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CRYSTAL METH

CRYSTAL METH

Effects of Meth

Methamphetamine addiction typically occurs when a person begins to use the drug as a stimulant for its powerful enhancing effects on sex, mood, energy, alertness and ability to concentrate as well as for weight loss and appetite suppression.

Methamphetamine (also known as meth, tik, tuk, speed or crystal) is a synthetic, illegally-produced substance that is a powerful central nervous system stimulant.

Symptoms of Meth 

Over time, Meths destroys the brain’s dopamine receptors, making it impossible to feel pleasure. Permanent cognitive damage can occur. Deterioration of the body takes place and chronic abuse can lead to psychotic behaviour. Those who inject the drug are susceptible to infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.

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COCAINE | CRACK
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COCAINE | CRACK

Short Term Effects of Cocaine

  • Loss of appetite | Nausea | Dilated pupils

  • Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature

  • Contracted blood vessels | Increased rate of breathing

  • Disturbed sleep patterns | Anxiety and paranoia

  • Hyperstimulation | Intense euphoria | Depression | Intense drug craving

  • Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior | Panic and psychosis

  • Hallucinations, hyperexcitability, irritability

  • Tactile hallucination that creates the illusion of bugs  under the skin

  • Convulsions, seizures and sudden death from high doses (even one time)

Long Term Effects of Cocaine

  • Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain 

  • High blood pressure, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death

  • Liver, kidney and lung damage | malnutrition, weight loss | tooth decay

  • Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed | Respiratory failure if smoked

  • Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected

  • Auditory and tactile hallucinations | Disorientation, confused exhaustion

  • Sexual problems, reproductive damage and infertility 

  • Irritability and mood disturbances | Increased frequency of risky behavior

  • Delirium or psychosis | Severe depression 

  • Tolerance and addiction (even after just one use)

MARIJUANA

MARIJUANA

Effects of Marijuana

Some of the more immediate effects of smoking marijuana include a dry mouth, red eyes, increased heart rate, lowered concentration, weakened motor skills and the ‘munchies’ (insatiable hunger). At times fantasies, anxiety, panic attacks and paranoia have been reported by cannabis smokers. Psychosis, an episode in which someone becomes detached from reality is not uncommon and can be a scary experience for all concerned. It’s an ABSOLUTE myth that a person needs to be smoking cannabis for years before possibly becoming psychotic, There are known cases of first-time smokers who have had psychotic episodes and have to take medication to manage the psychosis, possibly for the rest of their life. Once a person has a psychotic episode then they are predisposed to repeating the same experience if they stop the medication or start taking any kind of street drug again such as amphetamines or cocaine!

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Other signs

  • Forging, stealing or selling prescriptions | Taking higher doses than prescribed | Being hostile or having mood swings

  • Sleeping less or more | Making poor decisions | Being unusually energetic, high or revved up | Being drowsy

  • Requesting early refills or continually "losing" prescriptions, so more prescriptions must be written

  • Trying to get prescriptions from more than one prescriber

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PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse depend on the specific drug. Because of their mind-altering properties, the most misused prescription drugs are:

  • Opioids used to treat pain, such as medicines containing oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet) and those containing hydrocodone (Norco)

  • Anti-anxiety medicines, sedatives and hypnotics used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium) and zolpidem (Ambien)

  • Stimulants used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and certain sleep disorders, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, others), dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis) and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)

Opioids

  • Constipation | Nausea | Feeling high | Slowed breathing rate | Drowsiness | Confusion | Poor coordination

  • Increased dose needed for pain relief | Worsening or increased sensitivity to pain with higher doses

Anti-anxiety medicines & sedatives

  • Drowsiness | Confusion | Unsteady walking | Slurred speech Poor concentration | Dizziness

  • Problems with memory |Slowed breathing

Stimulants

  • Increased alertness | Feeling high | Irregular heartbeat | High blood pressure | High body temperature

  • Reduced appetite | Insomnia | Agitation | Anxiety | Paranoia

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HEROIN

Short-term effects of heroin:

  • Euphoria | dry mouth | warm, flushed skin

  • Arms and legs that feel heavy | Upset stomach and vomiting

  • Itching | A fuzzy brain

  • Switching in and out of drowsiness (this is often called being “on the nod”)

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Long-term heroin use :

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HEROIN
ALCOHOL
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ALCOHOL

You may have an alcohol use disorder if you:

  • Drink more, or longer, than you plan to

  • Have tried to cut back or stop more than once and couldn’t

  • Spend a lot of time drinking, being sick, or hungover

  • Want alcohol so badly you can’t think of anything else

  • Have problems with work, school, or family because of your habit (or because you're sick after having alcohol)

  • Keep drinking even though it has caused problems for you or your relationships

  • Quit or cut back on other activities that were important to you in order to drink

  • Have found yourself in situations while drinking or afterward that made you more likely to get hurt

  • Keep having alcohol even though it made you depressed or anxious, hurt your health, or led to a memory blackout

  • Have to drink more than you used to for the effect you want

  • Found that you had withdrawal symptoms when the buzz wore off, like trouble sleeping, shakiness, restlessness, nausea, sweating, a racing heart, a seizure, or seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren't there.

GAMBLING

GAMBLING

Signs and symptoms

Gambling addiction is sometimes referred to as a “hidden illness” because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms like there are in drug or alcohol addiction. Problem gamblers also typically deny or minimize the problem—even to themselves.

You may have a gambling problem if you:

Feel the need to be secretive about your gambling. You might gamble in secret or lie about how much you gamble, feeling others won't understand or that you will surprise them with a big win.

Have trouble controlling your gambling. Once you start gambling, can you walk away? Or are you compelled to gamble until you've spent your last dollar, upping your bets in a bid to win lost money back?

Gamble even when you don't have the money. You may gamble until you've spent your last dollar, and then move on to money you don't have—money to pay bills, credit cards, or things for your children. You may feel pushed to borrow, sell, or even steal things for gambling money.

Have family and friends worried about you. Denial keeps problem gambling going. If friends and family are worried, listen to them carefully. It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Many older gamblers are reluctant to reach out to their adult children if they've gambled away their inheritance, but it's never too late to make changes for the better.

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CODEPENDENCY
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CODEPENDENCY

Characteristics Of Co-Dependent People Are:

  • An exaggerated sense of responsibility for the actions of others

  • A tendency to confuse love and pity, with the tendency to “love” people they can pity and rescue

  • A tendency to do more than their share, all of the time

  • A tendency to become hurt when people don’t recognize their efforts

  • An unhealthy dependence on relationships. The co-dependent will do anything to hold on to a relationship; to avoid the feeling of abandonment

  • An extreme need for approval and recognition

  • A sense of guilt when asserting themselves

  • A compelling need to control others

  • Lack of trust in self and/or others

  • Fear of being abandoned or alone

  • Difficulty identifying feelings

  • Rigidity/difficulty adjusting to change

  • Problems with intimacy/boundaries

  • Chronic anger

  • Lying/dishonesty

  • Poor communications

  • Difficulty making decisions

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