Addiction and Substance Abuse
Prashant Pandya*
GM-Program Management, CRS-RLS, India
Submission: June 11, 2017; Published: June 30, 2017
*Corresponding author: Prashant Pandya, GM-Program Management, CRS-RLS, India, Tel: +91-9967017172; Email: drpandyal8@gmail.com
How to cite this article: Pandya P. Addiction and Substance Abuse. Glob J Pharmaceu Sci. 2017; 3(1) : 555605. DOI: 10.19080/GJPPS.2017.03.555605
Introduction
Addiction and substance abuse is common problem affecting adolescent, teen and adult alike worldwide. It is estimated that around 10 to 15% of people in United states affected by Addiction and substance abuse at some point of time in their lives. This leads to several problems and creating distress and develop tolerance. Drug abuse is also creating serious social problems like child abuse, violence, stress and destroys families [1-5].
Abused drugs include
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine
• Marijuana
• Anabolic steroids
• Club drugs
• Heroin
• Inhalants
• Prescription drugs, including opioids
Addiction generally develops due to repeated usage of drug or substance which impact brain. This repeated stimulus will change the structure and functionality of brain and directly affecting eating, sex and sleep pattern. It is chronic and complex disease. Drugs directly affect into the brain's communication system and affecting nerve cells normal function of sending/ receiving and processing information. There are some drugs such as marijuna and heroin are having exactly similar structure like neurotransmitter, hence acting on brain receptors and sending abnormal messages and drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine release abnormally large amount of natural neurotransmitter and preventing normal recycling of brain chemicals. Such disruption disrupts normal communication pattern of brain. It's challenging for the person to stop taking abusing drug because of chronic relapsing brain disease [6-10] (Figure 1).
The people with Addiction and substance abuse often have several other medical issues like abnormal blood report, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, abnormal ECG etc. Many drugs damage peripheral nervous system and long term usage also affecting function like judgment, decision making, learning, behavior [11-13].
What Causes Addiction and substance abuse?
It is believed that family history and genetics play important role here. In addition there are several other factors affecting the same (Figure 2) like
• Type of addiction / substance abuse
• Family background and support system
• Age
• Frequency of usage
• Length of drug usage time.
• Environment
Treatment options
There are several treatment options currently available to counteract this problem. Generally combination treatment is useful and help for the quick recovery.
• Yoga
• Addiction treatment Medication
• Behavioral therapy / Counselling
• Treatment approaches are dependent on drug abuse pattern and concurrent medical conditions. The tailored approach helps to achieve prompt recovery and life without abuse drugs.
References
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- https://www.drugabuse.gov/
- National Drug Intelligence Center (2011) The Economic Impact of Illicit Drug Use on American Society. Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice, USA.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2004) The health consequences of smoking: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, Georgia. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; Washington, DC, USA.
- Rehm J, Mathers C, Popova S, Thavorncharoensap M, Teerawattananon Y, et al. (2009) Global burden of disease and injury and economic cost attributable to alcohol use and alcohol-use disorders. Lancet 373(9682): 2223-2233.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs -2014. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health.
- Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014.
- Shankaran S, Lester BM, Das A, Bauer CR, Bada HS, et al. (2007) Impact of maternal substance use during pregnancy on childhood outcome. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 12(2): 143-150.
- Fowler JS, Volkow ND, Kassed CA, Chang L (2007) Imaging the addicted human brain. Sci Pract Perspect 3(2): 4-16.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI). Atlanta, GA: CDC.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and
- Lynskey MT, Heath AC, Bucholz KK, Slutske WS, Madden PA, et al. (2003) Escalation of drug use in early-onset cannabis users vs co-twin controls. JAMA 289(4): 427-433.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies: Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS): 1993-2003. National Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services (DASIS Series: S-29, DHHS Publication No. SMA 05-4118). Rockville, Md: Department of Health and Human Services, 2005.