Youth Addictions

1. Why do people do drugs?
2. Signs of Drug Use
3. What Can Drugs do to my Body?
4. What Can Drug Abuse do to my Mind?
5. How Can I Stop Drinking Alcohol or Taking Drugs?
6. Facts
7. How Can the Sexual Assault Centre of Brant Help?

There are various reasons why someone may abuse drugs. Some reasons are: the wish or belief that drugs can solve every problem, the pressures from friends to experiment, the enjoyment of the effects, looking for escape from difficult feelings, and easy access to socially acceptable drugs (like alcohol and tobacco). It looks like an easy escape from problem when in fact it creates worse problems for the future.

Personality

• Becomes disrespectful-is verbally and physically abusive
• Is angry a lot, acts paranoid or confused, or suffers from extreme mood swings
• Seems depressed and less out-going than usual
• Is secretive and lies about what he is doing and where he is going
• Is stealing or "losing" possessions he used to value
• Seems to have a lot of money, or is always asking for money
• Withdraws from the family and family activities

Social Activity/School Performance

• Drops old friends and activities
• Is skipping school
• Loses interest in school work and is getting low grades
• Is sleeping in class
• Loses concentration and is having trouble remembering things

Physical appearance

• Not taking care of hygiene and grooming
• Not sleeping or sleeping too much
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Too hyperactive or too little energy

Different drugs have different effects:

Cannabis

Smoking marijuana regularly can lead to:

• Cancer- cannabis smoke contains tar and other known cancer- causing agents
• Smoking cannabis irritates the respiratory system, and can lead to bronchitis
• It is estimated that smoking three to four joints a day causes the same damage as smoking 20 tobacco cigarettes
• Reduces motivation for work and study
• Chronic, heavy use may impair people's attention, memory and the ability to process complex information for weeks, months and even years after the cessation of cannabis use
• Smoking marijuana or tobacco can cause lung and throat cancer as well as emphysema (literally holes in your lungs)

Barbiturates (i.e. Secinal, Amytal, Fiorinal)

Barbiturates are powerful depressant drugs which slow down your central nervous system.

• Barbiturates are among the most dangerous of drugs used illegally
• Your body quickly becomes tolerant to the drug's euphoric effects and will require the person to need a larger dose- this can lead to an overdose and death
• Mixing barbiturates with alcohol, tranquilizers or heroin or even antihistamines is dangerous and may slow the heart and breathing rates
• If you suddenly stop taking barbiturates you may suffer symptoms so severe it may cause death
• If you inject them you run the risk of contracting hepatitis and AIDS from needles that may be shared with others
• Pregnant women who use may cause birth defects or at the very least their baby will suffer withdrawal symptoms

Ecstasy (E, XTC, the love drug)

The chemical name for Ecstasy is 3, 4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA. It is a combination similar to amphetamine (a stimulant) and mescaline (a hallucinogen).

Effects of this drug may include:

• Animal studies have shown that ecstasy use can damage the brain cells that release serotonin
• Damages the cells and chemistry of the brain, affecting some functions of the brain such as learning and memory
• The risk of damage is related to the amount taken and frequency of use
• Little research has been conducted on this drug and more is needed to determine the long-term effects

Cocaine

Cocaine comes from the leaves of the tropical coca plant. It speeds up the central nervous system and numbs whatever tissue it touches, such as the inside of the nose and throat. Injected the drug produces a powerful, fast response that peaks in minutes and disappears within an hour.

The effects of cocaine:

• Damage to heart tissue and rapid heart beat can cause heart failure and sudden death- even in a healthy person
• A rise in blood pressure brought on by the drug weakens blood vessels in the brain which can cause a stroke
• It is easy to overdose on crack (rock form of cocaine), freebase or injected cocaine- even small amounts
• You can die from convulsions, heart failure, or the depression of vital brain centres that control breathing
• Individuals who inject cocaine run the risk of hepatitis and AIDS if they share needles with others
• Smoking cocaine risks damaging their entire breathing system
• Heavy, long-term use can cause the body to burn itself out
• Other effects may include: insomnia, weight loss, and malnutrition- these are the first warning signs of a serious problem

Opiates (morphine, codeine, heroin)

Opiates are very strong painkillers made from a gummy substance collected from the seed pod of the opium poppy.

The effects of opiates are:

• These drugs- especially heroin- can kill you if you take large doses
• Many people inject opiates because the effect is faster and stronger
• Extra risks from injecting these drugs include: tetanus, infections, liver disease, AIDS, hepatitis and brain damage from dirty needles
• Many heroin users also abuse other drugs such as barbiturates and risk being hooked on these drugs as well as running the risk of overdose
• Pregnant women who take these drugs risk problems during pregnancy and childbirth. Their babies suffer withdrawal symptoms and can die if not treated

Amphetamines (speed)

Amphetamines speed up the body's central nervous system. They mimic the hormone adrenaline, your body's natural stimulant.

Amphetamines affect you by:

• Bringing out violent emotions and dull your ability to think straight
• The drug rarely causes death although the actions of people in this strange mental state have led to accidental deaths, homicides and suicides.
• Some choose to inject or smoke amphetamines and also smoke or shoot up repeatedly for days- eating little and sleeping less- leading to addiction or an overdose
• Injecting amphetamines also puts you at risk for hepatitis, AIDS and other infections from dirty needles or sharing needles

Alcohol (beer, wine, liquor)

Alcohol is a depressant drug because it slows down your brain's ability to think and to make decisions and judgments.

