What is substance abuse

1
What is substance abuse?

• Substance abuse is defined as any substance,
  legal or illegal, used in an improper way, that
  chemically modifies the body s function, results
  in psychological or behavioral changes and can
  lead to dependency and/or physical addiction.

2
The categories of substance abuse

• Substance Abuse can be divided into
• 1 - Alcohol
• 2 - Illegal drugs
• 3 - Medication prescription medication
• over-the-counter medication
• 4 - Other caffeine, nicotine, khat, etc.

3
Substance abusers all have MORE

• Behavioral problems
• Divorces
• Family violence
• Anxiety and depression
• Car accidents
• Work-related accidents
• Absenteeism
• Errors of judgement
• Missed deadlines
• Loss of productivity
• Health problems
• Days of hospitatlization

4
Alcohol - Some false ideas

• Alcohol is thirst quenching.
• False. It dehydrates the body increasing urine
  production.
• Alcohol gives you strength.
• False. It may give a feeling of strength due to
  the
• impression of euphoria it provides, however,
• exhaustion upon effort rapidly appears.
• Alcohol is warming.
• False. The sensation of warmth is due to the
  dilatation of the blood vessels under the skin.
• Alcohol is less toxic if diluted with water.
• False. 10 coins in a glass of water or 10 coins
  on the table still equal 10 coins !
• Alcohol speeds up the reflexes.
• False. On the contrary, it increases reaction
  time !

5
Alcohol - Some false ideas

• There is less alcohol in a glass of beer than in
  a glass of whiskey.
• False. A glass of beer (in a beer glass) and a
  glass of whiskey
• (in a whiskey glass) both contain 10 grams of
  pure alcohol.
• Alcohol is not fattening.
• False. Just look at the beer bellies of heavy
  beer drinkers !
• Exercise speeds up the elimination of alcohol.
• False. You may sweat more but it does not
  increase the elimination of alcohol.
• Coffee and a cold shower will reverse the effects
  of alcohol.
• False. They may wake you up a bit, but you will
  still be under the influence of alcohol.

6
Acute drinking

• Alcohol enters the blood through the stomach and
  intestines and within a few minutes reaches the
  brain where it produces a certain degree of
  euphoria and modifies
• Judgment
• Concentration and memory
• Visual perception
• measuring distances
• identifying obstacles
• Reflexes
• Perception of speed
• Alcohol slows down coordination and response
  rate.
• It increases reaction time.

7
Over the years alcohol

• Destroys brain cells ? sleep disorders,
  neurological problems
• Destroys liver cells ? cirrhosis and cancer
• Provokes digestive problems (gastritis, ulcers,
  etc.)
• Increases the risk of numerous cancers (mouth,
  tongue, throat, esophagus, pancreas, colon,
  rectum)
• Increases the risk of breast cancer in women
• Reduces libido and sexual performance
• Interacts with other drugs and medication

8
Alcohol and Driving

• Alcohol is a major factor in car accidents
• It is found in
• 25 of accidents causing injury to driver or
  passenger
• 50 of fatal collisions
• 65 of accidents where a single driver is
  involved
• Never Drink and Drive

9
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)/ time
0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1
Evolution of two glasses of alcohol drank at time
0.
50 kg woman
75 kg man
Time (hours)
0 1 2 3
4 5 6 7
8
10
Alcohol and Driving

• Make a Choice ...
• Take a Taxi
• Designate a Driver
• Make a Commitment
• Behave responsibly.
• It is your personal choice and your future.
• Think about your family and your friends.

11
Alcohol and Driving

• Plan ... think ahead
• Designate a Driver BEFORE taking the first drink.
• Stick to the plan
• Make the Commitments ...
• I will NOT drive after drinking
• I will NOT allow my colleagues to drive after
  drinking

12
Illegal Drugs
What is an illegal drug? A medication, altered,
modified or mixed Used for non-medical
purposes By someone who has no medical
problem Use of illegal drugs is prohibited in
most countries Prison sentence in most
countries Death sentence in some countries
13
Effects of Drug Abuse

• Leads to addiction and dependency
• Provokes withdrawal symptoms when stopped
• Toxic for the human body, and can lead to death
• Can provoke serious health problems (AIDS,
  hepatitis B C)
• Reduces safety and increases driving and
  work-related accidents
• Reduces concentration, efficiency, performance
• and productivity
• Increases absenteeism

14
Illegal Drugs

• What are the Illegal Drugs ?
• Cannabis (marijuana)
• Opiates
• Opium
• Morphine
• Heroin
• Codeine
• Cocaine (crack)
• Amphetamines (speed, ecstasy)
• Hallucinogens (LSD, PCP)
• Inhalants or Organic Solvents (glue)

15
Treatment or Rehabilitation

• Rehabilitation is identical for alcohol and drugs
• Four steps are required for rehabilitation to
  work
• 1-Recognizing the problem
• 2-Taking the decision to stop
• 3-Weaning
• 4-Starting a new life without alcohol/drug
• The decision must be made by the substance abuser
  for it to be effective.

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Prescription Over-the-counter Medications
Any medication taken regularly can become habit
forming and addictive. Dependency can be physical
as well as psychological. 40 of all car
accident victims were taking a legally prescribed
or over-the-counter medication before the
accident. All of the following, and many more,
can become addictive and interfere with a
person s vigilance and performance Tranquilize
rs, sleeping pills, antidepressants Muscle
relaxants Antihistamines Certain medication to
treat high blood pressure Cough
medicine Certain painkillers
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In conclusion

• Illegal drugs are dangerous and can lead to death
• Alcohol can be dangerous
• Never drink and drive
• Never take medication with alcohol
• Never take medication when driving or working on
  machinery
• If taking a medication, take it at the prescribed
  dosage
• Avoid over-the-counter medication and
  self-medication
• Don t get hooked!
• Substance abuse can lead to
• severe family, professional and
• health consequences.