...Why Teenagers Abuse Drugs Introduction Drug abuse is the dependence on chemicals or substances that alter one’s normal body functioning. It can severely alter the functioning thus making the user its slave and can actually do nothing constructive without it. Sadly a huge number of teenagers are indulging into drugs either knowingly or unknowingly. How does that happen, why do they get to use these drugs? The following are major reasons as to why teenager end up abusing drugs Peer pressure in most teenagers is an influential force at any stage of life, but it’s more influential at the period of adolescence. At that moment when children are trying to figure out who they are and where they will fit in, when insecurities can be brutal and the desire to be established and liked makes them saying “NO” to be very difficult. However, saying no can also have painful consequences, varying from being laughed at or mildly teased, humiliated, rejected and even intimidate. Peer pressure frequently come from cool kid who says, “Hey, it’s just weed” or “drink up” and just have fun after all, who’s going to recognize if no one tells? When you give in it start a little by little eventually you become an addict (Aue, Pamela Willwerth, 2006). All adolescents regularly want to be treated and feel like adults. The term “I’m not a kid any longer” is a common mantra, particularly when teenagers want privileges that come along with age i.e. using alcohol (Torr Barbour & Hurley, 2009). It’s...
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... | |Substance Abuse | |Final Research Paper Substance abuse is characterized as a social problem in numerous parts of America. Substance abuse is defined as a pattern of harmful use of substances for mood-altering purposes (“Drug Abuse”). Drug abuse is the use of illicit drugs or abuse of prescription or over the counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are indicated or in a manner or in qualities other than directed (“Drug Abuse”). Many people believe that substance abusers, drugs abusers, and addicts should be able to stop taking these substances and drugs if they are willing to change their behavior. What many people do not understand is that substance and drug abuse is a problem that needs to be addressed. It is not as easy as some people think to stop using these substances and drugs. There are several causes for substance abuse. Substance abuse ranges in many different ages from teenagers to elderly. This social problem can affect families and many different individuals. 50% of Americans have a beloved one who is suffering from a substance or drug abuse problem at any given...
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...Summary The American court system is overflowed with people that suffer from substance abuse. For example drug and/or alcohol related crimes have been implicated in violent crimes, instances of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect cases. Therefore, drug court has come in to offer people arrested for substances abuse related crimes and opportunity to receive community-based treatment with judicial supervision to avoid potential incarceration. For this reason drug court has changed people’s lives in a variety of ways, which are often overlooked, are the positive impact on families and society. Overall, substance abuse offenders have a recurring problem for the criminal justice system as a result drug courts are an important strategy to reduce incarceration, provide drug treatment and reduce recidivism among nonviolent offenders. Another key point is research study by the National Institute of Justice in 2009 called the Multi-Site Adult Drug Court Evaluation confirmed that Drug Courts reduced crime and substance abuse, improved family relationships, and also increasing employment and school enrollment. (Marlowe, 2010) Another key point is drug courts have affected the offender’s criminal behavior and substance use with mandated drug and alcohol treatment. Henceforth drug courts has been a popular diversion program for drug offenders since it’s began in Dade County Florida in 1989. Overview Drug courts represent the criminal justice approach to ensure public safety through...
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...Abstract Substance abuse is increasing day by day in modern world. This indicates that the crime which occurs because of substance abuse also increasing day by day. There are different consequences and effects of violence and substance abuse in the life of people. It is one of the rising concerns of people around the world as people using different kinds of drugs are increasing day by day. It has negative impact in the society as well. There are different organizations around the world which is working to minimize or solve these problems. As violence and substance abuse are interrelated, if we are able to minimize the use of substance abuse then the crime rate will decrease by itself. Tables of contents Abstract 1. Introduction 2. Findings 3.1. Use of substance abuse alter our decisions 3.2. Violence ,substance abuse and mental problems are interrelated with each other 3. Discussion 4.3. Reasons behind the use of substance abuse 4.4. Some solutions to solve the problem caused by substance abuse and violence 4. Conclusion 5. Recommendations Violence and Substance Abuse 1. Introduction Violence and substance abuse are two terms that are interrelated with each other. They are interrelated in a way that when there is substance abuse, violence is inevitable. The use of substance abuse among people is increasing...