Alcohol can have the following effects:

• Brain damage, ulcers, liver disease, malnutrition, heart disease and various cancers
• People who drink heavily are likely to die younger than people who drink lightly or not at all
• Pregnant women who drink risk having babies with birth defects, FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) or FAE (fetal alcohol effects)- no amount is "safe"
• Drinking and mixing other drugs such as depressants is dangerous and can lead to death

Drugs can produce:

• Overdose (causes serious and sudden physical or mental damage, and could kill you).
• Physical dependence is when a user's body needs the drug in order to function normally. Without it, he feels sick (experiences withdrawal). He could even die from quitting the drug "cold turkey". Not all drugs produce physical dependence, but they may still be abused because of their perceived effects, and as a result of psychological dependence.
• Tolerance means that, over time and with regular use, a user needs more and more of a drug to get the same effect. Tolerance also increases the risk of dangerous or fatal overdose. If a person has stopped doing a certain drug all the time, then he starts up again taking the same amount used to use, he could overdose because his tolerance level has decreased for that drug. As well, he could overdose even if he did not stop for awhile, but just changed the place where he was doing the drugs. So if he built up a tolerance and did this drug at home, then he does the same amounts of the drug somewhere else, he could also overdose.

• Other drugs can cause mental disturbances when the drugs psychoactive effects are over. So you could still be confused, or start to hallucinate even though the drug is supposedly out of your system. You are still "trippin'", when you shouldn't be. If you continued to use the drug for a long period of time, this could start to affect your personality. You could become really irritable and cranky. It will also give you memory loss and learning problems. You won't be able to concentrate.
• Psychological dependence exists when a drug is always on your mind and you can't stop thinking about it.
• Drugs can distort the senses and impair judgment. These effects can lead to safety risks (such as drinking and driving, or reduced ability to protect yourself from others).

If you are thinking about stopping or even cutting back from using drugs and/or alcohol, it is usually because you are becoming concerned about how your use is affecting your life. It is common for friends and family to express their concerns too.

"Will power" is not the only asset needed in order to stop using substances. You need to have an understanding, do some planning and get support.

Understanding

• It takes time for your body to get use to not having a drug or alcohol.
• Make a list of what you like about the drug or alcohol and what you don't like about it.
• When and in what situation do you use the drug or alcohol?
• What other choices do you have other than using the drug or alcohol?

Planning

• Avoid places and situations where you usually use drug and/or alcohol.
• Create different ways of coping- for example join AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or NA (Narcotics Anonymous), join group or private counselling
• Surround yourself with positive people- even if it means avoiding friends who use.

Support

• Inform friends and family about your desire to be clean.
• Surround yourself with people you trust
• Ask your friends to help- for example go to the movies or discuss your addiction.
• If your parents are concerned, let them know what is happening and ask for their help.
• If you go to school, talk to your teacher or guidance counsellor.
• Speak to your doctor, call your youth health clinic, or contact your local youth counselling agency, your local substance abuse counselling service, or call the kids help phone.

• In Canada, the first offence for possession of street drugs is a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to 6 months in jail.
• Alcohol, nicotine, & caffeine are known as invisible drugs since most people do not realize that they are drugs. Pharmacologically, alcohol is a sedative & nicotine and caffeine are stimulants
• The drugs that are most often abused are psychoactive (mind-altering) drugs.
• Aside from caffeine, the psychoactive drug most widely abused is alcohol.
• Excluding prescription drugs, nicotine is the 2nd most often used psychoactive drug, followed by cannabis.
• 71% of teenagers feel that alcohol/drugs are the most important issue facing them today.
• According to the latest national health survey, 24% of the population under 29 years of age use marijuana, 1.8% use cocaine, 7% use heroin, LSD and/or speed and 25% report use of any five illegal drugs in the past year.

From (RCMP Drug Awareness Program", Health Promotions Online, Health Canada)

Local Help in our community

Addiction Services of Brant
Phone: (519) 754-0253
110 Icomm Drive, Suite 101

Office Hours are Monday through Friday 9am - 5pm
This service offers counseling, education and after care services.
No cost for services and waiting list may be up to 1 week.

Holmes House (Detox) Centre
Phone: (519) 428-1911

Addiction Line Information
Phone: 1-888-999-4966
394 West Street
Simcoe, Ontario

12 Bed co-ed facility (6 bed withdrawal Management, 6 bed Residential Treatment).
Covered by OHIP.
Offers 1 year aftercare, one on one support, family program (for family members of a client), women's services addressing current women's issues (domestic violence, etc)
No waiting list.
Office is open 24 hours a day.
If potential client is under age 15, parents consent must be provided.

Homewood Health Centre
Phone: (519) 824-1010
Fax: (519) 824-1827
150 Delhi Street
Guelph, Ontario
N1E 6K9

312 bed facility, privately owned, offering services for behavioral and psychiatric challenges and also addictions. Offers many different counseling/support programs.

Native People's Alcoholic and Drug Centre
Phone: (519) 445-2947
Office hours are from 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday through Friday. Crisis line available.

New Directions
Phone: (519) 445-2947, 445-2051
Located in Ohsweken.
Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 - 4:30pm

The service offers drug and alcohol abuse counseling, outreach, information and education on drug and alcohol abuse. No cost for service and no waiting list.

Helpful Websites:

http://www.streetdrugs.org

http://www.canadian-health-network.ca

http://www.ayn.ca

Support Lines

Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline
Phone: 1-888-230-3505