Abuse of Substance in Our Society - Essay Example

Drug abuse Abuse of substance has always been a delicate question across the globe since it deals with health issues, individual well being as well as lives of human beings. It is simply put that drugs are harmful. They are usually harmful to our heart, brain, central nervous system, the body as a whole and other vital organs. Most individuals abuse drugs to aid them in dealing with problems or be taken away from the actual situation that they are encountering. However, the victims rarely think of the short term and longer effects of abuse of drugs to their own bodies. This paper will argue out on abuse of substance while agree to why abuse of substance is dangerous. Drugs do come in various forms such as pills, powder or in crystals. Individuals who abuse these drugs do it in several ways and it does depend on the nature of the drug. A victim can consume the drug by swallowing if in pill form, snorted if it is in the form of powder as well as injection buy use of a needle or a syringe. Furthermore, those drugs that are in crystal form can be smoked or in haled by the victims. Using of drugs such as stimulants do aid in boosting an individuals moods, alertness, self esteem as well as energy with increased heart beats. However, I will not recommend its use since as they increased an individual’s rate of heart beats it leads to the blood pressure being elevated, which may cause long term sickness on increased blood pressure. As a result of the negative effects in our bodies in spite of the short term positive effect, considering the long term as the way then it is absurd to the victim. Such problems do lead to early deaths and the society is bound to loose most of it productive individuals. On the other hand stimulants are used to suppress appetite for a short period for individuals who are obese. Drugs such as Amphetamines is a stimulant that are mostly prescribed by doctors but if abused they affect the brain. The body and the brain can be affected by Dexedrine and Ritalin. These drugs have a chemical structure which is similar to the neurotransmitters referred to as monoamines including nor epinephrine and dopamine. Stimulants do increase chemical amounts in the brain as a result of this pressure of blood is increased as well as the rate at which the heart is beating. As a result of this, there is constricts blood vessels, the level of glucose in blood is increased as the path of the respiratory system is opened. In addition, it causes increase in dopamine which is related to the sense of euphoria that can be used with Nicotine which are stimulants as well that may lead to the storage of neurotransmitter dopamine in the victims brain. As a result of the dopamine concentration creates a stimulating feeling of euphoria that the victim experiences (Gitlin, 197-199). It is dangerous to use the stimulant sometimes. In spite of their use not leading to dependency which is physical and facing withdrawal risks. They are very addictive leading to the victim to use the stimulant compulsively. As a result of use which is continuous cause the individual not only affecting their bodies with the drug but also they never think of development since the little they earn is spend on drugs leading to a vicious circle in the society. Furthermore, when high doses are taken by an individual over a short time can lead to one feeling hostile. In addition, when high doses are taken body an individual it leads to high temperature for a body which is dangerous as well as heart beats which are irregular. It also leads to cardiovascular failure or what is referred to as lethal seizures. Most stimulants are very addictive such as cocaine, amphetamines as well as methamphetamine. It is tough for an individual to even try to use the stimulants after trying them because the victim will not be able to predict the extent of at which they will be under the influence. Depressants are drugs that are also abuse by human being across the globe. The central nervous system is usually affected by the depressant by slowing the information that is flowing between the body and the brain, as a result of the rate at which an individual breath is slowed down as well as the heart beat rates. Furthermore, they do not only slow an individuals reflex but also distorts once balance and coordination. In addition, the vision of the victim is impaired, time perception and the ability of an individual to think logically. Depressants are also addictive and do affects the victim both physically and psychologically. Apart from them being prescribed by the doctor when inappropriately used they may cause speech slurred, make an individual to be confused as well as detach them from the actual world (Jo Thakker, 31). Apart from decreasing the rates of breathing and disparities in coordination, if not well monitored they lead to complex health issues. In addition, tranquilizers are kinds of depressants that are prescribed by doctors to help individuals to feel calm and the victims eventually fall a sleep. Benzodiazepines for instance are made up of alprazolam and diazepam. They do provide effect which is calm to facilitate the transmissions that take place at the synapses with the help of the GABA neurotransmitters as well as alcohol does but it uses a mechanism which is different. Taking both the depressants and alcohols at a dose which is high it is usually fatal since they do increase the rate of GABA transmission which have the effects of suppressing in a region around the brain which is in charge of managing breathing and heart beat rates. Flunitrazepam is also a benzodiazepine drug, this drug is mostly used by men by