26 June is the International Day against Drugs, the full name of which is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that drugs are narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances that can make people addicted. Drugs can cure diseases, drugs can be addictive. In fact, many drugs are drugs when they are used to treat diseases, and when they are abused, they are drugs, such as morphine, ketamine, dulendin and so on.
Drug addiction, also known as drug dependence, manifests as a forced craving, pursuit, and uninterrupted use of a drug. Drug addiction can be divided into two types: mental dependence and physical dependence: mental dependence refers to a special desire for a certain drug, and there is special psychological satisfaction after taking it; Physical dependence refers to the need for a drug to persist in the body, otherwise it will produce withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, anxiety, malaise, and shock in severe cases.
Drug addiction is a worldwide medical and social problem. Drug addiction can induce mental and psychological problems, such as social disorders, anxiety, etc. Some drug addicts can be complicated by a variety of psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Loss of control over medication is the main feature of drug addiction, and some drug addicts spend a lot of money and manpower to get drugs, and may even violate the law.
What are the addictive drugs
Common addictive drugs include the following categories.
Analgesics morphine, cureng, fentanyl, etc., due to the good analgesic effect, such drugs are widely used in clinical practice. However, its addiction can be produced quickly, and generally the continuous use of the treatment amount for 1~2 weeks can produce abnormally strong mental and physical dependence. Therefore, the medication should be strictly followed by the doctor's advice, and the dose of the drug should not be increased by yourself.
Sedative-hypnotic drugs phenobarbital, chloral hydrate, etc. These drugs are prone to mental dependence, and long-term high-dose use can produce physical dependence. In addition to addiction, long-term use can also produce a variety of adverse reactions, such as drowsiness, unresponsiveness, decreased judgment, confusion, confusion, etc. At present, these drugs are rarely used for routine sedation and hypnosis, and are only used for a short time when certain medical tests are completed. At present, the commonly used sedative hypnotic drugs are tranquilizers, including diazepam, sulepam, clonadiazepam, etc. These drugs are less toxic and have a larger safety range, but if used for a long time or in larger doses, they can also develop tolerance and even addiction. Once the drug is stopped, insomnia, dizziness, anxiety, muscle beating, etc. may occur.
Psychostimulants Amphetamine-type stimulants such as methamphetamine (commonly known as methamphetamine), as well as methylphenidate, cocaine, etc. These drugs have the effect of reducing sleep and fatigue, and are often abused in exams and competitive sports. These drugs are highly addictive and can generally be addicted in small doses.
Antitussive drugs codeine, opioid tincture, ephedrine, etc. are added to many compound cold medicines due to the obvious cough effect. Long-term use of these drugs can lead to psychological dependence, and withdrawal symptoms are similar to heroin. Long-term, unindicated use should be avoided.
Why taking medicine is addictive
Addictive drugs stimulate the mesocortical limbic dopamine system of the brain to release dopamine, causing euphoria, hyperbehavior. Dopamine-mediated euphoria, which in turn reinforces addictive drug excitability and desire to use again. After repeated use of addictive drugs, persistent pathological changes occur in the central nervous system, adapting it to the persistence of the drug, otherwise withdrawal symptoms develop.
The factors affecting drug addiction are multifaceted, mainly including drug factors, personal factors, genetic factors, and social environment factors.
Drug Factors The physicochemical properties of drugs play an important role in drug addiction. Fat-soluble drugs tend to cross the blood-brain barrier and cause addiction. Volatile drugs are easy to inhale, providing convenient conditions for multiple use. Fast-acting, high-acting drugs increase the likelihood of abuse. Heroin with a short half-life is more likely to develop abrupt, intense withdrawal syndrome than methadone with a long half-life.
Personal factors Personal qualities and mental status disorders are the main conditioning factors for drug addiction. Adventurous and curious people are more likely to try addictive drugs. Addicts often use multiple drugs at the same time.
Genetic factors Genes affect the metabolism and action of drugs, and thus also determine the risk of drug addiction. Parents are addicted to alcohol, and even if a child is raised by an adoptive parent who does not drink alcohol after birth, the possibility of alcohol addiction is higher than that of the general population.
Socio-environmental factors If multiple family members have substance abuse, they are likely to develop drug addiction. Drug supply, peer pressure, loneliness, and other environmental factors all play a role in addiction.
How to recognize drug addiction
Symptoms of drug addiction manifest differently from drug to drug, but generally involve changes in behavior, mood, physical health, and appearance. Behavior is mainly manifested as changes in hobbies, friends, relationships, study and work performance. Emotional and personality aspects are hyperactive, irritable, angry, or paranoid. Physical health and appearance may include insomnia, weight loss or gain, tremors or fatigue.
Drug addiction is diagnosed by meeting 3 or more of the following 7 conditions.
1. Tolerance;
2. Withdrawal symptoms;
3. History of extensive or long-term drug use;
4. Subjectively continuous demand, can not reduce or control use;
5. Spend a lot of time seeking the drugs used;
6. Reduction of social, occupational and recreational activities due to drug use;
7. Continuous medication regardless of health, economic situation, and social problems.
Can addictive drugs still be eaten
Addictive drugs, although there is a risk of addiction, can treat the disease when used wisely. For example, the rational use of analgesic drugs can relieve patients' pain, make surgery go smoothly, relieve the pain of pregnant women in childbirth, and protect tumor patients from cancer pain; Sedative hypnotics can relieve patients' anxiety, help patients have good sleep, and improve the quality of life of patients with anxiety and insomnia; Cough suppressants containing ingredients such as codeine can effectively relieve cough symptoms in patients and help patients with severe cough such as pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infections recover quickly.
Addictive drugs are a double-edged sword. We should not try to get medicines without indications and prescriptions. But when the condition requires it, we should not refuse, and should standardize the use under the guidance of a doctor. In this way, the therapeutic effect of addictive drugs can be brought into play, while reducing the risk of addiction.
How to avoid drug addiction
Drug abuse is the main cause of drug addiction, including arbitrarily changing the dosage of drugs without medical advice, changing the route of medication, taking drugs without authorization, and taking drugs to reduce mental stress dependence. In order to avoid drug addiction, when using addictive drugs, attention should be paid to the following.
First, to buy drugs at regular medical institutions or pharmacies, prescription drugs must be purchased with a prescription from a licensed physician.
Second, strictly follow the doctor's advice, including dosage, treatment course, etc. Do not increase the dose of the drug or use the drug for longer periods of time. For example, in general, tranquilizer sedative-hypnotic drugs can only be used for short-term relief of sleep disorders, while patients with chronic insomnia who use these drugs for a long time should undergo clinical evaluation at least once every 4 weeks and use intermittent therapy or on-demand therapy under the guidance of a physician. Drugs containing codeine and other cough ingredients should not be used for a long time, under normal circumstances, if the symptoms are not relieved for 5~7 days, seek medical attention in time.
Third, if there are symptoms unrelated to the purpose of medication during the medication, feedback should be given to the doctor in time, and the dose of the drug should be adjusted under the guidance of the doctor, or the drug should be stopped or changed.
Source: Healthy China