Drug abuse

Over view of Central nervous system and drug abuse

Central Nervous System (CNS) is a part of the nervous system. The (CNS) controls most functions of the body and mind. It consists of two parts: the brain and the spinal cord. Most system and organs of the body control only one function but CNS does many jobs at the same time. The CNS has three main function

1. To sensory input from the body and external environment.

2.To process and interpret the sensory input.

3. To respond appropriately to the sensory input.

Brain and spinal cord are both within a protective triple- layer called (meninges). The brain is the most complex organ in the body and uses 20% of the total oxygen we breath in and which is consist of an estimated 100 billion neuron. The brain is the center of our thoughts, the interpreter of our external environment, and the origin of control over body movement. it interprets information from our eyes (sight), ears (sound), nose (smell), tongue (taste), and skin (touch), as well as from internal organs such as the stomach. The spinal cord is the highway for communication between the body and the brain. When the spinal cord is injured, the exchange of information between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted.

What are drugs of abuse?

Drugs of abuse are using illegal drugs or prescription medicines that are taken non-medical purpose (for example, Oxycodone or Valium) or over-the-counter drugs. Non-medical purposes for a prescription drug include taking the medication for longer than your doctor prescribed it for, or for a purpose other than what the doctor prescribed it for or use in large amounts of the drug or take over doses. Medications are not drug of abuse if they are taken according to your doctor’s instructions. Drug abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.

Pathology

Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder.in addition to possible physical, social, and psychological harm, use of some drugs may also lead to criminal penalties, leads to significant problems or distress, including tolerance to or withdrawal from the substance. The exact cause of drug abuse may be:

using someone’s drug without prescription, or Prescription medications are not prescribed for you, then they are not safe for you, or taking medication in large doses, or taking drugs in wrong time, or using a genetic disposition which is learned from others, or a habit which if addiction develops, Some people experiment with recreational drugs out of curiosity, to have a good time, because friends are doing it, or to ease problems such as stress, anxiety, or depression.

illegal drugs, such as (cocaine, heroin, alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates,benzodiazepines, cannabis, hallucinogens, methaqualone, and opioids) that can lead to abuse and addiction.

Abuse of prescription opioids, such as (Vicodin and OxyContin) can lead to addiction.Taking a single large dose could cause severe respiratory depression (includes difficulty in breathing or stopped breathing) that can lead to death.

The same holds true for abuse of prescription central nervous system depressants, such as (Xanax and Valium).

Abuse of prescription stimulants, such as (Ritalin or Adderall). Further, taking high doses of a stimulant may result in dangerously high body temperature and an irregular heartbeat. There is also the potential for heart system failure or fatal seizures.

Prescription medications such as (painkillers, sleeping pills, and tranquilizers) can cause similar problems. In fact, next to marijuana, prescription painkillers are the most abused drugs in the U.S. and more people die from overdosing powerful opioid painkillers each day than from traffic accidents and gun deaths combined. And addiction to opioid painkillers can be so powerful it has become the major risk factor for heroin abuse.

Drugs have effects on the entire body. Generally, in an overdose. Drug abuse and addiction can affect almost every system in your body. You probably know that drugs affect feelings and moods, judgment, decision making, learning, and memory. But they can also cause or worsen other health problems: cancer, heart disease, lung disease, liver function, mental disorders, and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis. Some of these effects occur when drugs are used at high doses or after prolonged use, some may occur after just one use.”

effects of drug abuse on the central nervous system:

Drug abuse may slow down or speed up the central nervous system, Levels of some of the brain’s chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, are also impacted by drug abuse,including: Dopamine, Serotonin, Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), Norepinephrine. Your brain is wired to make you want to repeat experiences that make you feel good. So you’re motivated to do them again and again. The drugs that may be addictive target your brain’s reward system which is part of the limbic system. This area of the brain affects instinct and mood. Drugs target this system, which causes large amounts of dopamine flood the brain, Dopamine is brain chemical that helps regulate emotions and feelings of pleasure-to flood the brain. This flood of dopamine is what causes a “high.”

It’s one of the main causes of drug addiction. Over time, your brain gets used to the extra dopamine. So you might need to take more of the drug to get the same good feeling. Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication.

Drug abuse Signs & Symptoms

Some common Symptoms and signs of drug use disorder:

• Having blackouts and loss memory.
•  Mood problems like irritability, sadness.
• longer amounts of drug taken or for longer than intended.
• continued drug use in spite of continued or repeated social or relationship problems as a result of, or worsened by the drug’s effects.
• Tolerance, which is either a markedly decreased effect of the drug or a need to significantly increase the amount of the substance used in order to experiencethe same high desired effects. 
• Withdrawal، which is defined as either physical or psychological signs or symptoms consistent with withdrawal from a specific drug, or taking drug or one chemically close to that drug in order to avoid developing symptoms of withdrawal.
•  the person significantly lessens or stops engaging in important social, recreational, work or school activities because of the substance use.

Living and management

Some tips for helping healing process from drug abuse:

•  Eat nutritious and meals. Proper nutrition can help the healing process. Nutrients supply the body with energy. They provide substances to build and maintain healthy organs and fight off infection.
•  Get physical activity and enough rest.
•  Reduce caffeine and stop smoking, if possible.
• Seek help from counselors or support groups on a regular basis.
• Take vitamin and mineral supplements if recommended by the health care provider.  
•  Diagnosis is the process of identifying specific diseases, by sign-symptoms of patient and another many procedures, from this identification experienced person can decide specific treatment.

 Diagnosis
Diagnosing of drug abuse is easy procedure by using and knowing factors that can cause it, those factors that mentioned below can cause this situation:-

 1-Using some one’s drug without prescription.

 2-Stop using drugs after disappearing sign-symptoms.

 3-Using medicine in larger dose.

 4-Taking medicine in wrong time (before or after meal…etc.).

at first, you may choose to take a drug because you like the way it makes you feel (temporary recovery from a disease) you can control how much and how often you take it (drug abuse),but overtime drugs change how your brain work and lead to drug addiction (unable to stop use).These physical changes can last a long time, They make you lose self-control, common symptoms of drug addiction are: (mood swing, anxiety, excessive sweating…etc.)

Treatment

To solve this disorder (drug abuse) we should know what is the cause of drug abuse?

A) Factors related to the patient:

• Patient imitation to take some one’s medication without doctor advice.
• Non-compliance with medical advice(guideline).
• Believe that larger dose = quicker recover.
• Patient insist to use more than one drug, ignoring (drug interaction).
• Getting drugs from inexperienced health care adviser.
•  carelessness of the patient to medical advices.

B) factors related to the pharmacy or hospital:

• Giving incomplete advices about a drug by a doctor or a pharmacist to the patient.

•  Giving wrong treatment by a doctor due to overcrowded pharmacy or hospital.

   

(Treatment)
We have many tips that help to treat drug abuse

• Use the drug as prescribed (amount, time, duration of drug use…..)

•  Tie taking your drugs with a daily routine (before choosing meal time, check if your drug is before meal or after meal.

• keep a “calendar” with your pill bottles, and note each time you take a dose to prevent taking wrong doses per a day.
• be compliance with health care adviser’s advices.
• Never use any drugs without prescription.
• Write the notes that doctor tell you about your drugs to keeping in mind
•  Not using other people’s medications to treat the same disease or other illness.
• Be aware of the expiration date and duration of use of the drug.