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...LIFE ORIENTATION LESSON 1 General information Teacher: B Stemele Topic: Substance abuse Duration: 1 hour School: St Andrews School for Girls Grade: 8 Date: 6 March 2015 2 Specific aim(s) for Life Orientation * Guide learners to achieve their full physical, intellectual, personal, emotional and social potential; * Develop learners’ skills to respond to challenges and play an active and responsible role in the economy and society; * Teach learners to exercise their constitutional rights and responsibilities and to respect the rights of others; * Guide learners to make informed and responsible decisions about their health, environment, subject choices, further studies and careers; and * Provide opportunities for learners to demonstrate an understanding of, and participate in activities that promote movement and physical development. 3 Lesson aims: (Knowledge, skills, values and attitudes) Knowledge | Skills | Values and attitudes | TerminologyWhat is substance abuse, illegal and legal substances? What makes teenagers to start abusing these substances? * General knowledge about drugs * Signs and symptoms of substance abuse * Investigate factors contributing to substance abuse * Health risks for teens (Effects – physical, mental & social) * Effective Treatment Approaches * Where to go for help? | * Research * Analyse * Compare * Summarize * Apply * Decision making | * Responsibility...
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...Substance Abuse By: Ashley Johnson Introduction People abuse different substance/drugs for many reasons. The toll for this abuse can be seen in our hospitals and emergency departments through direct damage to health by substance abuse and its link to physical trauma. Jails and prisons tally daily the strong connection between crime and drug dependence and abuse. Although use of some drugs such as cocaine has declined, use of other drugs such as heroin and "club drugs" has increased. A drug is any substance that crosses from the bloodstream into the brain and that somehow changes the way the brain is functioning. By this definition, some common substances such as alcohol, nicotine, and even caffeine are considered “drugs.” Drug abuse implies “willful, improper use due to an underlying disorder or quest for hedonistic or immoral please” (N. Miller, 1995). Substance abuse is “harmful use of one or more psychoactive substance” (Abadinsky, 2008). The term substance abuse describes abusive or harmful use of any substance; it also known as a chemical or drug abuse. Drugs can have the wrong effects on people especially when used improperly. Not only does drug abuse harm you but it also breaks up families. Statement of the Problem According to www.medicinenet.com, the term substance abuse describes abusive or harmful use in excess of any substances. A drug is any substance that crosses from the bloodstream into the brain and that somehow changes the way the brain...
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...What new information did you learn? I really learned a lot about substance abuse in this course and also during my readings. I always looked at substance abuse as someone who just uses drugs to get high. I never really thought about it being a brain disease. According to NIDA, “Addiction is similar to chronic diseases” while observing the brain and the heart addiction and heart diseases produce observational changes in the function of human organs. While all this information wasn’t too new to me I just really never gave it any thought. I learned how people become addicted to drugs due to the drugs altering their Dopamine which is a brain chemical which also affects the neurons in the brain. I understand what Neurons are and how they communicate...
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...UNDERSTANDING DRUG ADDICTION Chartorieah Shinez Sanders COM/156 03/26/2012 Nicholas Delzotto Understanding Drug Addiction All over the world, people are losing their loved ones to a mind altering disease called drug addiction. If something isn’t done; the disease will continue to grow, destroy happy homes and take more young lives. Drug addiction is a severe illness that people should be taught to avoid the continuing overwhelming of the nation. First you should learn what the disease is, who is affected, what causes the disease and how we can help those that are suffering from this disease. Drug addiction has been described as a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use (What is Drug Addiction?, Section para.3). Yes, it is true that individuals have the option to refuse these mind altering substances that cause addiction and other health risks but there are several risk factors that could influence the individuals decision such as, a person’s biology but that problem drinking and problem drug use are not caused exclusively by biologic traits says Christopher Freed (2010). While biology is not completely the cause of drug addiction, some people were born into a family that has a history of drug addiction and if you combine that with peer pressure or, the feeling of wanting to fit in; your outcome will be another individual who uses or is addicted to drugs. This is one of the biggest influences on many teenagers and young...