dropping it in their dates beverage to extend their dates duration. It is colorless; their odor is distinct and dissolves easily. They do make victims to feel drowsy; the victim also looses control over their muscles as well as they barely remember situations that took place while under the drug influence. Most people use it for their own satisfactory reasons but a drug is still a drug when abused. For instance, students use the depressants so that they can be taken away from the actual world since they feel hopeless and helpless. It is therefore for both parents and teachers to be keen with the behavior most teenagers portray, since they can be under the influence of depressants. Hallucinogenic is also a drug if abused it leads to negative effects to ones body, they are mostly familiar with the Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). However, it is mostly referred to as acid sold in small but squared papers. Its effect takes a period of 20 minutes and once in the influence it takes 12 hours for one to recover. As a result of the abuse, it makes the victim to hallucinate. An individual under the influence of this drug have a distorted view in colors, objects and sounds. The hallucination is quite a serious problem since the sense is in the confused state where by the victim experiences sound as colors as well as speeding up movement with time. Hallucinogenic is not addictive; however the victim can easily develop a tolerant of their impacts that may lead to high consumption of the drug. It does not matter whether the effects that were experience were good or bad, it depends on the kind of the individual and the feeling they had under the influence. It leads to panicky and frights, one can be physically hurt either intentionally or not (Roeckelein, 51). According to Solomon, Zimberg and Schollar (72), note that one of the most challenge the victim can face under the influence of hallucinogenic is a panic reaction which is acute. The reaction is always frequent and adverse to the individuals that are under the drug effect. The victim does feel to have loosed their own control and that they are going to be crazy. This is so since the victim feel that they will never be normal ever. In addition the panic reaction that the victim feels is always accompanied with illusion and delusion hence the effect taking place in different form. As a result of the evidence above it is a high time that substance abused should be stemmed in the society we live, since it will later lead to a world free of drugs effect. It is necessary for human beings to take drugs as prescribed by physicians. Drugs being disposed openly in chemists, head shops and in other illegal areas should be addressed. For instance, making drugs to be paraphernarialy illegal can be one way that can be used to stem substance abuse. Objects such as cigarette roll paper, razors, spoons, mirrors and other products which are available in the head shops are often used by the victims. Prosecuting individual who own drug paraphernarialy illegal it will aid in deterring abuse of substance. In addition, we notice that most people are under the influence of drug not because they want to, but since they face difficulties such as hopelessness and feeling helplessness. If a government set up treatments that are readily available to the victims who are psychologically weak will help in curbing the rate at which substance abuse is increasing across the globe (Roeckelein, 51). Furthermore, when the treatment services are widely available, it undermines the illegal drug markets thereby reducing the harmful nature of drug abuse. In this context, the treatment that is required includes abstinence-based treatment as well as access to methadone by victims and other alternative of drug maintenance. Provision of mental health support is also critical to the victims, and mental treatment for victims who have been sexually abused with an aim of solving the problem of drug addiction. Having user friendly treatment, for instance, they are designed in a way that they can achieve the needs of a specific population such as, the minorities, children and women. Putting focus that treatment centre will deal with the addicts and abusers will aid analyzing; evaluating as well as monitoring the rate at which substance is abused thereby developing a model of fighting the problem. We should therefore work together to fight abuse of substance in our society. Realizing that not only are our loved once involved in drug abuse but the whole society is being invaded with the problem that will come to us. Looking at the government alone in fighting substance abuse is not the solution; since we are part of the system it is good to help the government in protecting its citizens especially the teenagers. If a society fights together it will lead to a society full of development and good leadership.   Work Cited Gitlin, J. Michael. The psychotherapist's guide to psychopharmacology. Simon and Schuster, 1996 Golberg, Raymond. Drugs across the Spectrum. Cengage Learning, 2009 Jo Thakker, R. Durrant. Substance use & abuse: cultural and historical perspectives SAGE, 2003 National Coalition for Effective Drug Policies, (2011) Eight Steps to Effectively Controlling Drug Abuse and the Drug Market Washington, D.C. Retrieved on 17 April from, http://www.csdp.org/news/news/8steps.htm Rise, M. Adam, (2011). Dangers of Depressants and Tranquilizers For Teenagers. Retrieved on 17 April, 2011 from, http://ezinearticles.com/?Dangers-of-Depressants-and-Tranquilizers-For-Teenagers&id=1908867 Roeckelein, E Jon. Imagery in psychology: a reference guide Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004 Read More