Posts Tagged drug abuse

Volatile Substance Abuse and the Need for Proper Education

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids on July 11th, 2010

Research shows that most drug users usually start with volatile substance abuse before they become fully hooked on illegal drugs. The need to have drug education plays an important role to prevent young people from experimenting with these types of substances. It is very alarming to know that the youngest to die due to volatile substance abuse was a boy at seven years old!

volatile substanceThe biggest problem that parents may face regarding this type of abuse is that most of these volatile substances are inexpensive and legally available. Simple household cleaning agents and substances found in offices may contain certain ingredients like solvents and propellants that can be easily inhaled. In a certain household, there may be up to 50 products that can be abused. Examples of these products are aerosols, nail polish removers, permanent marking pens, and paint thinners.

The vapors of these substances are usually inhaled directly when there are open containers or spray canisters left in the house. Unlike most drugs, there are no needles, pipes, or any material needed to administer the drugs. We often see children inhaling volatile substances in plastic bags or rags saturated with these harmful materials.

Inhaling these substances, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, may bring about some undesirable effects on the body. Adults and young children alike will experience symptoms like vomiting, headaches, hallucinations, and speech problems when exposed to these drugs. Solvent abuse can also dramatically decrease the amount of oxygen in the blood which can lead to hypnoxia. Things can go from worse to worst when a person continues this habit which will result to damage in the kidneys, brain, and liver. The nervous system will also be greatly affected and we all know what this can mean.

Proper education that starts in our homes plays a very important role. It would help if children’s curiosity will be addressed at the earliest stage so as not to promote experimenting on these harmful substances. Give enough information that may send the proper signal for children to stay away from these volatile substances.

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Stupid Things People Do When They’re High

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Drug Addiction on April 24th, 2010

Did you ever stop to wonder what people are actually capable of when they’re high? Well, they do a lot of crazy things since being high is somehow a kind of release — from inhibitions and proper thinking. This mental state can make one believe that anything and everything is possible, even if they’re not. There are serious detrimental side-effects to this condition, which makes it quite unpleasant to experience.

Harold and KumarTake the lead characters of Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, a film about two friends who decided to go to White Castle after smoking cannabis. Of course, the trip did not prove to be as easy as they initially thought and they went quite a long way before reaching the restaurant.

Behavior during drug use is a central theme in the movie, as shown by its seemingly ridiculous premise. For neophytes in this genre, it may take a while to get used to since the shock factor of the things that they do may prove to be too extreme for some. But when placed vis-à-vis the real behavior of drug users, Harold and Kumar are rather manageable since drug abusers can resort to violence and lots of crazier things in order to acquire drugs.

While the movie itself is comical in nature, it also makes you think: do you want others to see yourself that way — the laughing stock of your group, to not be treated seriously by your peers and colleagues? I don’t think so. It’s probably one of the movies you can check to see how stupid one can be when on drugs.

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5 Shocking Celebrity Drug Abuse Revelations of 2009

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation, Steroid Abuse on February 11th, 2010

Celebrity status and drug abuse have often been somehow linked for years, even decades, now. Here’s our  list of the most shocking drug revelations for the year 2009.

drug abuseAndre Agassi

Yes, that would be the Andre Agassi who won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments and an Olympic gold medal during his very successful career. In his autobiography “Open” which was published in November of 2009, he admitted to have used crystal meth during his tennis playing years. Crystal meth or methamphetamine increases alertness and vigor, and is known to produce euphoria in high doses.

Michael Jackson

The shocking MJ death was a result of “acute propofol intoxication in combination with the use of sedatives”. Jackson who was scheduled to have a concert tour died of propofol intoxication in his sleep. His personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who administered propofol to the King of Pop, has already been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Steven Tyler

Front-man Steven Tyler checked himself in to a drug rehab facility on December of 2009 for abusing his prescription pain medication drugs. The 61-year-old rock star of the famous Aerosmith is allegedly making plans to leave the band after his recovery.

Whitney Houston

Whitney’s appearance in the Oprah Show shocked the world with her revealing confessions of her drug abuse. She even had her own Marijuana Rock Cocaine recipe: “You put your marijuana, you lace it, you roll it up and you smoke it.”

