DRUG ADDICTION....POSTED BY Eaglesisland Technologies

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Drug addiction is a complex subject, These days, much of this nation is confused about the causes and most effective treatments of drug addiction, and the surest way to perpetuate poor care is to parrot any method without examining its precepts. If you think you understand everything there is to know about drug addiction, read on.

Drug addiction is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication produced by the repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). Its characteristics include: (i) an overpowering desire or need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means; (ii) a tendency to increase the dose; (iii) a psychic (psychological) and generally a physical dependence on the effects of the drug; and (iv) detrimental effects on the individual and on society.

Drug habituation (habit) is a condition resulting from the repeated consumption of a drug. Its characteristics include (i) a desire (but not a compulsion) to continue taking the drug for the sense of improved well-being which it engenders; (ii) little or no tendency to increase the dose; (iii) some degree of psychic dependence on the effect of the drug, but absence of physical dependence and hence of an abstinence syndrome [withdrawal], and (iv) detrimental effects, if any, primarily on the individual.

Drug addiction, also called substance dependence or chemical dependency, is a disease that is characterized by a destructive pattern of drug abuse that leads to significant problems involving tolerance to or withdrawal from the substance, as well as other problems that use of the substance can cause for the sufferer, either socially or in terms of their work or school performance. More than 2.6% of people suffer from drug addiction at some time in their life.

While the specific effects of drugs on the brain can vary somewhat depending on the drug that is being used, virtually every drug that is abused has an effect on what professionals often call the executive functioning areas of the brain. The functions of those areas can be remembered by thinking about the tasks of the chief executive officer in any company: planning, organizing, acting when it is time to act, as well as delaying or preventing action (inhibitory functions) when appropriate. The parts of the brain that tend to harbor the executive brain functions are the front-most parts of the brain, called the frontal cortex and prefrontal cortex.

When a person takes drugs, the inhibitory functions of the brain are particularly impaired, resulting in the person using drugs and having trouble stopping him or herself from acting on impulses that the brain would otherwise delay or prevent. This disinhibition can result in the substance abuser engaging in aggressive, sexual, criminal, or other activities that can have devastating consequences for the addicted person or those around him or her.

1.2              STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The consequences of illicit drug use are widespread, causing permanent physical and emotional damage to users and negatively impacting their families, coworkers, and many others with whom they have contact. Drug use negatively impacts a user's health, often leading to sickness and disease. In many cases, users die prematurely from drug overdoses or other drug-associated illnesses. Some users are parents, whose deaths leave their children in the care of relatives or in foster care. Drug law violations constitute a substantial proportion of incarcerations in local, state, and federal facilities and represent the most common arrest category.

Substance abuse, violence, and behavioral disorders can form a cluster of risk behaviors. These clusters can often be found afflicting particular individuals or communities whose life and social circumstances place them at risk. And these problems can have a profound impact on the ability of students to learn.

A major study in Bekwara Local Government of Cross River State concluded that “Groups of primary and secondary school students with even moderate involvement with substance use and violence/delinquency have dramatically lower academic achievement than groups of students with little or no involvement in these behaviors”

Children and adolescents who are under the influence of drugs and alcohol, fighting or acting out, and/or tormented by emotional distress and fear are not going to succeed in school. In addition to the cognitive impact of drugs, alcohol, and emotional distress, these behaviors result in increased absenteeism (or time spend in detention), which also have an impact on a student’s academic success. And a school in which teachers spend much of their time enforcing discipline rather than teaching is not an environment in which most children will learn.

The purpose of this prevention brief is to clarify some of the relationships among substance abuse, violence, and mental health for children and adolescents and to point the reader to resources that demonstrate how overarching school-wide interventions can help reduce all three of these problems while enhancing a school’s ability to promote academic success for all students.

1.3                 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The general objectives of the study are to examine the following:

1.   The habit of addiction among citizens specifically the youths of Bekwara Local Government Area.

2.   To outline  the health effects of drug addiction .

3.   To examine the negative benefits of drug addiction to the environment and the society at large.

4.   To outline the side effect of  drug addiction habit and  changes the brain.

1.4    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.   What are the physical and psychological effects of drug abuse and addiction?

2.   What are The Consequences of Illicit Drug Use?

3.   What are the impacts of drug addiction on Productivity?

4.   What are the Impact s of drug addiction on the Environment?

1.5    RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Clinical research has shown that high proportions of persons with schizophrenia report regular cannabis use and meet criteria for cannabis use disorders. Epidemiological studies have also found an association between cannabis use and psychosis in Bekwara. .

