Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances

September 22, 2015

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances: Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana and Other Drugs

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances is today a common occurrence in most of our societies and the consequences of this behavior is causing us seriously and the time for seeking for lasting solution is now

Sometimes we engage ourselves in very dangerous activities or behaviors either ignorantly or knowingly but the one common denominator in these actions is that the consequences can be life threatening in many ways. When you take your favorite drink you might not think it’s a big deal to have that alcoholic drink along with your prescription medication, or illicit drugs as an accompaniment. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center says that alcohol can be very dangerous when taken alongside all kinds of drugs including both prescription and illegal drugs. And in fact, alcohol is especially dangerous when you take it with another depressant. The experts’ at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center explains that two drugs performing the same thing in the body can have more extreme and lethal effects when taken together. And according to The Drug Abuse Warning Network report, it will interest you to note that from 2005 it was established that of all visits to the emergency room from drug use, approximately one-third of the patients were from drinking alcohol or mixing alcohol with other types of drugs. These visits often included mixing alcohol with cocaine, heroin and marijuana and that is what is going to form the basis of our discussion under the topic “mixing alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances.”

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances: Cocaine and Alcohol

The results are unpredictable when you mix alcohol with cocaine. Sometimes combining the two substances makes it difficult to feel the effects of either complication as intensely as they should while on the other hand, sometimes the mixture can increase the effects of each drug exponentially. Like for instance when you take a lot of cocaine, it’s more likely that you’ll experience worse effects from both drugs, and this could even lead to an overdose of not just cocaine but alcohol as well. Remember that cocaine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant. Therefore when you take cocaine, it makes your metabolism increase thereby causing the alcohol to go to your brain more quickly. The effect of this is similar to the feelings you are likely to experience when you drink alcohol in haste. And according to the November 2003 study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence it was established that when one take cocaine and alcohol together, your body will respond by producing coca-ethylene. Coca-ethylene can make you feel the effects of cocaine or alcohol more than if you just took either substance individually. Remember that the effect of this substance can be very fatal to the point of causing heart problems and even death. This fatality can be avoided through professional treatment available at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury. You can therefore call today to schedule for an appointment with the experts today for the commencement of your recovery journey.

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances: Mixing Alcohol and Heroin

Alcohol and heroin produce similar effects in the body because they are both depressants. Separately, alcohol and heroin can cause respiratory complications (breathing problems), therefore when taken together the effect can be more serious and traumatizing. Besides all these, drinking alcohol can also impair the user’s judgment, thereby motivating them to continue taking more of heroin than they normally do, potentially causing an overdose.

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances: Marijuana with Alcohol

Marijuana can prevent you from feeling nauseous or from throwing up, so it can potentially prevent you from throwing up alcohol if your body needs to. This can make the extra alcohol stay in your body and may cause alcohol poisoning. The mixture of these two drugs can cause a number of effects on the body including some of the following:

Feeling like you’re spinning
Paranoia
Trouble concentrating
Throwing up
Trouble using your body

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances: Alcohol and prescription drugs

Whether or not you have a prescription for a prescription medication, mixing it with alcohol can be dangerous. It’s important to talk to your doctor about whether you can have alcohol with your prescription medicines, and if so, if you should limit the use to a certain amount. If you are using a prescription medication that wasn’t prescribed to you, or using it in a way that it wasn’t prescribed for, you are abusing the medication. Compounding this abuse with drinking alcohol only magnifies the risks of the abusive behavior.

Alcohol shouldn’t be mixed with most prescription medications because the combination can lead to severe side effects. Although you should specifically check on any medication you are taking, some medications that can cause a problem with alcohol include:

Painkillers like aspirin and acetaminophen
Antihistamines
Central nervous system depressants, like sleep medications, sedatives and drugs for anxiety
Antidepressants, like Elavil, Sinequan and MAO inhibitors
Diabetes drugs
Drugs for infection, including antibiotics
Many specific medications, including Catapres for high blood pressure, Verapamil for chest pain, Tagamet for gastrointestinal issues, and Adderall for ADHD or narcolepsy

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances: Additional drugs that can mix badly with alcohol

There is an endless list of drugs that can have negative effects on your body when you take them with alcohol. Some of the many that you should be cautious about include: Amphetamines, Mushrooms, Ecstasy, Caffeine, LSD, GHB and PCP. The list is actually endless meaning that what we have here may not be as conclusive as it should be. In this regard doctor Akoury recommends that everyone must ensure that they are aware of all the potential consequences before drinking alcohol while taking any kind of drug irrespective of whether it’s a prescription drug or an illegal street drug.

