plz help me. best answer gets 10 points! thanks in advance!!?

Question

when do you think drug use leads to drug abuse?

please write as much as you like.. and thanks for your help.. i like reading different responses.. and thank-you for your time.. have a great day!!

Answer 1

The first time you fail to "Just say No".
Is the first step to drug abuse. some people do not have the moral character to say NO! It takes a personality dysfunction to even go down that road. We all know what happens when you begin to experiment with something that you know is addictive and can ruin your life.
I have seen first hand what happens to loved ones when they choose the path of dependency on drugs. It breaks your heart and scares the life out of you, when you watch them scream in agony from the pain of withdrawal...Now day's it's the sissy way out methadone. Years ago it was cold turkey!

Answer 2

Tell you child about how drugs are harmful to everyone, especially young people whose bodies and minds are still growing. Drug abuse will lead to impaired school performance and motor skills. Children who use drugs often lose friends and interest in school. They could have trouble paying attention in class and become unable to remember what is taught.

Tell your child that you do not find drug use acceptable. Establish appropriate consequences. Many children say they have never heard their parents state this principle. Also, tell them drug abuse is against the law.

Praise your child. Tell your child what good qualities he or she possesses. Be specific. Let him or her know that drug abuse can cover up or destroy those fine traits.

Show your child some drug-free alternatives. Parties, picnics and family outings do not have to include drugs.

Teach you child to say no! Tell your child what behavior you expect in certain situations. Let your child know that you believe in and trust him or her to do what is right!

Learn by doing! Act out situations in which your child needs to make an important decision. Figure out different ways to resolve conflicts. Role-playing is a good way to practice decision-making skills.

Grab those "teachable moments." Rather than lecturing, use a "real life" situation to teach social values. For example, while you are watching television together a negative event may occur. Ask your child how he or she would have reacted. Discuss other choices. Do the same with newspapers, books and the news. Make on point a a time. Other opportunities will arise.

You are the model for you child's behavior. Your example will dictate the future habits of your children. Your child will compare what you say with what you do. If you drink, don't drive. If you smoke, try to quit or try not smoke around the children. Do not use illegal drugs.

Exchange information with your child about drugs. Encourage your child to share experiences, concerns and fears openly. On-going dialogue is much more effective than just talking about drugs once.

Communicate calmly and frankly the facts about drugs. You don’t need to exaggerate; the facts are grim enough.

Answer 3

Drug use leads to drug abuse when you start to rely on the drug to function correctly. You build tolerance and need more of it to get the same effect you did the first time. Hmm... Well did you know you don't get addicted to marijuana like you do w/ cigarettes? I can't remember how it's different, I just know it is. I guess that's all I really have to say! ;)



Wow...I think that person above me won!

Answer 4

The circumstances of an individual's drug use provide indicators of the severity of a current problem or the likelihood that a past problem will recur in the future.2

Age: Early initiation of drug use is one of the best predictors of future drug abuse and dependence. Individuals whose drug use started before high school (age 14 or younger) are more vulnerable to drug problems later in life than those who started using drugs in high school or college. Initiation of drug use between age 15 and 18 is common. Drug use usually peaks during the senior year in high school or in college (age 17 to 23). Continuation of peak usage after college (or age 23) indicates potential for future problems. Initial experimentation with drugs after college (or age 23) is unusual and suggests future problems.

Increased maturity and lifestyle changes that usually accompany employment, marriage, or the birth of children often lead to reduction or cessation of drug use. Continuation of the same social environment in which past drug use occurred suggests that use may continue.

Solitary Drug Use: Solitary drug use is more indicative of future drug problems than is social use. Use of drugs to relax prior to a social event is more indicative of future drug problems than use at social events.

Means of Acquiring Drugs: Purchase of drugs from a stranger may indicate as much about an individual's need for and dependence upon drugs as growing one's own. Buying drugs from a friend is more predictive of future problems than being given drugs by a friend. Few drug users admit to buying or selling drugs; almost everyone says they share or split. Asking what was given or shared in return for the drug may help distinguish a purchase in kind from a true gift.

Motivation for Drug Use: If drugs are used to reduce stress or build self-esteem, this suggests underlying psychological problems that may persist and cause continued drug use or problems with other addictions. Rebelliousness as a motivation for past drug use does not necessarily predict future drug use, but it may indicate other antisocial behavior. Among the various possible motivations for drug use, peer pressure and a desire to be sociable are the least suggestive of future drug problems.

Use of Multiple Drugs: Use of more than one drug at a time, such as both marijuana and cocaine, suggests that drug use is well advanced and may stem from underlying psychological problems.

Behavior While Under the Influence of Drugs: If drug use is associated with traffic violations, pranks, shoplifting, fights, etc., it may be part of a larger pattern of antisocial behavior that is itself a security concern.





Use:
Any taking in of a psychoactive substance. The term simple use is sometimes used to distinguish experimentation or occasional recreational use that does not reach the point of abuse or dependence. Note: The distinction between use and abuse is not meant to imply that simple use is benign or that there is any level of drug involvement that is not potentially dangerous.

Abuse:
Use becomes abuse when it continues despite persistent or recurrent social, occupational, psychological or physical problems caused by or made worse by this use. Use before driving a car or engaging in other activities that are dangerous when under the influence of a psychoactive substance also qualifies as abuse. The transition from use to abuse is often gradual, and there is no clear threshold for defining the point at which use becomes abuse. Frequency and quantity of use are important considerations, as is the extent to which drug use has become a regular feature of one's lifestyle.

Dependence: Habitual, compulsive use of a substance over a prolonged period of time. The substance may be taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than intended. Increased amounts of the substance may be needed to achieve the desired effect. There may have been unsuccessful efforts to cut down on the amount of use. A great deal of time may be spent in obtaining the substance or recovering from its effects. There may be a significant impact on one's work, home or social life, or mental or physical health.

Drug Dangers
There are two aspects of a drug's dangerousness -- the risk of addiction and the adverse health and behavioral consequences. Both differ greatly from one drug to another. There is no illegal drug that does not have serious adverse consequences.

Drug dependence can develop through either psychological or physical processes.

Psychological dependence is characterized by emotional and mental preoccupation with the drug's pleasurable effects. One craves more to regain the stimulation, elation, sense of well-being, or other psychological pleasures from the drug. Psychological dependence also occurs when one develops a lifestyle that depends upon drug use.
Physical dependence occurs when the body adjusts to the presence of a drug, so that physical symptoms usually involving discomfort and pain occur when the drug is withdrawn. The addict craves more drugs in order to avoid or alleviate the pain.
The development of psychological or physical dependency depends, in part, on frequency of use. Increasing the frequency or dosage over time suggests tolerance and physical dependence