The indiscriminate consumption of psychotropic substances usually leads to serious consequences associated with alcoholism and drug addiction.
These addictions that bring with them the frank deterioration of health, as well as social and economic problems in people’s lives.
Even through recreational use of substances such as marijuana, opioids and alcohol, there is a risk of becoming addicted to some of these drugs.
Therefore, if you are interested in knowing more about the subject of alcoholism and drug addiction, we invite you to continue reading until the end…
What are addictions?
Addictions are mental disorders that change the way the brain perceives pleasure. In general, indiscriminate consumption of psychotropic drugs and any psychoactive compound generates alterations in our central nervous system.
This makes us dependent on certain types of substances, as in the case of alcoholism and drug addiction.
Addictions are usually characterized by alternating periods of abstinence and excessive consumption.
Another characteristic of any addiction is that people do not stop taking psychotropic drugs, despite the fact that this can cause serious physical, psychological, economic or social and work-related problems.
Alcohol consumption-alcohol addiction
According to the World Health Organization, alcoholism is the addiction that people experience when they are unable to control their excessive alcohol consumption, despite experiencing life-threatening health problems.
This type of addiction is also characterized by destroying the social environment, as well as the mental health of the person affected and without stopping the consumption of alcohol, with a lack of control over the amount of alcohol consumed on a daily basis.
In fact, alcoholism brings with it the need to consume a greater amount of liquor in order to feel its effects. The presence of withdrawal symptoms is a clear indication of “alcoholism”.
Effects and disorders due to alcohol consumption
The effects and disorders of alcohol consumption can be identified relatively easily, so it is important to know how to recognize them in time to start a detoxification and reintegration treatment.
Among them are:
- Behavior that tends to destroy the family environment during the drunkenness phase.
- Behavioral changes that may be accentuated in a negative way, due to repeated alcohol consumption.
- Dementia or premature aging.
- Hallucinations and delusions.
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What are psychoactive substances?
Psychoactives are substances that can be introduced into the body through intravenous, nasal, or oral routes, and then absorbed into the bloodstream and cause changes in our nervous system.
Among the most typical effects that a psychoactive is capable of generating are variations in our mood, inhibition of pain, alteration of the senses and much more.
A psychoactive substance can cause addiction when a person experiences withdrawal symptoms when deciding to stop using it.
All psychoactive substances have a direct impact on the mental level, and this generates an intense desire to consume these substances again, causing the person to use them again.
What is drug addiction? Drug use
Drug addiction is a disease that is characterized by affecting the functioning of the brain by rendering a person unable to control the use of drugs or medications of a legal or illegal nature.
Unlike alcoholism, drug addiction includes a much broader spectrum of substances such as marijuana, tobacco, opioids, among many others.
Its use generally begins experimentally, then moves to a recreational phase and finally becomes an addiction. In the case of opioids and their derivatives, addiction may begin with the use of a prescription drug.
The ease with which a person becomes addicted will depend to a great extent on the type of drug consumed, the vulnerability of the personality and the psychological part of each person, and to a lesser extent on a genetic component.
Drugs in adolescents
Many adolescents abuse a variety of drugs, both legal and illegal. Legal drugs available include alcoholic beverages, prescription drugs, inhalants (glue, aerosol and solvent vapors) and over-the-counter cough, flu, insomnia and weight loss medicines.
The most commonly used illegal drugs are marijuana, stimulants (cocaine, crack and speed), LSD, PCP, opium derivatives, heroin and designer drugs (ecstasy).
Unfortunately, drug use among adolescents is on the rise, especially in places such as schools, discos and sports fields.
Types of psychoactive substances (types of drugs)
There is a wide range of substances that fall into the category of psychoactive substances or drugs, and many of them have a unique chemical composition and effects that differ markedly from other types of psychotropic drugs.
The following are the best known ones:
Opioids and analgesics
These drugs are synthetically produced from opium and are characterized by their narcotic and analgesic effect. Among the most commonly used are oxycodone, heroin, morphine, methadone and codeine.
In the case of opiates, the risk of addiction is greater because many of them are prescribed, and they are often the most common channel used to switch to the consumption of other stronger drugs.
Marijuana and other cannabis derivatives
Marijuana and other cannabis derivatives are usually consumed through the inhalation of vapors and more widely in the form of cigarettes.
It is a drug that is often falsely perceived as accepted, which is why it is also one of the first psychoactive substances often experimented with.
Synthetic drugs
Within this group, synthetic cathinones or bath salts are clearly identified, which are nothing more than drugs made from the extract of the khat plant and mixed with other types of chemical substances.
On the other hand, synthetic cannabinoids also fall into this type of category, the most common being those known as Spice or K2. Other drugs of this type are those known as ecstasy or MDMA, ketamine and Rohypnol.
These drugs are highly unstable and dangerous, as there is no quality control associated with their manufacture.
Prescription drugs
Prescription drugs include antibiotics, corticosteroids, psychotropic drugs and narcotics. The excessive use of these drugs in particular, generates great concern in the population due to their potential for abuse and dependence.
Psychotropic Substance Use Disorders
People who use these types of substances or drugs may have certain mental health problems. These include depression, anxiety disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In addition, they may have heart disease, embolism, cancer, HIV or AIDS, hepatitis b or c, endocarditis, pulmonary diseases, among others.
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Treatments to combat alcoholism and drug addiction
When it comes to treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction, the ideal is to have a multidisciplinary team, made up of medical and psychiatric staff that can be at the service of the patient, such as the one we offer at our addiction treatment center in Colombia.
At present, the main treatment options contemplate the following aspects:
- Medication combined with medical devices and applications that can alleviate withdrawal symptoms.
- Counseling from the psychological point of view, which allows the patient to overcome behavioral problems, accompanied by an evaluation that serves to diagnose the presence of anxiety or depression.
- Monitoring of each case in the medium and long term to avoid relapse at all costs.
The problems of alcoholism and drug addiction represent a terrible scourge not only for each patient, but also for their closest relatives. However, with the right care, people can overcome their problems and get their lives back on track.
For more information, contact our addiction treatment center in Colombia now.
