What is Drug abuse?

Dear Student,

Here is the answer to your question,

• Alcohol / drug abuse normally starts in adolescence (period between 12-18 yrs − transition phase between childhood and adulthood).
• Many adolescents are motivated towards drugs/ alcohol due to curiosity and experimentation.
• Peer pressure, academic stress, unstable family structure further incline youth towards alcohol/ drug abuse.
• Perception of consuming alcohol / drug being cool and progressive and use of alcohol/drug in television, movies, etc. further promote this habit.

• When a person uses alcohol/ drug repeatedly, he becomes addicted.
• Addiction refers to psychological attachment to certain effects such as euphoria and temporary feeling of well-being associated with use of alcohol or drugs.
• In addiction, tolerance level of receptors present in our body increases towards the drug.
• This drives the person to use them even when they are not required or when they tend to harm his health / family life.
• Subsequently, the user runs into a vicious circle of addiction and subsequent dependence.
• Dependence leads to manifestation of withdrawal syndrome on discontinuation of use.
• Withdrawal syndrome − Anxiety, nausea, sweating, shakiness, and sometimes may be lethal