Teen Drug Abuse

Drug abuse by teenagers is very common, which can lead to disastrous consequences in the future. A large proportion of deaths in people between 15 and 24 are reportedly connected in some way or the other to drug or alcohol abuse. Such abuse also leads to violent criminal acts, such as assault, murder or rape. Some young people also take drugs to overcome depression and anxiety.

If a young member of your family suddenly starts behaving in a aberrant manner or tries to keep aloof from other family members, you have some reasons to be suspicious. Physical signs like red eyes, nagging cough, and changes in eating and sleeping habits should also serve as warning signals.

A teenager with a family history of drug abuse and a lack of social skills can move rapidly from the level of experimentation to grave abuse or dependency. Some other teenagers, who have no family history of such abuse, may also reach the level of utter dependency. Although any prediction is almost impossible, teenagers with a family history of alcohol or drug abuse should especially abstain and refrain from experimenting.

The user's preoccupation with drugs, plus its effects on mood and performance, can lead to poor performance in schools, colleges or workplaces, resulting in dismissal. A child’s drug abuse can devastate parents and other family members, and ruin family life. According to the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, teens and their parents view drugs as their biggest concern.

The effects of different types of drugs on teenagers include irritability, insomnia, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, violent behavior, memory loss, learning problems, increased heart rate, lethargy, panic attacks, symptoms of chronic bronchitis, daily coughs and phlegm, more frequent chest colds, muscle tension, teeth clenching, dehydration, hypothermia, brain damage, and death.

Drug Abuse provides detailed information on Drug Abuse, Drug Abuse Treatments, Drug Abuse Treatment Centers, Teen Drug Abuse and more. Drug Abuse is affiliated with Drug Abuse Treatment Programs.

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Drug Abuse In Teens: Online Drug Abuse Identification Help

Teen drug abuse is at an all time high, but not in the same way that most people might assume. Parents are accustomed to hearing about teens doing everything from huffing chemicals to smoking weed, popping ecstasy, and even injecting heroin. However, with the international development during 2003-2004 of illegal online drug dealing operations, teens are able to order potentially dangerous prescription medications off of the internet without a prescription.

Savvy businessmen who operate small online pharmacy companies settled offshore are peddling prescription drugs to anyone who has the cash to pay for them. In some cases, the customers don’t even get the real medications, but improperly manufactured fakes. Popular drugs sold without prescription include Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Lortab, Adderall, and opiate-like drugs.

If you are living in America, it’s likely that you might have found a mysterious pill, tablet or capsule tablet at some point during your parenting years. Every day, parents find strange pills in the rooms of their sons and daughters while cleaning. If you never spend any time in your teens’ rooms, there is a good chance that you are not seeing something important; especially if your child spends a lot of time partying at night.

Do you need help identifying a drug that you’ve found? We are here to help you! Please ask for assistance at our drug identification forum over at Shoppe.MD. We are here 24 hours, 7 days a week to research for you and find the answer.

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Drug Treatment Recovery For Addiction Problems

A very important factor for addiction recovery is being able to have tools for dealing with difficult situations, rather than going into an escape route such as taking drugs. Initially it is hard to use new tools rather than old habits but as time goes on, the old habits appear to offer no solution and the new tools give one a sense of accomplishment and enrichment. It is similar to the feeling one might have where someone might have chosen to jog for 20 minutes for relief instead of running out to buy chocolate and ice cream to deal with an argument they just had with someone.

How do you get the energy to combat an old pattern in your addiction recovery? It is helpful to write out or sit meditatively and ask yourself where the former pattern takes you and how you feel afterwards. How do you feel after having a few chocolate bars or calling someone back to scream at them? Compare that to how you feel after taking a run, doing some journal writing or something that increases your energy and awareness.

Drug abuse is something that will appear in one's mind in challenging moments to offer a relief, but is this relief more like scratching a mosquito bite? You get a momentary relief but you aggravate the initial problem. Motivation is very important ot keep going and trying to put the two routes you can take in front of you is helpful for making healthy choices for recovering from an addiction.

