By Jennifer Bailey

Drug abuse by teenagers is very common, which can lead to disastrous consequences in the future. A large proportion of deaths in people between 15 and 24 are reportedly connected in some way or the other to drug or alcohol abuse. Such abuse also leads to violent criminal acts, such as assault, murder or rape. Some young people also take drugs to overcome depression and anxiety.

If a young member of your family suddenly starts behaving in a aberrant manner or tries to keep aloof from other family members, you have some reasons to be suspicious. Physical signs like red eyes, nagging cough, and changes in eating and sleeping habits should also serve as warning signals.

A teenager with a family history of drug abuse and a lack of social skills can move rapidly from the level of experimentation to grave abuse or dependency. Some other teenagers, who have no family history of such abuse, may also reach the level of utter dependency. Although any prediction is almost impossible, teenagers with a family history of alcohol or drug abuse should especially abstain and refrain from experimenting.

The user’s preoccupation with drugs, plus its effects on mood and performance, can lead to poor performance in schools, colleges or workplaces, resulting in dismissal. A child’s drug abuse can devastate parents and other family members, and ruin family life. According to the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, teens and their parents view drugs as their biggest concern.

The effects of different types of drugs on teenagers include irritability, insomnia, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, violent behavior, memory loss, learning problems, increased heart rate, lethargy, panic attacks, symptoms of chronic bronchitis, daily coughs and phlegm, more frequent chest colds, muscle tension, teeth clenching, dehydration, hypothermia, brain damage, and death.

rug Abuse provides detailed information on Drug Abuse, Drug Abuse Treatments, Drug Abuse Treatment Centers, Teen Drug Abuse and more. Drug Abuse is affiliated with Drug Abuse Treatment Programs.

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Tags rel="tag">disastrous | rel="tag">death | rel="tag">depression | rel="tag">anxiety | rel="tag">dependency

By Jake Wells

The extreme pressure that sports can exercise over a person can become overwhelming and take him or her to do something out of the ordinary in order to stay competitive. There isn’t anything wrong in training more hours a day and more days a week to become stronger, faster, and better. Always watching, of course, that he or she doesn’t push him or herself too much and pass out. That’s when drug problems can become an issue, and let me tell you, drugs and athletes don’t mix. Here I’m going to tell you some useful tips the will let you identify when an athlete friend of yours is using or not.

At first you will notice a huge improvement in their performance.

It won’t be too abrupt but he or she will transform into a machine capable of doing things weren’t possible before. This part is tricky because you will feel as happy as he or she is for him or her because of their great work. It’s not as if by just taking the drugs they’ll be superman, but they will enable them to practice for even more and more hours and it will look as if they are practicing has finally paid off.

Most athletes will tell you that there’s nothing wrong in using drugs in sports if its going to make them better.

The horrible truth is that they won’t only get better, they will get bitter as well. At first it will seem as if they were getting happier because of the better performance they see in the field, court, pool, etc… But there comes a point when the drugs won’t have as much effect as they did in the beginning. Then your friend can become extremely angry and bitter because of this and, even worse, can start taking stronger and worse drugs.

You have to do something

So when you see a friend of your pass those two simple phases then you’ll be able to drug test your friend. Well, at least you’ll have an excuse to do so. Having him or her to actually take the drug test is another story. A good thing you can tell him or her is that drugs and athletes don’t mix and by taking them he or she has to know the negative effects it takes on their sex life. This can be by loosing sex drive and/or by becoming impotent. Make sure you have enough information to stand up to your friend.

Tags rel="tag">competitive | rel="tag">drug problems | rel="tag">negative | rel="tag">effects | rel="tag">better performance

By Gabriel J. Adams

Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem throughout the country. The basic reasons for abusing prescription drugs are much the same as abusing any type of drug. For example, some people abuse prescription drugs so they can “loosen up,” while others do so in hopes of losing weight, having fun, or simply fitting in. Another reason for the growing trend in prescription drug abuse is the fact that many people mistakenly think these drugs are “safe” because they are medically prescribed. In truth, prescription drugs can be just as dangerous as illegal drugs when used incorrectly or for the wrong reasons.

The Dangers of Prescription Drug Abuse

Frighteningly, a 2003 survey on drug use conducted in the United States found that nearly 25% of youth between the ages of 12 and 17 have used prescription drugs for recreational purposes. This statistic is truly scary when considering all of the potential dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Those who abuse prescription drugs often encounter problems at home, in school, and at work. Many also have problems with the law because they are more likely to commit a crime when abusing drugs. Of course, prescription drug abuse also has serious health ramifications. Taking an opioid, for example, can lower a person’s breathing rate and can lead to death.

Taking depressants and then quitting their use without proper medical supervision can cause seizures to occur. In addition, taking these medications along with other drugs, such as alcohol or allergy medication, can slow the person’s breathing and heart rate. This, too, can lead to death.

Other prescription drugs can cause heart failure, dangerously high body temperatures, irregular heartbeat, and more. Furthermore, as with any drug, a person that abuses prescription drugs can become addicted and will go through withdrawal symptoms when unable to use the drug.

Getting Treatment for Prescription Drug Abuse

For those that have become addicted to prescription drugs, there are a number of treatment options to consider. The two main categories of treatment, however, are behavioral modification and pharmacological.

With behavioral treatments, the addict is taught how to function on a daily basis without the drugs. This includes learning how to best handle cravings and how to avoid situations that could potentially lead to drug use. With pharmacological treatments, on the other hand, the addict is given replacement medications to help with the withdrawal symptoms and then this drug is slowly weaned away.

Tags rel="tag">prescription | rel="tag">loosen | rel="tag">addict | rel="tag">fun | rel="tag">pain