There has been considerable debate about the reasons for this association.Depending upon the nature of the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis, changes in the prevalence of cannabis use may potentially lead to changes in the incidence,prevalence or age of onset of psychosis.

The present report assesses the evidence for three hypothesized relationships between cannabis use and psychosis, which would each predict different effects of increased cannabis use on the incidence, prevalence and age of onset of schizophrenia and the prevalence of chronic cannabis use among persons with the disorder.

Hypothesis 1: Hypothesis 4: Regular cannabis use is more likely among persons with psychosis

According to this hypothesis, persons with schizophrenia are more likely to become regular cannabis users, if they use the drug (Mueser et al., 1998). There is no causal relationship between cannabis use and psychosis, so increasing rates of cannabis use will have no effect upon the incidence or prevalence of schizophrenia and there would not be a change in age of onset. There would be an increased prevalence of cannabis use among persons with psychosis.

notably, each hypothesis has a unique set of predictions. We used mathematical modelling to assess the plausibility of these four hypotheses. We combined empirically derived information about the epidemiology of cannabis use and

psychosis to predict trends in incidence, prevalence and age of onset of schizophrenia according to each of these

hypotheses. These predicted trends were compared with evidence on observed trends in schizophrenia and

cannabis use.

Hypothesis 2: Cannabis use precipitates psychosis among vulnerable individuals.

A second hypothesis is that regular cannabis use precipitates schizophrenia among vulnerable individuals . This is supported by evidence that: (a) persons with first-episode schizophrenia who use cannabis are younger than those who do not According to this hypothesis, an increase in regular cannabis use in the general population would not affect the incidence of schizophrenia but it would reduce the age of onset of psychotic illness among those who used

cannabis. That is, the incidence rates of persons using cannabis would be ‘brought forward’. If this led to morechronic psychotic disorders.

Hypothesis 3: Cannabis use worsens the prognosis of persons with schizophrenia

According to this hypothesis, cannabis use would worsen the prognosis of schizophrenic persons by increasing relapse to schizophrenia. This hypothesis does not predict an increased incidence of schizophrenia among regular cannabis users. Instead, it predicts that persons with schizophrenia who are regular cannabis users will be more likely to have a relapse after their initial episode. This could increase the number of persons in Bekwara L.G.A living  with chronic schizophrenia.

1.6    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

People experiment with drugs for many different reasons. Many first try drugs out of curiosity, to have a good time, because friends are doing it, or in an effort to improve athletic performance or ease another problem, such as stress, anxiety, or depression. Use doesn’t automatically lead to abuse, and there is no specific level at which drug use moves from casual to problematic. It varies by individual. Drug abuse and addiction is less about the amount of substance consumed or the frequency, and more to do with the consequences of drug use. No matter how often or how little you’re consuming, if your drug use is causing problems in your life—at work, school, home, or in your relationships—you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem.

The specific physical and psychological effects of drug abuse and addiction tend to vary based on the particular substance involved, the general effects of abuse or addiction to any drug can be devastating. Psychologically, intoxication with or withdrawal from a substance can cause everything from euphoria as with alcohol, Ecstasy, or inhalant intoxication to paranoia with marijuana or steroid intoxication, to severe depression or suicidal thoughts with cocaine or amphetamine withdrawal.

Marijuana is the most common drug used by adolescents in Bekwara Local Government of  Cross River State. Marijuana affects the parts of the brain which controls the sex and growth hormones. In males, marijuana can decrease the testosterone level. Occasional cases of enlarged breasts in male marijuana users are triggered by the chemical impact on the hormone system.

The addiction of legitimate drugs can be done by using the drugs in a manner or in quantities other than directed, or for purposes other than legitimate purposes.There are a lot of misconceptions about Drug abuse and its Dangers: Drug abuse is harmful, but it relieves you of stress: Drug Abuse affects your brain in the same way stress does. Long-term usage of drugs makes users more prone to everyday stress compared to Non-users.

As soon as a person feels normal, drug is out of the body: Long after effects of the drug stop are felt, the drug can still be in the body. For example, cocaine can be found in the body up to one week and marijuana up to four weeks after a single use. One can stop using drugs any time: Withdrawal sickness, believing you must have drugs, and being around people who use can make stopping drug use difficult. But there are people and programs that can help. You will have to use drugs for a long time before it really hurts you: Drugs can cause the brain to send the wrong signals to the body.