Thinking about the unhelpfulness of scratching a mosquito bite can help to outline what solutions appear to the mind during stress that really are not long term solutions. Our bodies want to heal and our emotions and spiritual sides want wholeness. Thinking about what solutions are truly helpful versus only provide momentary relief can help you take the right fork in the road in trying moments while in the addiction recovery process.

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Drug Abuse and the Over All Affect on the Pursuit of Happiness

Illegal Drug use although against the law is often considered a personal choice and many believe that in the spirit of freedom drugs ought to be legalized. But then we also know that many who use drugs cannot control themselves and thus end up abusers of drugs or become drug addicted. Recently this was discussed at length in an online think tank. One think tank member stated in the online discussion: "I believe that if you are using intoxicants, regardless of what that substance is, meth, alcohol, cocaine... it doesn't matter, as soon as you start interfering with another citizens right to quite and peaceful existence, by fighting, causing an accident, the need for emergency services to be deployed, etc then you face not only a criminal charge but an additional charge for drug abuse." Indeed there in lies the problem and it happens all too often unfortunately with drug users and experimenters who turn into drug addicts. Another think tank member partially agreed with this statement and further stated: "I am glad we agree on that point. Your last point of stating abstractly that if we deny people the choice to experiment or decide for themselves that that which is brushed under the carpet will rear its ugly head in an inopportune time for the whole of humanity is well taken and I agree that living in denial of this real problem does no one any good at all and the current way we deal with drug abuse in this country is not working. The thought of decriminalization is bothersome, because it is sending a mixed message to the "just say no" theme, as if we tell kids it is bad news and then tell them it is legal, easy to get and available, then you see the problem. Although I have always thought that in Germany they have less problems with alcohol because they have made it so socially "okay" and thus kids would rather have a root beer than a shot of hard alcohol." The debate went on for many pages and is far from over. Of course the online think tank needs more input before rendering any sort of solution or issuing any type of report. We hope to have a national discussion on this subject and join with others who see problems and seek the best possible solution to the drug issues in American Society. Consider all this in 2006.

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When You're Ready For Drug Addiction Help

Perhaps you have looked at the wreck your substance abuse has made of what used to be your life, and realized that it is time for you to seek drug addiction help. The nature of your addiction, be it to alcohol, heroin, crack or cocaine, or even to your legal prescription meds, does not matter. Drug addiction is drug addiction, and those who are enslaved by it need drug addiction help.

Drug addiction help is widely available through treatment centers, but they are not going to come looking for you; so the first move has to be yours. Step back for a moment and look at what your addiction has done to your relationships, you finances, and your career. Then decide if you want to remain as you are, or are willing to change back to the fully functioning person you were before your substance abuse hijacked your life.

Taking The Risk

Admitting that you have a problem and seeking drug addiction help will be one of the most difficult things you ever do. It requires you to open yourself up to strangers and ask for help from people in whom you have not yet learned to trust. And the scariest thing of all is that you will have to do all of it without having the solace of your drink or drug of choice to fall back on.

Kicking a drug habit, even with drug addiction help, is more than just getting clean. It will require you to do a life inventory and get at the issues which led you to abuse alcohol or drugs in the first place. If your problem stems from overuse of prescription meds, you will have to find other ways of dealing with the physical pain which originally necessitated them.

Having drug addiction help from qualified medical professionals and mental health counselors is the only way to ensure that you not only root out your physical addictions, but also eliminate their underlying causes. You Don't Have To Be Alone

There are, unfortunately, thousands of addicts whose addictions have left them isolated, without family of friends to when they can turn for support when they are trying to make the decision to get drug addiction help. Feeling isolated may even have been what caused them to begin abusing drugs or alcohol. If you fit into that category, and the only thing holding you back from seeking the drug addiction help you need is that there's no one there to encourage you, call a toll-free drug addiction help hotline. You'll get a non-judgmental person on the other end who has heard it all before, and wants more than anything else to help you begin reclaiming your life!

