COLUMBUS HOSPITAL
- Institute for Psychiatry and Neurosciences
- Transforming Lives for a better tommorrow
Institute for Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Memory and Addiction
HYDERABAD SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER
1-10-63/4, CHIKOTI GARDENS
BEGUMPET
HYDERABAD, ANDHRA PRADESH 500016
ph: +91 9348039580
alt: +91 40 27761112
admin
Alcohol and Drug Addiction
There are 8 drug and related disorders.
1. Drug Harmful Use Disorder
2. Drug Intoxication Disorder
3. Drug Dependance Disorder
4. Drug Induced Mood Disorder
5. Drug Induced Anxiety Disorder
6. Drug Induced Personality Disorder
7. Drug induced Psychotic Disorder
8. Drug induced other Disorder
Of the above Drug Dependance Disorder is most damaging. It is this Disorder that is commonly called as Addiction Disorder.
How does one recognize that one has Addiction Disorder?
1. Persistant and nearly daily use of the drug or alcohol
2. Craving for the drug/alcohol or having intense desire to take the drug/alcohol
3. Developing tolerance for the drug - requiring increasing amounts to get the same effect
4. Preoccupation with the drug use throughout the day
5. Developing withdrawal effect of the drug
6. Evidence of medical harmful effect on the body
7. Evidence of effect on one's daily activities, family life, marital life, social life, occupation, education, finances etc
Not every who takes alcohol or drugs develop the above 8 drug related diseases. Some may be occassional users, some regular users and others Diseased users
When one has Drug addiction disease, one may not be able to control the drug use and may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes. Drug addiction can cause an intense craving for the drug. One may want to quit, but most people find they can't do it on their own.
How does it start?
In nearly all people, it starts in the early teens. They experiment or take drugs/smoking/alcohol along with their friends or peer group due to pressure either to gain acceptance or on occassions or parties.
Gradually, they start to take on weekends and later to weekdays and then daily. At times they may be able to stop taking drugs or alcohol for days or weeks but then the usual pattern returns.
This progress may take from few months to few years before it beocmes full blown addiction illness.
Once it becomes daily use and daytime use, it is then said to be serious or addiction disease.
For many people, what starts as casual use leads to drug addiction. Drug addiction can cause serious, long-term consequences, including problems with physical and mental health, relationships, employment and the law.
They may need help from a doctor, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program to overcome the drug addiction and stay drug-free.
Most drug addictions start with casual or social use of a drug. For some people, using the drug becomes a habit, and its use becomes more and more frequent. As time passes, one may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon they may need the drug just to feel good. As the drug use increases, they may find that it becomes increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Stopping may cause intense cravings and make one feel physically ill (withdrawal symptoms).
Tobacco chewing and smoking
The most dangerous and damaging drug addiction of all. It in a way contributes to heart diseases, lung diseases, cancers, brain strokes, Infertility issues and a host of other medical diseases. The cost of medical expenditure due to tobacco is enormous.
Three treatment options are available as on today
1. Nicotine Replacement Therapy - gums, patches, pastilles etc
2. Bupropion - an antidepressant which decreases the craving
3. Verinicline - Champix or Chantix
Alcohol
It is socially acceptable but damaging. It leads to various gastrointestinal diseases affecting stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, vessels of the gut, intestines and above all heart and brain.
Withdrawing from alcohol may be difficult and requires effective treatment by trained psychiatrists.
Thiamine supplements, other vitamin supplements, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, acamprosate, naltrexone, topiramate etc are some of the treatments options available apart from long-term stay at a rehabilitation center. The patients is said to be cured of alcohol dependance disorder if the absteinant period is atleast 2years.
Marijuana and hashish
This is gaining ground and catching up with the above two drugs.
This is also called grass, ganja, weed etc. It's possible to develop a psychological addiction to cannabis compounds including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana and hashish. People who have a marijuana addiction generally use the drug on a daily basis. They don't actually have a physical dependence on the drug but rather feel the need to regularly use the drug.
Signs of use and dependence can include:
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are prescription central nervous system depressants. Benzodiazepines include sedatives such as diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, clonazepam, and chlordiazepoxide.
Signs of use and dependence can include:
When to see a Psychiatrist
If you think your drug use is out of control or is causing problems, get help. The sooner you seek help, the greater your chances are for a long-term recovery. Your family doctor may be a good place to start, or you may see a mental health provider such as a psychiatrist.
