DRUG AWARENESS

Substance Use and Abuse

What Are Drugs?
 What are drugs?

–A is any chemical substance that

alters either the mind or the body.
The substance can turn harmful and
fatal when not properly taken.
–Not all drugs are illegal.
–Many are legal like alcohol, headache
tablets, cigarettes and glue
(inhalants).
 2 TYPES OF DRUGS

–OTC or Over-the-counter drugs are drugs

which does not need prescription in
buying.

–Prescription drugs are restricted drugs

that can only be purchased legally when
prescribed by physicians/doctors.
 Classification of drugs

1. Pharmacological classification – it
includes
• Stimulants
• Depressants
• Hallucinogens
• Volatile solvents
Stimulants speed up or stimulate the
central nervous system and can make
the users feel more awake, alert or
confident. Stimulants increase heart
rate, body temperature and blood
pressure.
Referred to as “uppers” are psychoactive
drugs.
Where do we get our caffeine?
Effects of Excessive Caffeine
– Affects the length/quality of sleep. Heavy caffeine
users suffer from sleep-deprivation because their
nervous system is too stimulated to allow them
deep, restful or prolonged sleep.
– Caffeine addiction which involves nervousness,
irritability, agitation, headaches or ringing in the
ears.
– Causes blood sugar, or blood glucose, to be released
from storage through the effects of the adrenal
hormones. Requires your pancreas to over-work.
This can cause the user to
have elevated mood,
alertness and awareness.

These drugs are also a

treatment of mild
depression, overweight
and chronic sleep disorder
Medical uses of these
drugs include treatment of
mild depression,
overweight and chronic
sleep disorder called
NARCOLEPSY
When stimulants wear
off, the user will feel

* Fatigue
* Weakness
* Sleepiness
* Deep Sadness
* Depression
Depressants also called
“downers” are anti-psychotic
drugs which depress the central
nervous system creating
relaxation, drowsiness and
sleepiness.
In larger doses, depressants can
cause unconsciousness by
reducing breathing and heart
rate. A person's speech may
become slurred and their
movements sluggish and
uncoordinated.
Higher doses of these
drugs would cause
*impaired memory
*judgement
*coordination
*paranoia
*suicidal tendencies
*coma or death
 Types of depressants are:
A.Tranquilizers – Mild effects used for
anxiety

B. Barbiturates – More potent

depressants used for sleep disorders
and seizures

C. Hypnotics – the strongest depressants

 Two types of SEDATIVE-
HYPNOTICS

A.Barb/Barbiturates – used to help

people sleep and relieve tensions

B. Benzodiazepines – used to treat

anxiety; commonly known as
tranquilizers.
NARCOTICS
•Also known as “PAIN
KILLERS”
•Slow down central nervous
system
•Often prescribed by
physicians as analgesics that
relieve pain
 TYPES OF NARCOTICS

A.Opium – Made from

seedpod of the poppy plants
Effect
* Unconsciousness
lasting for hours
 TYPES OF NARCOTICS
A.Morphine – Widely-used painkillers
derived from opium
Effect
* Often used after surgery or for
cancer cases
* Small dose relieves pain while large
dose induces sleep
 TYPES OF NARCOTICS
A.Heroin – Heroin was initially developed
from morphine as treatment for
tuberculosis.
Effect
* Awful Withdrawal, sweating , chills,
diarrhea, abdominal pain, and cramps in
legs
 Types of Drugs

Hallucinogenic - drugs distort the

user's perceptions of reality. The
main physical effects are dilation of
pupils, loss of appetite, increased
activity, talking or laughing, jaw
clenching, sweating and sometimes
stomach cramps or nausea.
EFFECTS
*sense of emotional and psychological
euphoria and well-being.
*Visual, auditory and tactile
hallucinations may occur
*causing users to see or hear things
that do not actually exist.
 Types of Drugs

Inhalants – Chemicals that produce

vapors, affecting mood and
behaviors when inhaled.

Non medical inhalants are

uncontrolled drugs.
Why Do People Use Drugs?
 Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

–to fit in with a group of friends

– they might be curious
–just bored.

Drugs don't solve problems and using

them often causes other problems on
top of the ones the person had in the
first place.
 Why Do People Use Illegal Drugs?

–Often to help the person escape from

reality for a while.
–If a person is sad or upset, a drug can
- temporarily - make the person feel
better or forget about problems. But
this escape lasts only until the drug
wears off.
Myth Busting

– Drug addiction is voluntary

– Drugs that are legal are helpful, illegal drugs are harmful
– Marijuana is not bad for you
– Combining drugs is not harmful
– Addicts can not recover
– Once detoxification ends, if the addict does not return to
drugs, changes in the pathways of the brain will return to their
normal state
– Driving is not affected by the influence of drugs
Why Do People Use Drugs?
 Why Do People Use Illegal
Drugs?
–to fit in with a group of friends
– they might be curious
–just bored.
–Often to help the person escape from
reality for a while.
–If a person is sad or upset, a drug can -
temporarily - make the person feel better
or forget about problems. But this escape
lasts only until the drug wears off.
 Signs Someone is Using Drugs

–lose interest in school

–change friends (to hang out with kids
who use drugs)
–become moody, negative, cranky or
worried all the time
–ask to be left alone a lot
–have trouble concentrating
 Signs Someone is Using Drugs

–sleep a lot (maybe even in class)

–get in fights
–have red or puffy eyes
–lose or gain weight
–cough a lot
–have a runny nose all of the time
 What You Can Do To Help
– The best thing to do is to tell an adult that you trust; a parent, other
relative, teacher, coach, or school counselor.
– The person might need professional help to stop using drugs. A grown-up
can help the person find the treatment he or she needs to stop using drugs.
– Kids can also help others is by choosing not to try or use drugs. It's a good
way for friends to stick together.
– Understanding drugs and why they are dangerous is another good step for
a kid to take.