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Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is defined as the habitual use of drugs not needed for therapeutic purposes to alter one's mood or state of consciousness. Commonly abused drugs include marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Drug abuse often begins in early adolescence, sometimes as young as age 12 or 13, starting with substances like tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and prescription drugs. A diagnosis requires a thorough evaluation including assessment by a mental health professional and lab tests to determine drug use.

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Alhadzra Alih
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76 views

Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is defined as the habitual use of drugs not needed for therapeutic purposes to alter one's mood or state of consciousness. Commonly abused drugs include marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Drug abuse often begins in early adolescence, sometimes as young as age 12 or 13, starting with substances like tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and prescription drugs. A diagnosis requires a thorough evaluation including assessment by a mental health professional and lab tests to determine drug use.

Uploaded by

Alhadzra Alih
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Drug Abuse

* WHAT IS Drug ABUSE? Drug abuse may be defined as the


→ is the self-administration of habitual use of drugs not needed
one or more drugs in a way that
is not in accord with approved for therapeutic purposes, solely to
medical or social practice alter one's mood, effect of state
of consciousness, or to affect a
* Signs & Symptoms of drug
body function unnecessarily.
abuse
→ → Continued use of drugs can
lead to drug dependence, a
state of physical & mental
dependence.

→ Commonly abused drugs:


Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin,
Alcohol. (Sometimes sedatives,
coffee and cigarettes can all be
used to harmful excess.)

When and how does drug abuse


start and progress?
→

Some children are already


abusing drugs at age 12 or 13,
which likely means that some
begin even earlier. Early abuse
often includes such substances
as tobacco, alcohol, inhalants,
marijuana, and prescription
drugs such as sleeping pills
and anti-anxiety medicines.
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DIAGNOSIS:
• A thorough evaluation that includes an assessment by a
psychiatrist, psychologist, or licensed alcohol and drug
counselor may be required for diagnosis. Blood, urine or
other lab tests are used in assessing drug use, but they
do not serve as a diagnostic test for substance abuse.

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