Make an appointment to see a doctor if:
Seek emergency help if you or someone you know has taken a drug and:
Like many psychiatric disorders, drug addiction and dependence depends on several things. Two main factors include:
Brain pathways
Physical addiction appears to occur when repeated use of a drug alters the way your brain feels pleasure. The addicting drug causes physical changes to some nerve cells (neurons) in your brain. Neurons use chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate.
People of any age, sex or economic status can become addicted to a drug. However, certain factors can affect the likelihood of your developing an addiction:
Dependence on drugs can create a number of life-changing complications. They can include:
You're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a specialist, such as a counselor, psychiatrist or psychologist.
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. Some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
Diagnosing a drug addiction often starts at the family doctor level, often after one family member has raised concerns about another family member's behavior. Your doctor may ask questions about the frequency of drug use, whether any family member has criticized your drug use or whether you've ever felt you might have a problem.
A definitive diagnosis of drug addiction usually occurs after an evaluation by a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a specialized addiction counselor. Blood tests aren't used to diagnose a drug addiction but may be used to see whether you've taken certain drugs in the recent past.
To be diagnosed with an addiction (substance dependence), you must meet criteria spelled out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This manual is published by the American Psychiatric Association and is used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental conditions and by insurance companies to reimburse for treatment.
Certain criteria must be met for you to be diagnosed with substance dependence. These include a pattern of drug use that causes significant problems or distress that includes three or more of the following, occurring at any time over a 12-month period:
Drug addiction treatments include organized inpatient or outpatient treatment programs, counseling, and self-help groups to help you resist using the addictive drug again. Depending on your level of addiction, you may need steps to help you withdraw from using the drug (detoxification).
Therapies such as counseling, addiction treatment programs and self-help group meetings can help you overcome an addiction and stay sober.
Withdrawal therapy
The goal of withdrawal therapy (detoxification) is for you to stop taking the addicting drug as quickly and safely as possible. Detoxification may involve gradually reducing the dose of the drug or temporarily substituting other substances, such as methadone, that have less severe side effects. For some people, it may be safe to undergo withdrawal therapy on an outpatient basis; others may require admission to a hospital or a residential treatment center.
Overcoming an addiction and staying drug-free require a lot of effort. Learning new coping skills and knowing where to find help are essential. Here are some steps you may want to consider:
Staging an intervention
Because many drug users deny they have a problem, they won't seek help on their own. Family members, friends or co-workers may need to persuade the user to seek treatment. If you have a friend or family member with a drug problem who won't get help, you may need to take steps to organize a planned intervention.
An intervention is a carefully planned process in which family and friends, teachers, clergy members, or others join together to confront someone about the consequences of addiction and ask him or her to accept a treatment plan. A successful intervention involves careful planning, research and teamwork. If you think you need to set up an intervention, learn how to do it correctly. A carefully organized intervention can be very successful, but a poorly planned confrontation can make the situation worse.
The best way to prevent an addiction to an illegal drug is not to take the drug at all. Use care when taking an addictive prescription drug. Your doctor may prescribe narcotics to relieve pain, benzodiazepines to relieve anxiety or insomnia, or barbiturates to relieve nervousness or irritation. Doctors prescribe these medications at safe doses and monitor their use so that you're not given too great a dose or for too long a time. If you feel you need to take more than the prescribed dose of a medication, talk to your doctor.
Preventing drug abuse in children
Take the following steps to help prevent drug abuse in your children:
Preventing a relapse
Once you've been addicted to a drug, you're at high risk of falling back into a pattern of addiction. If you do start using the drug, it's likely you'll lose control over its use again — even if you've had treatment and you haven't used the drug for some time.
Contact for information:
COLUMBUS HOSPITAL
Tel: 040 27761112, 04027761113
Mobile: 9652496380
Address: 1-10-63/4, Chikoti Gardens,
Begumpet, Hyderabad - 500016, India
www.columbushospitals.in
Hyderabad Suicide Prevention Center
www. wish2live.com
Email: admin@columbushospitals.in
Copyright 2014 COLUMBUS HOSPITAL. All rights reserved.
1-10-63/4, CHIKOTI GARDENS
BEGUMPET
HYDERABAD, ANDHRA PRADESH 500016
ph: +91 9348039580
alt: +91 40 27761112
admin