CHAPTER 4 Substance Abuse^71
Substances That Can Be Abused
Nearly all drugs that are abused produce a desirable effect such as altering the
state of the mind and filling a void in a person’s life. Some professionals believe
a person who has a low threshold for frustration, a fear of failure, and a feeling
of inadequacy are more prone to abuse drugs. Those who abuse drugs do so
because they are:
- Bored,
- Pressured by their peers,
- Seeking pleasure,
- Affluent and want to experiment,
- Seeking to escape from reality,
- Feeling inadequate,
- Feeling ashamed and depressed,
- Seeking relief from conflicts.
There are four characteristics that describe drugs that are frequently abused.1.The drug creates an altered state of consciousness.
2.Prolonged use of the drug creates a tolerance for the drug.
3.The desirable effect is quick.
4.Withdrawal symptoms develop if the drug is stopped after prolonged use.
Administering the drug is a fast way to treat withdrawal symptoms.Dependence versus Tolerance
There is an important difference between drug dependence and drug tolerance
although sometimes these terms are used interchangeably. Drug dependence
occurs when the patient has a psychological and/or physical dependence on the
drug that results in withdrawal symptoms that can become unbearable for
the patient to endure. Relief comes only when the patient is administered a dose
of the drug.
Tolerance occurs when the concentration of a drug no longer has a continu-
ing therapeutic effect. This happens because receptor sites in the effective tissues
adapt to the prescribed level of drug. The only way to regain the therapeutic
effect is to increase the concentration of the drug.