Finally dear reader, this is not something that you can comfortably handle on your own without the help of the experts. Therefore if you or anyone you know is struggling with alcohol or any other drug or both all at the same time, we will always be there for you at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. All you need to do is to schedule for an appointment with the expert (Doctor Dalal Akoury) and she will be of great help to you in the best and more professional way than you can ever imagine.

Mixing Alcohol consumption with other hazardous substances: Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana and Other Drugs

The consequences of drug addiction on immunity

September 19, 2015

The consequences of drug addiction on immunity: How drugs and alcohol affects immune system

The consequences of drug addiction on immunity are very realistic and not fiction and must be dealt with expeditiously

The body of any human being can be vulnerable to the various health complications at any given time in life. Normally when we fall sick we seek for immediate medication and some of us will get better very first while others suffering from the same illness may take a little bit longer time to recover from their illnesses. You may wonder why this is so and the explanation is very straight and simple. It is all about the variance strength every person’s immune system. And like we had said before immune system is a network of cells, tissues and organs working in solidarity to defend the body against disease, infection and viruses. Any harm to this introduces us to the focus of our discussion which is the consequences of drug addiction on immunity. Drugs are substances that demoralize our health and impact on us very negatively causing us to be vulnerable to all manner of infections. Doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran addiction expert explains that anyone using drugs or alcohol is significantly reducing the strength of their immunity greatly. It may not matter the intensity of your consumption to your substance, because research has established that any abuse of drugs can only lead to destruction of health and life in general.

As professional from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury, we post blogs that are very informative about health related issues so that we can have a very healthy society free from all kinds of addictions. Therefore it will interest you to note that doctor Akoury made a decision to create a medical center (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. Therefore if you want to keep healthy your immunity must be strong enough to defend you from vulnerabilities that come with lose of immunity. You can therefore schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury on telephone number 843 213 1480 for the commencement of your addiction recovery treatment and live your life thereafter comfortably and happily.

The consequences of drug addiction on immunity: Methamphetamine

It is no secrete that the dangers of methamphetamine are well known to everyone, however the drug potentially impact on the effectiveness of the immune system quite negatively in very many ways. Professional studies have suggesting that the drug may increase an individual’s susceptibility to infection by crippling his or her immune function. This can further be more complicated in situations where the individual is already struggling with some of the life threatening disease like hepatitis or HIV. These can really cause complications like cancers to spread quicker in the body. Doctor Akoury registers that besides the aforementioned concerns, methamphetamine is also known to dry out mucus membranes, particularly in the mouth and rectum thereby which when not dealt with expeditiously is likely to increase a persons’ exposure to infection and disease. The drug can cause people to have significant weight loss, chronic insomnia and respiratory problems which all expose a person’s immune system to deficiency and attack by disease.

The consequences of drug addiction on immunity: MDMA and Club Drugs

MDMA use has long been anecdotally linked to infection of influenza and bacterial infections. There is, however, no scientific evidence to support that the use of MDMA or other club drugs cause these infections or suppress the immune system. What is known, however, is that exhaustion and dehydration associated with the use of these drugs in nightclubs, at festivals and other music events does increase the risk of being infected with influenza or developing a cold. This is because these side effects lower the body’s ability to fight infection until normal energy and water levels of the body are returned.

The consequences of drug addiction on immunity: HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis

Illicit drug use has inherent risks that include serious health problems such as hepatitis, HIV and AIDS. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). There is no cure for the disease AIDS but there are some treatments available for the virus HIV. Individuals infected with HIV are at risk of contracting other, life threatening diseases because the virus weakens a person’s immune system.