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Drug Abuse 101 - What You Absolutely Need to Know

Introduction Due to the change in world's social and economic pattern with so much of stressors and so less time for each other and even for oneself to get relaxed, there is a hug scope for the immature population to go for unnatural and short-lived pleasures which although might pose severe threat to one's own health and well being and even to life. Hence late teenagers and people in early twenties are those who are most prone to it as they both have reason and accessibility for the same. Definitions Drug abuse refers to self or peer medication of a drug in any amount or in any manner that cannot be medically or socially justified for its use. Drug addiction means the compulsive use of a drug, procuring it to take precedence over other activities. Drug habituation means less intense craving of the drug. Problem statement According to NIDA (national institute on drug abuse) the Monitoring the Future survey that is studying the trends since many years shows that there has been significantly decreased consumption of all the types of drugs except the inhalants. Although there has been decreasing trends but they are not at all satisfying as there are still a large number of teenagers specially the 8th graders who tend to get involved into this. The problem with these types of drug is both direct and indirect. The direct effect of these drugs is for e.g. addiction, insomnia, hyper somnolence, increased reaction time and so on and so forth. But the indirect ones are equally dangerous for e.g. easy prey to AIDS, Hepatitis B & C and other infectious diseases. Cause of the problem, why abuse? The root cause of the problem are manifold but the main causes are the teenagers with a history of drug abuse in the family, single parent family, economically or socially deprived children and surprisingly teenagers of Hispanic origin. Types There are many different types of drug abuse. These have traditionally been divided based on the action on the brain, chemical salt or the purpose for which it is used medically or socially. Some of these are: a) Nicotine used in cigarette One of most heavily used and the most damaging of the drugs. It damages not only the lungs and immunity but also the whole body. Known to be implicated in the causation on lung, ovarian, skin and certain other cancers. b) Cocaine Known to have damaging effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. c) LSD Causes hypertension, tachycardia and insomnia. Also disturbs the control of body temperature. d) Marijuana Has caused memory and learning disabilities. e) Methamphetamine Insomnia, anorexia, hyperactivity and psychosis are its major side effects. f) Pain medications Can lead to dependence and drug craving. g) Club drugs & date rape drugs Causes decreased muscle power and amnesia. h) Steroids In males causes certain feminine changes and vice versa in males besides causes overall retarded development. Diagnosing drug abuse Although the diagnosis of the abuse is not difficult at a full-blown stage but the important features at an early stage are the teenager becoming less social, poor performance at school, anorexia, unusual sleep pattern and weakness. Problem solving The main success lies in convincing the patient two things: first that the drug is not helping him or her in any way and secondly the drug abuse can be given up in a joint effort. Obviously that means managing the drug abuse needs both medical and social treatment.

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Drug Abuse Treatment

By Kristy Annely

Drug abuse has been a growing problem in the world for many years now. And with more sophisticated drugs finding their way into clubs and other hangouts, it is relatively easier for teens and adults to be lured into substance abuse.

Many people believe that they can stop themselves before they get addicted to the substance. Most times though, intervention is needed to make them stop. And interventions are usually at a cost.

Treatment of Drug Addiction

The treatment of substance abuse depends on the type of drug used by the patient and the duration of abuse. A patient’s attitude is usually altered by the abuse but treatment can also be customized according to his characteristics. Treatment can come in the form of medical intervention through the use of therapeutic drugs and procedures or through counseling. But the best treatment program, as it has been found out, is the one that combines various therapies that address the problem and disease in its entirety.

Scientific and Effective Treatment

Over the years, experts in drug addiction rehabilitation have formulated more effective means of dealing with curing patients of this disease. As drug abuse almost always result from various factors such as family life, financial, emotional and mental conditions, and lifestyle beliefs, therapists approach treatment in a more holistic strategy.

To deal with the problem at its core, patients need to undergo behavioral therapy that delves into counseling, cognitive and physiotherapy. These procedures teach the patient ways to prevent relapses by giving him knowledge on how to curb his cravings. This is combined with medications that suppress the patient’s craving for the drug he is addicted to. With this method, success rate is higher than in those that only use either.

