General facts about substance abuse

 Substance Abuse

Substance Abuse also known as Drug Abuse is when a person takes legal or illegal drugs/substances continuously for the purposes of getting intoxicated even with the knowledge that it causes serious mental or physical problems.

The most Common types of Drugs/Substances abused by people

Alcohol

Wine, beer, spirits, home-brew (Kachasu), some medicinal tonics and syrups e.g. cough syrups such as Bronco

Nicotine

 Cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewed tobacco, snuff, Cannabis, Marijuana (Mbanje), ganja, hashish,

Stimulants

Cocaine, crack, khat and "designer" substances such as Amphetamines

Opioids

 Codeine, heroin, morphine, opium, buprenorphine, methadone, Pethidine

Depressants

Sleeping pills, benzodiazepine, methaqualone, barbiturates, chloral hydrate

Hallucinogens

 LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, peyote, ayahuasca

Volatile inhalants

Aerosol sprays, butane gas, petrol, glue, paint thinners, solvents, nitrites

Why people abuse Substances or drugs 

There are many reasons why people end up abusing substances or drugs, the following are some of the reasons or causes.

·         People use drugs to help them to address medical and psychological problems such as taking sleeping pills to help them sleep or pain killers  or cough syrups such as Woods or Bron-clear (Bronco) to cure a cold.

·         Some people just use drugs because they make them feel good. such substances may include beer, cough syrups like Bronco, mbanje or glue

·          People see family members, friends, role models or entertainers using drugs and rationalize that they can too.

·         People become bored and think drugs will help.

·         People think drugs will help relieve stress.

·         People figure if a drug is prescribed by a doctor, it must be ok.

·         People get physically injured and unintentionally get hooked on prescribed drugs.

·         People use drugs to cover painful memories in their past.

·         People think drugs will help them fit in.

Symptoms of substance abuse

Symptoms of substance abuse are not always the same for all substances but are dependent on the substance being abused. The following are the most common symptoms for most substances/drugs abused

·         Loss of coordination (Munhu anotoshaya kuiva kuti aripi kana kuti arikuitei, kutiota confusion cahaiyo kana adhakwa)

·         Distortions in the sense of time (Munhu anotoshaya kuziva kuti masikati here kana kuti mangwanani)

·         Seeing or hearing things that are not actually there after taking drugs

·         Sleepiness (munhu anongobatwa nehope dzisingaperi kana panzimbo isina kufanira sekuti murikukurura motonzwa munhu otorova ngonono)

·         Reddening of the eyes (maziso emunhu anotsvuka zvakapfura mwero)

·         Increased appetite ( munhu anotanga kunzwa nzara isingaperi)

·         Heightened feelings of happiness ( munhu anotanga kunyatsonzwa kufara kunyangwe pasina zvingaite kuti munhu afare nazvo

  

How to detect substance abuse issues in a person

The following are some of the ways you can look for as signs that a person is now abusing substances or drugs:

Inability to cease using drugs. (Munhu anotadza kusiya kushandisa ma drugs acho kunya 

Inability to meet obligations at work, in the family or to friends ( Munhu anenge avekutadza kuita basa rake nekuda kwekudhakwa)

Withdrawal symptoms occur when drug use is stopped ( Munhu anenge asisade kugara panevamwe achida kugara kwake ega)

Physical tolerance to the effects of the drug

Compulsive use of the drug, even when harmful consequences are recognized 

Treatment of substance abuse

A variety of treatment can be used to treat substance abuse as follows

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT counselling) has been shown to be effective in treating substance abuse issues. CBT helps the individual to manage their thought patterns, essentially controlling negative thought patterns that may lead to substance abuse or other destructive behavior. Often, patients discover how to identify triggers that cause them to use drugs, learning to better respond to them without turning to substance abuse.

Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) is another therapy often employed in drug abuse treatment. With MET, a therapist helps a patient to tap into their personal motivations to resist drug use. According to a study published in Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, those who participated in MET experienced reduced rates of drug use, fewer arrests, and increased compliance with treatment.

In addition to individual and group therapy, recovering addicts benefit from family therapy. Since family members often serve as the core support system for recovering individuals once they exit a rehab program, it’s imperative that family members can understand the process of recovery so they can best serve as sources of encouragement and support. Family therapy can also be used to addressed underlying familial issues that may have contributed to the substance abuse issue and repair relationships that were damaged due to addiction.

Twelve-step programs, such as Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, are considered excellent ways to extend and complement the skills learned during a professional treatment program. However, for most people, these programs do not provide all of the components needed for successful recovery

Medicines. You may take medicines to help you quit or to help you overcome withdrawal symptoms. Medicines often are used for addiction to opiate drugs like heroin or certain painkillers. Medicines that can help you include methadone (such as Dolophine) or naltrexone (such as ReVia)

Drug rehabilitation (often drug rehab or just rehab) is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines

 Ways of supporting someone with a substance abuse problem

 if you suspect that a person has or is developing a substance abuse problem do try to talk to them when they are drunk or high and do not try talking to them when they are drinking alcohol such as talking to them at a beer hall/bottle store.

Talk about the effect your friend's drinking or drug use has on whatever the person cares about most like career or children. Your friend may not be concerned about his or her situation, but may care deeply for the children and what the problem may be doing to them.

Become aware of treatment or recovery resources available in your community.  Learn what treatment resources (clinics, hospitals, NGOs) are available in your area so that you can refer your friend to them for assistance.

If your friend does not want to go to the clinic, talk with other people who know and care about your friend to see if they have other ideas.

Avoid self-blame. You can support a person with a substance abuse problem and encourage treatment, but you can't force an addict to change. You can't control your loved one's decisions. Letting the person accept responsibility for his or her actions is an essential step along the way to recovery.