 What is a drug?  A drug is any substance that when ingested into the body changes the way the organism functions.  Tolerance:  A stage of drug abuse in which the brain and body get used to a drug, causing a person to have to take more and more of the drug to get the same effect

 Dependence: A stage of drug abuse in which a person needs a drug just to feel okay (normal).

 Addiction:  A style of living characterized by compulsive use and overwhelming involvement with a drug. A stage of drug abuse in which the user cannot stop taking the drug despite serious negative consequences; the drug takes control of the brain and overpowers the body’s natural signals

 Withdrawal:  A stage of drug abuse when the user stops taking the drug. The user is often in physical pain and may suffer from depression, hallucinations or delusions.

 Substance abuse is the use of a drug or other substance for a non-medical use, with the aim of producing some type of 'mind-altering' effect in the user.  This includes both the use of illegally produced substances, and the abuse of legal drugs, in a use for which the substance was not intended.  Often this involves use of the substance in excessive quantities

 Risk factor = personality, environment, genetic  Peer pressure is huge, both for teenagers and adults alike  Young men  Low self-esteem  Low academic achievement  Friends/family use  disorganized life  a.Marital Problem or geographical separations  b. Stress at work  c. Family Problems  d. Previous drug usage

 a drop in school performance  a change in groups of friends  antisocial behavior  a worsening in family relationships.  change in eating and sleeping habits

 Stimulants: Amphetamines, but a more common stimulant is nicotine.  Hallucinogens: LSD was a popular drug in the 1960’s  Cannabis Compounds: The most common drug in this category is marijuana  Depressants: Alcohol is the most common depressant

 Opiates: Heroin and cocaine lead the list here  Designer Drugs: e.g. Ecstasy  Inhalants: e.g. Glue sniffing

Many different types of drugs can be abused: not only illegal drugs such as heroin, cannabis, cocaine or ecstasy, but also prescription drugs such as tranquillizers, analgesics (painkillers), and sleeping pills. Prescription drugs. Prescription drugs. Using a prescription drug in a manner other than the intended prescription constitutes drug abuse. Special type of Drugs of Abuse

Some of the more commonly abused prescription drugs are: 1. Pain-relieving narcotics (Percodan, Codeine, Vicodin, Percocet ) 2. Tranquilizers and sedatives (Halcion, Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Phenobarbital) 3. Muscle relaxants 4. Prescription amphetamines (Ritalin, Cylert, Adderall)