Greater success rates are experienced with after-treatment support. Patients who get continued assistance from other medical and psychological professionals are more likely able to rejoin society faster. Social services may also play an important role in keeping a former addict drug free.

Drug Abuse Treatment provides detailed information on Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Abuse Treatment Centers, Drug Abuse Treatment Programs, Drug Abuse Residential Treatment and more. Drug Abuse Treatment is affiliated with Drug Abuse Treatment Centers.

Drug Abuse Treatment Centers

By Jennifer Bailey

Choosing a drug treatment center can be one of the most crucial decisions of your life. It is of vital importance that you consider a few factors before arriving at a decision.

Drug abuse is a disease that requires a doctor specializing in addiction medicine to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the most appropriate treatment. You must ensure that a drug abuse treatment center can offer a variety of treatment programs that meet your needs. These programs may comprise inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options. Then another important question arises: how much does a drug treatment center cost? The price tag for treatment is presented in many kinds of formats. You must have a clear idea of what is included, what will be added to your bill as a fee-for-service program, and what services will be covered by your health insurance.

Inquire if the center has provisions for on-site medical care. It is advantageous, since physicians and nurses provide 24-hour hospital services to monitor and ensure a safe withdrawal from drugs. Check the center’s medical credentials and accreditation.

Do not forget to ask which medical costs are included in the price of treatment at the center. As family involvement is a crucial component of recovery, ask if there is any time devoted to family programs, and if group therapy is included. Keep in mind that drug rehabilitation treatment programs should include a continuing care program that supports and monitors recovery.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides on-line resources for locating drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs. The Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator lists private and public facilities that are licensed, certified, or otherwise approved for inclusion by their state substance abuse agency

All information in the locator is completely updated each year, based on facility responses to SAMHSA's National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. New facilities are added monthly. Updates to facility names, addresses, and telephone numbers are made monthly, if facilities inform SAMHSA of changes.

Drug Abuse provides detailed information on Drug Abuse, Drug Abuse Treatments, Drug Abuse Treatment Centers, Teen Drug Abuse and more. Drug Abuse is affiliated with Drug Abuse Treatment Programs.

Drug Abuse Treatment

By Sean Winter

The roots of drug abuse are often found in a disturbed childhood and puberty; if not; then what starts off often as an ostentation of respective macho-ness grows into a compulsive habit within no time. Perhaps it is the only field where the teenagers and the young adults never fall short of ambition. For the aged, it is a different story altogether; while some begin because of unmatched wealth accumulated all in a sudden; others start off to seek an easy refuge from psychological, sociological and finance-related problems. However, all roads lead to Rome and all these so-called Romans must be brought under drug abuse treatment.

Prior to commencing further upon the details regarding drug abuse treatment, it is vital to differentiate between a drug abuser and a drug addict. This is chiefly due to the fact that what may easily allay the agonies of the former may not at all have an effect on the other. Drug abuse treatment can be a mild process or a severe one, depending upon the intensity of the use.

Drug abuse treatment is the last refuge sought when a certain individual starts showing certain symptoms including irritability, insomnia, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, violent behavior, memory loss, learning problems, increased heart rate, lethargy and panic attacks due to no apparent reasons. Psychoactive or prescription, the general symptoms do not vary much but one must also be aware that psychoactive drug abuse treatment has some difference with prescription drug abuse treatment while involving medicament though the basic psychological drug abuse treatment is more or less the same.

Drug abuse treatment must start at home, for no counselor can be as compassionate as the nearer and dearer ones to the abuser. Compassion plays a large role and can bring forth positive outcomes if the problem is in its initial stage; the developing stages can be handled by reducing slowly the quantity in a careful and discreet manner. Besides, getting the victim under drug abuse treatment interested in constructive and recreational activities diverts his/her mind from the compulsive urge. But this kind of drug abuse treatment is effective for the victims who have developed a psychological dependence; for the ones with physical dependence, professionals should administer drug abuse treatment besides doctors with specialization in the field of drug abuse treatment.

Sean Winter has been a writer for 10+ years and is knowledgeable in many areas. Sean is also creator of http://www.findaddictiontreatment.com

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