Lindsay Lohan

Not so shocked? Well, she’s been all over the news for quite some time now that her name has almost become a staple in the world of celebrity drug scandals. The year 2009 was no exemption for our little drama queen; being in and out of rehab for years mostly for alcoholism and abuse of prescription drugs.

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Drug Abuse: A Serious Social Illness

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Abuse, Steroid Abuse, Tobacco Abuse on December 26th, 2009

drug abuseIn modern society, desensitization is the name of the game. As long as media continues to advertise sex, violence, and drug use, more and more people will begin to think that these are acceptable modes of behavior. While it may be an extreme view to take, it cannot be denied the problems that society faces are grave, especially when talking about drug abuse. But here lies the trouble: since the process of desensitization has accelerated and intensified over the past decade because of the progression of media technology, how can we convince people, especially teenagers, to take this social ill called drug abuse seriously?

Perhaps the first thing to do in this situation is to continuously impress the fact that drug abuse is a serious social issue. Most of the time, we do not accept the realities that are right in front of us, and choose to believe that these things do not directly concern us. Quite the contrary — drug abuse not only has serious consequences on one’s body, but it also determines a person’s behavior within society. Those who are helplessly addicted to drugs find ways to obtain more of the substance, and this often results into their involvement in a life of harassment and/or crime.

Even if we are not directly involved in drug abuse, the process of attempting to eliminate it from our social system is a task that is of ultimate significance. Its social consequences are as severe as they come, and domestic violence and street crimes are just some of these.

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Win Over Drug Addiction!

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Abuse, Steroid Abuse, Tobacco Abuse on December 21st, 2009

Drug addiction is a difficult battle to fight alone. While beating it is dependent on the will power of the individual, it really is not that simple. While the drive to kick the habit off may be present, the body’s dependence on the drugs states otherwise. It becomes a battle between the mind and the body, where both struggle for dominance over the other. So what must the individual do in order to win over the trap of drug addiction?

Win over drug addiction!The first step is probably the most difficult part – accepting the weight and reality of the problem. This is something that is easy for us to say, but excruciatingly difficult to do. After all, who in the world wants to admit to having a drug problem? That would be equivalent to saying that you have become a slave to an object; it’s also the same as saying that you no longer have full control of your life, and that your habit is the only thing that keeps you going.

Beating drug addiction is more than just changing modes of behavior. The main thing to remember about it is that it is a condition that is hard to control. The next step would be to seek out help from close friends and family about the addiction. The primary reasons for doing drugs are mostly social in nature, mainly revolving on self-esteem and acceptance of problems. Having close social links around you can help you slowly get over it.

The recovery stage is the longest one, after all. A lot of pain may come during this phase, but when you are finally done with everything, all the struggles will be worth it.

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Drug Abuse Among Teens: Understanding Your Role

Posted by DrugFreeHomes in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Abuse, Steroid Abuse, Tobacco Abuse on December 19th, 2009

Teenagers and drugs may be likened to macaroni and cheese – it can be difficult to separate one image from the other. Maybe it’s because of the raging teen hormones, or maybe it’s something more. Whatever the case, both of them are inextricably linked, owing partly to the influence of mass media in society today. The main thing here is to understand how and why drug addiction begins among adolescents.

teen addictionTeenagers are highly social beings, and it is during this stage of life that the identity crisis begins. In high school, they struggle to be recognized, while some struggle just to be accepted for who they are. In some scenarios, drug use has become a culture among them, and those who refuse to try it are labeled as “uncool”, effectively casting them out from the main group. It is during this stage that teenagers start to rebel, and where their behavior starts to become a bit unpredictable

It is not wrong to want to be accepted, but drug abuse definitely is. Teenagers know this deep down, but at this stage, they may not yet see the long-term effects of addiction. This is the challenge that adults must face – to make them understand that drug abuse is not as glamorous as they make it out to be.

Whenever possible, try to stop their drug use during the early stages. Convincing them to quit after a prolonged amount of time would be more challenging; they would simply refuse your help. Some might relent for a while, but the relapse can prove too strong for them to fight alone, and you would have to go through a lot of time and spend money just to help him. All the same, reassure them that they can kick the habit completely, and support them on the road to recovery.

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