This can happen the first time a drug is used.Education and outreach are becoming major parts of establishing a more effective program for preventing drug abuse at schools, workplaces or at your home. Drug abuse has been associated with a wide range of adverse side effects ranging from some that are physically unattractive, Most are reversible if the abuser stops taking the drugs, but some are permanent. Presenting the risks of Drug use is more effective in convincing adolescents about its negative effects, apparently because the people find a balanced approach more credible and less biased. A good way to begin dealing with a drug abuse problem is to give employees the resources to control their environment and claim ownership of the policy on no drug abuse. A good way to deal with a drug abuse problem is to give people the resources to control their environment.

CHAPTER TWO

2.0    LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAME WORK

Drug addiction is a complex brain disease. It is characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking, and use that persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences.

Drug seeking becomes compulsive, in large part as a result of the effects of prolonged drug use on brain functioning and, thus, on behavior. For many people, drug addiction becomes chronic, with relapses possible even after long periods of abstinence.

Like the majority of other mental-health problems, drug abuse and addiction have no single cause. However, there are a number of biological, psychological, and social factors, called risk factors, that can increase a person's likelihood of developing a chemical-abuse or chemical-dependency disorder. The frequency to which substance-abuse disorders occur within some families seems to be higher than could be explained by an addictive environment of the family. Therefore, most substance-abuse professionals recognize a genetic aspect to the risk of drug addiction.

Psychological associations with substance abuse or addiction include mood disorders like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, as well as personality disorders like antisocial personality disorder. Social risk factors for drug abuse and addiction include male gender, being between 15 and 49 years of age, Bekwara L.G.A, unmarried marital status, and lower socioeconomic status. According to statistics by state, people residing in the West tend to be at higher risk for chemical abuse or dependency. While men are more at risk for developing a chemical dependency like alcoholism, women seem to be more vulnerable to becoming addicted to alcohol at much lower amounts of alcohol consumption.

The environmental impact of illicit drugs is largely the result of outdoor cannabis cultivation and methamphetamine production. Many of the chemicals used to produce methamphetamine are flammable, and the improper storage, use, and disposal of such chemicals that are typical among methamphetamine producers often lead to fires and explosions at clandestine laboratories. Additionally, the process used to produce methamphetamine results in toxic chemicals between 5 and 7 pounds of waste per pound of methamphetamine--that are typically discarded improperly in fields, streams, forests, and sewer systems, causing extensive environmental damage.

When a person takes drugs, the inhibitory functions of the brain are particularly impaired, resulting in the person using drugs and having trouble stopping him or herself from acting on impulses that the brain would otherwise delay or prevent. This disinhibition can result in the substance abuser engaging in aggressive, sexual, criminal, or other activities that can have devastating consequences for the addicted person or those around him or her.

Virtually any substance whose ingestion can result in a euphoric ("high") feeling can be abused. While many are aware of the abuse of legal substances like alcohol or illegal drugs like marijuana and cocaine, less well known is the fact that inhalants like household cleaners are some of the most commonly abused substances.

However, Males and females who abuse anabolic steroids experience a number of health and behavioral consequences.

Males

• Atrophy of testicles
• Decreased sperm count
• Decreased sperm motility
• Fluid retention
• Prostrate enlargement
• Development of breasts
• Baldness
• Psychotic episodes

Females

• Increased body hair
• Decreased breast size
• Fluid retention
• Acne
• Deepening of the voice
• Aggressiveness
• Menstrual irregularity
• Psychotic episodes

Psychological effects in both sexes include depression, aggressiveness, mania, and delusions.

CHAPTER THREE

3.0    RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1    RESEARCH DESIGN

This study is organized in five chapters.in chapter one, Drug addiction is said to be a state of periodic or chronic intoxication produced by the repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). Its characteristics include: (i) an overpowering desire or need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means; (ii) a tendency to increase the dose; (iii) a psychic (psychological) and generally a physical dependence on the effects of the drug; and (iv) detrimental effects on the individual and on society.

In chapter two, a review of relevant literature, Drug addiction is a complex brain disease. It is characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking, and use that persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences.

Chapter three presents the research methodology. In it, the basic procedures and approaches adopted in the study are spelt out to include: research designs, sample and sampling techniques, sources of data, statistical tool and data analysis.

