Drug abuse is an excessive use of chemical substances for the purpose of achieving a certain effect, ‘getting wasted’ or ‘catching a buzz’. The substances can be illicit or street drugs which are illegal or prescription pills found in the home. Certain prescription drugs can also be used for pleasure and for the effect of getting high. Some drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy can produce an intense rush and produce excessive energy. However most of these drugs over stimulate the pleasure centre of the brain.
Drug addiction is caused by many different factors and here are just some of the common factors:
· Family history of addiction
· Mental illness within the family
· Peer pressure
· Untreated physical pain
Most parents want to know how to identify adolescent drug abuse. Physical signs of drug abuse will affect the brain and the body and when the child is high the drug usually affects the entire body. Drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamines increase the metabolism and raise the blood pressure and one is unable to sleep. Drugs such as opiates and barbiturates slow the body functions and metabolism down. Here are some signs and symptoms to look out for:
· Cycles of restlessness, inability to sleep and excess energy
· Confusion and disorientation as well as slow movements, slow reaction and speech
· Sudden weight gain or loss
· Excessive sleep and there may also be a sudden change in clothing whereby he child starts to wear long sleeve all the time which would hide needle marks
· Sudden nose bleeds and chronic sinusitis. They might continually sniff
· Severe coughing where they continually bring up mucous
Most of these drugs are both mentally and physically addictive. Once the child is hooked they require the substance far more frequently and in larger doses in order to achieve the desired high. If they cannot obtain the drug they will have withdrawal symptoms which will present with symptoms such as severe aches and pains, chills and shivers, agitation, depression, hallucinations and even psychosis.
Here are some mental and emotional signs of drug abuse and addiction
· Increased anger, agitation and irritability
· Unusual calmness or unresponsive kind of spaced out
· Apathy, depression, delusions, hallucinations as well as temporary psychosis
It is not always to for parents to tell if their child has a drug problem as teenagers go through stages of oversleeping as well as argumentative and they push the boundaries and go through a rebellious stage. They also prefer to have their own space. If the child becomes isolated and has problems at school and start hanging out with new friends then parents should start to question whether the child may be taking drugs.