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...Chapter 14 Summary A substance-related disorder is a condition (such as intoxication, harmful use/abuse, dependence, withdrawal, and psychoses or amnesia associated with the use of the substance) associated with substance abuse, often involving maladaptive behaviors over a long period of time. In order to be diagnosed with substance dependence an individual must display at least three of the following for a 12 month period: development of tolerance to the substance, withdrawal symptoms, persistent desire/unsuccessful attempts to stop using the substance, ingestion of larger amounts of substance, declined life functioning, and persistent use of substance. Substance intoxication, substance withdrawal, substance abuse and substance dependence are the four substance-related conditions that are present in the DSM-IV-TR. Substance intoxication is a type of substance-induced disorder, consisting of reversible, substance-specific, maladaptive behavioral or psychological changes directly resulting from the physiologic effects on the central nervous system of recent ingestion of or exposure to a drug of abuse, medication, or toxin. Specific cases are named on the basis of etiology, e.g., alcohol intoxication. Substance withdrawal is physiologic and psychological readjustments made during discontinuation of use of a substance previously employed to induce intoxication. Substance abuse is a patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with...
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...Substance Abuse is Serious Problem Substance abuse is on the rise amongst students not just in Fiji, but right around the world. Some common substances that student’s abuse is drugs, tobacco, white benzene and many more. Drugs can be inhaled, smoked, injected and taken as tablets. Glue and white benzene are sniffed whereas tobacco is smoked as cigarettes. This is the reason why “The Ministry of Education has reaffirmed its zero tolerance stands against the possession consumption, promotion, distribution, or sale of sale of all drugs” (Cababenatabua, 2009). Students normally start abusing these substances due to peer pressure; stress accumulated in school and at home, curiosity to try out new things, and to overcome bad experiences that they have gone through. This essay mainly focuses on how substance abuse affects the health, social, academic and economical sphere of student’s lives. First and for most, ‘substance abuse’ drastically affects the health of those students who consume it. As is highlighted by NSAAC Pamphlet, substance abuse affects student’s mental and physical health. In terms of mental health, the use of drug leads to memory loss which also associates with lack of concentration and focus. Other side effects mentioned are the decrease in intelligence level and depression. In addition to that, students who take drugs find it difficult to recall what he or she have read, heard or seen. Secondly, the physical health is also drastically affected when students...
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...Informational Seminar Ludaisha Washington SHB 5109 Scope of Addictive Behaviors and Eating Disturbances Table of Content Page 3--------- Audience selection Page 4 -------- Drug Classification Page 5 -------- Terms Page 6 -------- Cont. terms Page 7 -------- Signs and Symptoms Page 8 -------- Ethnic and Cultural Page 9 -------- Cont. Ethnic and Cultural Page 10 ------ Cont. Ethnic and Cultural Page 11 ------ Societal Attitudes and Stigma Page 12 ------ Cont. Societal Attitude and Stigma Page 13 ------ References Audience Teenagers abuse a variety of drugs, both legal and illegal. Legally available drugs include alcohol, prescribed medications, inhalants (fumes from glues, aerosols, and solvents) and over-the-counter cough, cold, sleep, and diet medications. The most commonly used illegal drugs are marijuana (pot), stimulants (cocaine, crack, and speed), LSD, PCP, opiates, heroin, and designer drugs (Ecstasy). The use of illegal drugs is increasing, especially among young teens. The average age of first marijuana use is 14, and alcohol use can start before age 12. The use of marijuana and alcohol in high school has become common. The audience for this informational seminar would be aimed to Middle school teachers and administrators prior towards the students entering high school. These are people who educate...
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...Running Header: Substance Abuse Adolescent Substance Abuse Dana Sweitzer Liberty University Abstract Adolescent substance abuse is a major problem in society. There are many risk factors that can contribute to adolescent substance abuse. One of the main risk factors is peer pressure. When adolescents start at a young age there is an increase in health problems, addiction, and over all poor social outcomes. Parental influence has substantial effect on adolescents because the adolescent sees their parents and they learn by their example. Media plays a role in the use of drug and alcohol use among young people. Many school systems have implemented programs that teach adolescents about the problems of substance abuse that is funded by the government. The community health nurse helps provide education in the community. The cost for substance abuse can be astronomic. Emergency room visits, treatment programs and even court costs lead to billions of dollars annually. The key to prevention is education. Adolescent Substance Abuse In society today adolescent substance abuse is a growing problem. There are many risk factors that can lead to substance abuse. It is important to understand the reasons behind why the adolescent begins the experimentation of drugs and alcohol. Media plays a role in adolescent substance abuse. Many times advertisement and movies betray alcohol or drug use as fun and not addictive. Many times the people are happy and having a good time. This gives...