Chapter four is on data presentation, analysis and discussion of findings. In this chapter, hypothesis formulated are also tested.

3.2    SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

Method of data collection has to do with the ways of the data which formed sources of materials for the work were got. Different sources of data were used for this work and therefore gave rise to several of their methods of collection, however, the methods through which data were collected includes the following:

1.   Library and research development

2.   Publication and journal

3.   Text books.

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0    DATA PRESENTATION

4.1    DATA ANALYSIS

TABLE 1: Modelled number of chronic cases of psychosis due to cannabis use observed by the age of 35 years, by gender and birth cohort

Males                            Females

1930 - 34            12                                   10

1940 - 44             38                                   17

1950 - 54             68                                    25

1960 - 64             82                                   39

1970 - 74             77                                   49

1980 - 84             70                                    50

1990 - 94             76                                    54

2000 - 04             63                                   43

         

4.2    DUSCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Marijuana is the most common drug used by adolescents in Bekwara Local Government Area of Cross River State . Marijuana affects the parts of the brain which controls the sex and growth hormones. In males, marijuana can decrease the testosterone level. Occasional cases of enlarged breasts in male marijuana users are triggered by the chemical impact on the hormone system.

Regular marijuana use can also lead to a decrease in sperm count, as well as increases in abnormal and immature sperm. Marijuana is a contributing factor in the rising problem of infertility in males. Young males should know the effects and potential effects of marijuana use on sex and growing process before they decide to smoke marijuana.

Just as in males, marijuana affects the female in the part of the brain that controls the hormones, which determines the sequence in the menstrual cycle. It’s been said that females who smoked or used marijuana on a regular basis had irregular menstrual cycles, the female hormones were depressed, and the testosterone level was raised. Even though this effect may be reversible, it may take several months of no marijuana use before the menstrual cycles become normal again.

Mothers who smoke marijuana on a regular basis have been reported of having babies with a weak central nervous system. These babies show abnormal reactions to light and sound, exhibit tremors and startles, and have the high-pitched cry associated with drug withdrawal. Occurring at five times the rate of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fetal Marijuana Syndrome is a growing concern of many doctors. Furthermore, doctors worry that children born to "pot-head" mothers will have learning disabilities, attention deficits and hormonal irregularities as they grow older, even if there are no apparent signs of damage at birth. Pregnant or nursing mothers who smoke marijuana should talk to their doctors immediately.

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0    CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1    CONCLUSION

People of all age groups are suffering from the harmful effects of the drug addiction. Due to the negligence of the pregnant women, there are chances of premature or underweight birth of babies exposed to harmful drugs in the womb. Exposure to drugs at such an early stage of life can slowdown the kid’s brain’s development and can pose serious health threats in the later life.

Adolescents are highly vulnerable to harmful drug or alcohol abuse. Teens who start abusing drugs often struggle with poor academics and generally drop out of the school. Many risks like unplanned pregnancies, violence, infectious diseases and harmful health effects are associated with teen drug abuse.

Adult drug addicts often have problems remembering, and paying attention. Their work performance and social relationships will suffer due to their drug abuse.Psychoactive drugs induce emotions that at one point in mammalian evolutionary history signaled increased fitness, not happiness. In ancient environments positive emotion correlated with a sign of increased fitness, such as successful foraging sessions or successful breeding. Mammals would feel euphoric only during times where fitness levels were high, the euphoria being indicative of survival and not a superfluous feeling of "happiness." Mammals would otherwise feel negative emotions when fitness levels were low. The effect of many psychoactive substances provided the same euphoric feeling, and may have had some increasing effects on fitness levels in ancient mammalian species. However, drug use today does not carry the same predicted increases in fitness, and in fact may act as a pathogen on neural circuitry. Yet, these same drugs continue to target archaic mechanisms of the brain with the intent of inducing positive emotion, essentially blocking many neurological defenses.

Drugs that stimulate positive emotion virtually mediate incentive motivation in the nucleus accumbens and the neural reward system. Modern drug addiction fundamentally indicates a false increase of fitness, leading to increasing drug abuse to continue gain, even if the gain is realized as being false. This is the quintessential paradox among drug addicts. The motivation towards gain begins to take precedence over adaptive behaviors among addicted individuals. Some stimuli that simulate increased fitness may become greater priorities than true adaptive stimuli necessary for increased fitness, such as food and sleep

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