Substance abuse
Substance abuse is an immense problem that interferes with the normal functioning of human lives, The substance can be any kind of drug-legal, illegal, or controlled.
Legal drugs include alcohol and tobacco. Illegal drugs consist of substances such as cocain and heroin. Controlled drugs refer to those that require prescriptions from a doctor ,including pain killers and anti anxiety medications. Many take these drugs for recreational purpose or to help their medical or mental conditions. Most experience no problem with them. However, when it has a negative effect on the user's physical or psychological health or when it harms others, substance use becomes substance abuse.
Psychologists define substance abuse as continued use of drug in spite of its harmful consequence. If a person's use of drug interferes with the one's occupational pursuits, then it is regarded problematic. For example, a person missing work habitually or does not perform up to one's potential, is engaged in substance abuse. Another indication of substance is when people repeatedly expose themselves at the danger of using the drug. For example, person driving under the negative effect of the drug can be said substance abusers. In addition, those using the drug constantly with bad effects are considered substance abusers. people having a frequent run-ins with the police while using the drug are considered substance abusers. In conclusion, if someone consistently uses the drug despite its negative effect on his or her interpersonal relationship, he or she is suffering from substance abuse.
Getting rid of the drug can be difficult, especially to those who has become dependent on the drug. Dependence can be physical or psychological. Physical dependence occurs as brain and the body cope with the drug that has been taken into the system. When a person uses a drug for the first time, little amount of drug is required to achieve the desired effect. However, in time, the person needs to take much more doses than he was taking before to reach the same high. This is because of the tolerance than the system develops in itself. This way of reaction of the body is to retain the normal functioning. However, these people don't desire normal functioning but the high, increasing the doses of the drug of choice. As time goes by, the person becomes accustomed to having a certain amount of drug inside the body which becomes normal. When the certain amount is not replenished, the desire on drug rapidly increases in order to maintain the accustomed condition. This phenomenon is called the withdrawal as mild as edginess to as severe as hallucination.
Although Some drugs have no such effect on human bodies, people become dependent on them. Psychological dependence is similar to habits that users rely on the drug due to their belief that it is needed for the normal functioning of the body. Those addicted to the drug physically are often also dependent on it psychologically. There are some people who are reliant on the drug psychologically with not being physically addicted.
The cessation of a drug is extremely hard for a substance user physically, psychologically or both. Therefore, drug rehabilitation program has been designed to help cease taking drugs by addressing both physical and psychological aspects. The treatment process is prescribed so as to help those suffering withdrawal. The the particular prescription differs from drugs and its characteristic withdrawal symptoms and severity. For instance, stern withdrawal is associated with heroin cessation so that Mathadone is often used to ease the patient off from being dependent on it which is a method of controversy because Mathadone itself is a very addictive substance.
Of course, mental counseling is crucial in handling psychological dependence. Patients are encouraged to examine their habits and establish strategies to deal with the situations in life without using drugs. They learn to recognize the patterns that causes relapse so that they can avoid those situations.