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...Christianity point of view. b) Law of the land. DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. INTRODUCTION. DEFINITION. Drug. 1) A drug is any chemical you take that affects the way your body works. Example: alcohol, caffeine, aspirin, nicotine etc. 2) A drug is a substance which may have medicinal, intoxicating performance when taken by a human body. Drug abuse. 1) It is the use of illegal drugs, the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for at least a year with negative consequences. 2) Compulsive, excessive and self-damaging use of habit-forming drugs or substances, leading t addiction or dependence, serious physiological injury(e.g. damage of kidney, liver, heart) and/or physiological harm(e.g. dysfunctional behavior patterns, hallucinations, memory loss),or death. Substance abuse. Harmful/hazardous use of psychoactive substances including alcohol and illicit drugs. Substance abuse is also sometimes referred to as drug abuse. Drug and substance abuse has become a disaster and an issue to be addressed urgently worldwide. In Kenya, drug abuse is one of the major problems alongside poverty, corruption and HIV/AIDS. However, whereas the HIV/AIDS prevalence is coming down, drugs and substance abuse is on the increase compounded by lack of a traditional control system and frustration arising from unemployment, idleness and poverty. WHY SUBSTANCE AND DRUG ABUSE IS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN. Since the issue of drug abuse came into existence, a lot of measures to curb...
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...Contents INTRODUCTION 1 EFFECTS OF THE DIFFERENT SUBSTANCES ON THE FETUS 2 Marijuana (also known as weed, pot or grass): 2 Cocaine: 2 Alcoholism 3 LAW AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE MOTHERS 4 THEORIES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE 6 Biological Theories 6 Genetic Factors 6 Metabolic Imbalance 7 THEORECTICAL PERSPECTIVE 8 MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT 10 SOLUTION TO PROBLEM 11 EXPECTED RESULTS/TIMEFRAME 12 CONCLUSION 13 REFERENCES 14 PICTURES ILLUSTRATING PREGNANT SUBSTANCE ABUSE WOMEN AND FETUS 15 INTRODUCTION Social problems exist at the door step of every community it has been in existence decades ago and still lives on today. Social problems can be defined as an issue that relates to society’s perception of an individual’s personal life and their behaviour is considered to be out of the norm. Substance abuse has vast becoming an epidemic in today’s society and it is considered as a social problem. Substance abuse is one thing but to see pregnant women abusing these endangering substances is another issue. People use drugs for many different reasons but for a pregnant woman to use drugs she may be mentally ill or depressed. Substance abuse may not have a serious or long-lasting effect on you but the same is not always true for a foetus. Mothers that abuse substances give birth to "drug babies." These children have serious developmental problems. Researches show that using substances legal or illegal during pregnancy has a direct impact on the foetus, whether smoking...
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...pleasurable acts such as eating. Whenever ingesting a substance causes these reward circuits to activate, addiction and dependence is possible. However, addictive behaviors that are considered damaging or destructive have characteristics that distinguish them from normal behavior (see common characteristics of destructive addictions. Examples of common destructive addictions are alcohol intoxication, alcoholism, cocaine abuse, drug dependence and abuse, methamphetamine abuse, narcotic abuse, and substance abuse. People with addictions often cannot quit on their own. Addiction is an illness that requires treatment. Treatment may include counseling, behavioral therapies, self-help groups or medical treatment. People often assume that those with addictions should be able to quit by simply making up their minds to do so. Addiction is thought to be possible for a wide range of chemical substances. Dependence, most often related to physical symptoms, can occur for a subset of the chemicals that cause addiction. For instance, rarely an individual is prescribed a medication by a doctor for a legitimate reason (such as pain after an injury) and this can lead to physical withdrawal symptoms if this medication is stopped. Even more rarely, this post-medical treatment drug dependence can lead to drug abuse. People with drug abuse problems are individuals whose brain biochemistry has been altered by alcohol or drugs. * The words addiction, drug addiction, alcoholism, and chemical dependency are...
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