Lifestyle

Everyone will have their own picture of what a drug addict is. It may be the image of the junkie shooting up heroin, and although this may represent one facet of drug addiction the vast majority of addicts do not conform to this stereotype. Addiction can affect anyone and there are many drugs, both legal (for example tranquillisers and sleeping tablets etc.) and illegal (cocaine, cannabis etc.) that people can become addicted to.

Department of Health statistics for a six-month period to 30th September 1999 report a 7% increase over the previous period in the number of people seeking help from drug misuse agencies. Heroin was the most commonly used drug (59%) followed by cannabis, methadone, amphetamines and cocaine.

There is growing evidence that there is a genetic predisposition to addiction, but addictions are also common in people with no genetic predisposition, especially in the area of drug addiction.

Complete the questionnaire below and if this shows a cause for concern seek a professional assessment of your problem.

The questions below will help you decide whether it would be useful to seek further advice or clarification. If you find that you answer yes to more than three or four questions then it may be worth you getting further information.

1. Do you use drugs to escape when life's problems seem too much to bear?
2. Do the above actions effectively change your mood?
3. Has the quantity of drugs or frequency of using increased over the past year or two?
4. Has the effect of the drug decreased over the last year or two so that you have to take larger amounts to achieve a desired effect?
5. Has your drug taking caused upset in your family or place of work?
6. Do other non-using people say that your drug taking is a problem or out of control?
7. Do you often find that you use a larger quantity of drugs than you initially set out to take?
8. Do you find that you are powerless to stop using drugs once you have started?
9. Do you feel you 'belong' to the human race more when you are using?
10. Do you suffer emotional consequences after using; such as guilt, shame, remorse, self-loathing or a sense of hopelessness?
11. Have you ever used drugs in order to relieve these feelings?
12. Have you ever tried to stop using for any length of time?
13. Have you ever considered ending your life because of your drug habit?
14. Do you continue to use even when the consequences of previous episodes are unresolved; e.g. getting more drugs even when your partner has threatened to leave if you continue using?
15. Have you ever attended a meeting of Narcotics Anonymous or similar?

Drug abuse refers to the use of a drug for purposes for which it was not attended, or using a drug in excessive quantities. Drug addiction is a state of physical or psychological dependence on a drug. Physical addiction is characterised by the presence of tolerance (needing more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect) and withdrawal symptoms that disappear when further medication is taken.
All sorts of different drugs can be abused, including illegal drugs (such as heroin or cannabis), prescription medicines (such as tranquillisers or painkillers), and other medicines that can be bought off the supermarket shelf (such as cough mixtures or herbal remedies).

This depends on the nature of the drug being abused, the person taking the drug and the circumstances under which it is taken.
Some medications - for example certain sleeping pills or painkillers - are physically addictive. They have a specific effect on the body, which leads to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms. Others may lead to a psychological addiction if people have a craving for the effect that the drug causes. There has been some speculation that some people may be more prone to drug abuse and addiction than others. Research is being carried out into whether there may even be genes that predispose certain people to addiction.
Social circumstances are important in drug abuse. Peer pressure, emotional distress and low self-esteem can all lead individuals to abuse drugs. Ease of access to drugs is another influence. People abuse drugs for a reason. Understanding what the person's motivation is helps to explain why that person is abusing drugs.

The first step in treatment is recognition by the individual that they have a problem. The person's GP will be able to advise on treatment for drug addiction. He or she may suggest that they see a specialist.
Effective treatments are tailored to the needs of the individual. There is no one therapy that is used in all cases. The choice of treatment will also depend on which drug is being abused. Treatments include psychological therapies, such as behaviour therapy and medication to help the individual's withdrawal symptoms.
Specific areas that may be focussed on during treatment include:

• detoxification (coming off the drug if physically addicted)
• preventing relapse
• coping with relapse
• longer term rehabilitation.

Drug addiction covers a range of different substances. Below we look at the different drugs available, the forms it comes in, the effects, risks, and the legal implications of using them.