaving the patient at this stage at home, we can never be sure of his isolation, that he does not have a supply of drugs here, in this very room where he is being treated.

What is the method of "rapid detoxification" ("detox")

This method involves a sharp acceleration of the development of all manifestations of "withdrawal" by introducing a special drug that uncouples the drug from opiate receptors. The picture that develops in natural conditions within 10 days passes in the form of a storm in a few hours (from 6 to 8 hours). The patient is immersed in anesthesia for this time. Naturally. that this method requires special medical support (intensive care unit, the presence of an anesthesiologist). The method has both advantages (speed) and disadvantages (the illusion of the absence of “breaking”, prolonged anesthesia).

Is it possible to code from drug use

As already noted, the power of addiction to drugs is very high. The attraction to their use often exceeds even the fear of mortal danger. Coding helps to hold on for a while, not everyone. It cannot be considered an independent method of treating drug addicts. Rather, it gives some patients a gain in time, when they can start working on themselves, developing psychologically and spiritually, being included in one or another rehabilitation program. The method has a very important negative side - it is the substitution of one's own will and responsibility for abstinence from the drug and behavior in general by an artificially imposed setting.

What are drug blockers

So among drug addicts it is customary to designate a drug that has the chemical name naltrexone. Naltrexone is able to bind to opiate receptors without stimulating them and without producing the effects of opiate drugs. That is, it is an opioid receptor blocker. The result of its action is, on the one hand, the mitigation of craving for the drug (the receptors are “muted”), and, on the other hand, it works to a certain extent as an insulator of opiate receptors from “accidentally” injected drugs.

The drug is eventually eliminated without having had its euphoric effect and without perpetuating the breakdown. True, drug addicts should also be aware of this, when a large dose of a drug is introduced into the body (in order to block the effect of the drug), the latter, according to the law of competition with naltrexone, displaces it from the receptors and occupies them itself. This can lead to an overdose of the drug, the development of coma and respiratory arrest.

A pharmacy chain in Russia sells naltrexone, produced under the names Antakson and Revia.

Have doubts, suspicions or you already know about the problem?