There is a difference between a drug user and a drug addict. Increasingly people are referred to as junkies. A junkie is a user whose drug addiction is so far advanced; that life is simply not possible without a daily dose of drugs. To get a dose, a junkie is willing to do almost anything: lie, steal, manipulate and blackmail. These features develop in the course of the increasingly progressive drug addiction.
There is a distinction between physical and psychological dependency. Physical dependence occurs when using a drug that leads to physical tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance means that the body needs increasing amounts of the specific drug, to get the same effects. Withdrawal symptoms occur if drug use is reduced or stopped. Psychological dependence occurs when there is a desire for the drug and leads to unpleasant feelings without the use of the drug.
Cannabis is the most common drug. It is especially common with adolescents who smoke it. Next to marijuana, amphetamines is the most commonly used substance, and cocaine has also become increasingly common over the past decade.
Ecstasy has become a fad amongst teenagers.
The reason that some people take drugs is that they feel excited, full of energy or calm and relaxed. You can also get psychedelic experiences. These substances are addictive, and many continue to take them because they become dependent on them.
Drugs can be categorised by the intoxication, they provide:
- Hashish, marijuana and pot seem relaxing and soothing. The result also means that you get lazy and that your senses are amplified and experienced more intensely. You feel euphoric and can lose sense of time.
- Drugs such as heroin, morphine and methadone make you feel elated, relaxed, lethargic and you’re less aware of his surroundings.
- LSD, ecstasy and other designer drugs have the effect that one becomes more active and that what you see, hear or feel is amplified and experienced more intensely. You can also get hallucinations.
- Amphetamines, cocaine, kat and other substances, has an exhilarate effect that makes you feel more active and in a good mood with high confidence. You can also get palpitations.
Besides the illegal drugs, there are many drug addicts using anti-anxiety medication and sleeping pills in large quantities, especially benzodiazepines. The pills give an intoxication where you get excited, have greater self-esteem, become relaxed and passive.
Withdrawal symptoms:
One problem with taking addictive drugs is that you get withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them.
Withdrawal symptoms can be divided into physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. The psychological withdrawal symptoms make you continue to yearn for the substances for a long time after you have stopped taking them and the physical withdrawal symptoms have disappeared.
The physical withdrawal symptoms are different depending on what substances you have taken:
- Hashish, marijuana and pot gives you a general feeling of discomfort.
- Withdrawal symptoms from drugs such as heroin, morphine and methadone are agitation, nausea, muscle pain, cold sweats, chills and insomnia.
- LSD, ecstasy and other designer drugs gives a general feeling of discomfort. Possible flashbacks occur, where you re-live episodes of intoxication.
- Stimulating substances such as amphetamines, cocaine, crack and ketamine often give withdrawal symptoms for a long time. You become tired, irritable and tired of life. You can also risk getting a drug psychosis, where hazards appear around you and you have hallucinations and delusions. At worst, psychosis can turn into schizophrenia.
- Benzodiazepines i.e. sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications provide agitation, muscle twitching, anxiety and possible delirium where you get very upset and scared, do not know the time and place, and often have hallucinations.
It is important to seek help if you think a loved one is suffering from a drug addiction contact our certified drug rehabilitation centres today for more information on addiction treatment programmes in South Africa.