Hepatitis on the other hand is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection that lead to chronic disease including liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Drug users are at higher risks of contracting HIV and AIDS due to a lowered immune system and because some users share drug injection equipment that may be infected with the disease. The reason that these diseases can be so easily spread is because infected blood is drawn into the syringe and then injected along with the drug by the next user of the same syringe. And once a person is infected with HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, they are at risk of developing further complications because of the effects of the disease on their immune system. Cancer, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gastrointestinal problems, neurological conditions and tumors are some of the known linked diseases. Besides these we also have skin infections, ulcers, tetanus, septicemia, thrombosis and respiratory diseases as some of the most common symptoms of a lowered immune system because of these diseases and infections.

Finally the consequences of drug addiction on immunity is no longer a small thing that can be wished a way easily. For a good health we need a very strong and stable immune system which we can’t get with the consistent use of drugs. Therefore if you are struggling with any kind of substance abuse this is your perfect opportunity of redeeming yourself from the scourge of addiction that weakens your immunity. You can call doctor Dalal Akoury today to schedule for an appointment with her and she will be able to help you regain your life back in the most professional way.

The consequences of drug addiction on immunity: How drugs and alcohol affects immune system

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system

September 19, 2015

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: The dangers of having a weak immune system

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system is very diverse and and complicated but all the same we must do all it takes to eliminate all kinds of addiction to drugs.

Have you ever asked yourself of how drugs and alcohol affects immune system in people’s lives? Do you have any idea how this can be dangerous for your own life? These are some of the concerns we want to address in this discussion and because it involves the soldiers who protects you from attacks of diseases, be my guest as we unlock the potential truth about the benefits of keeping a strong immune system. Now to set the ball rolling, let us find out the professional definition of immune system. Doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center gives the definition of the immune system as a network of cells, tissues and organs working in solidarity to defend the body against disease, infection and viruses. It therefore means that the immune system is one of the strong pillars that work in defense of our health and the general wellbeing of our lives. Meaning that if this system is damaged or reduced or incapacitated and does not work as efficiently as it should, a person will become vulnerable to attacks by various sicknesses or illness from infections or viruses. Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center while carrying out research has established that drugs and alcohol are some of the well-known inhibitors of the immune system. And the consequences of that can only mean that those who abuse substances of whatever kind will lose their foot soldiers that defend then to the various attacks and therefore when they are attacked and fall sick, they are likely to take longer period of time to heal from their infections in relation to other people with stronger immune system.

Doctor Akoury reiterates that the implications can be very disturbing when the immune system is deficient in anyone’s life. Under this circumstances if a person abuses drugs or alcohol, such persons shall be subjecting their health to increased risk of contracting certain diseases including pneumonia, respiratory infections, blood-borne viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis and sexually transmitted diseases. Besides that, if they have a predisposition to cancer, heart disease or kidney disease, these conditions are more likely to occur. The list of substances that are likely to be abused by people is endless and the following are just but a few for the purpose of this discussion:

Alcohol
Marijuana
Methamphetamine
MDMA and Club drugs
HIV/AIDA and Hepatitis

And as we have already mentioned the list is endless and for the purpose of this discussion we are going to focus on alcohol and marijuana and the remaining three we will handle in our next article, but before we get to that let us first familiarize ourselves with the effects of binging on drugs and other substances.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: Effect of binging on drugs

Exhaustion as a result of binging on drugs or alcohol can be a significant cause of illness. When a person binge drinks, they may cause their body to go into toxic shock from the large amount of alcohol in their bloodstream. Secondary infections or damage to the liver can have life-long consequences. Doctor Akoury says that binging on drugs like for instance methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin can cause people to become dehydrated and seriously ill. The impact of dehydration, mental and physical exhaustion, sleeplessness and lack of food can have a long term impact on a persons’ health more so if the individual is of weak immunity. And with such implications the immune system will be at a high risk of being overrun with infection and disease and anecdotal evidence suggests that many people will have flu-like symptoms after a binge.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: Alcohol

Alcohol is one of the most abused substances and it is well known to cause long-term and serious consequences for a person’s body and mind. There are many diseases that are known to be caused by alcohol consumption which are chronic and dangerous. Alcohol also impedes the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease. Excessive alcohol consumption or long term alcohol abuse can lead to immune deficiency in two ways:

Nutritional deficiency and
Reducing white blood cells

Alcohol impairs the normal digestion of nutrients due to damage caused to the cells in the digestive tract and by interfering with the secretion of enzymes needed for digestion. Alcohol can also impede the ability of the liver to store important vitamins. It has also been shown that drinking too much can prevent the body from absorbing enough protein. Therefore when consumed in excess, alcohol can reduce the ability of white cells to kill germs. High doses of alcohol suppress the ability of the white blood cells to multiply and inhibit the action of killer white cells on cancer cells. This can lead to the development of life threatening conditions such as liver cancer or liver disease.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: Marijuana

Smoking marijuana, or any substance, can have a negative effect on the immune system. Various studies have established that smoking marijuana causes damage to very sensitive cells in the lungs and increases the risk of contracting diseases and bacterial infections. Marijuana is known to contain more carcinogenic chemicals than tobacco smoke and because of the way the drug is inhaled deeply and held for longer than cigarette smoke these chemicals can cause severe respiratory damage. Some research has suggested that the active chemical in marijuana, THC, impairs the immune system from fighting disease. However, this research is not conclusive and further testing is required. The inhaled smoke from marijuana is often combined with tobacco which is known to cause significant damage to lungs, including the leading cause of lung cancer and emphysema. Pulmonary infections, pneumonia, respiratory infections and cancer are all real risks associated with smoking marijuana. Chronic bronchitis, impairment of air passages, inflammation of lungs and development of abnormalities in the bronchial lining and lungs are also commonly associated issues.

Finally knowing how drugs and alcohol affects immune system is not just important but should be a must for all concern people. This will not only help as an individual to take precaution in your own situations, but also to be of help to other people who may be struggling with addiction. Therefore if you or any one you know is struggling with addiction you can help them by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for a more professional touch that will resuscitate their immunity to normalcy.

How drugs and alcohol affects immune system: The dangers of having a weak immune system

Necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse

September 17, 2015

Necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse: Diagnosis of Narcotic Abuse

Necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse will help you get out in the thickest of nicotine addiction

When addressing the necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse, it is very important that we appreciated that the whole process of diagnosing narcotic abuse and dependence is very complicated. This is so because users are not ignorant of the fact that their drug use activity is prohibited, illegitimate and illegal. Speaking to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of the facility, it is evident that physiologically, the user’s brain requires the drug as a substitute for endorphins, this often makes it very difficult for users to stop regardless of whether or not they recognize the problem. It is therefore possible that drug dependency in many situations may be discovered by friends or family members and even this will still have some challenges associated with stigma thereby causing the families to deny or avoid the problem. But addiction being what it is, in most cases with or without anyone speaking about it, somewhere along the way something in the life of the user will reveal his or her dependence. Difficulty at work; criminal activity (e.g., theft, forgery); prescription records gathered by insurance companies and doctors; withdrawal; or the discovery of an illness, like HIV infection, may uncover the problem.

Besides all these the physical signs of drug dependence, like injection marks on the skin, deterioration of nasal tissue from snorting and constricted or dilated pupils may be present. Therefore the process of ascertaining the truth may involve screening for the presence of narcotics in the body by carrying out laboratory tests, like urinalysis or hair analysis. However doctor Akoury registers that testing alone cannot determine the length of time that drugs have been used. In that case differential diagnosis may be necessary in cases where signs indicate nonnarcotic drug use or the presence of a medical condition. Like for instance benzodiazapine and barbiturate use can produce symptoms similar to narcotic intoxication and withdrawal. Hypoglycemia (low blood-sugar, fatigue), electrolyte imbalance, head or brain injury, and stroke can produce delirium and cause slurred speech, inability to concentrate, and impaired memory, which are also signs of intoxication.

Necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse: Narcotic Abuse Course

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, the exact age for drug use is not always very clear owing to the fact that the effects of narcotics can be felt even before birth, however socially the average age range of onset for drug use is 18 to 25. The most painful fact about narcotic use is that those who are using narcotic drugs be it within this rage or otherwise, usually progress the usage to drug dependency says doctor Dalal Akoury. She is also making emphasis that narcotic addiction may develop after medical treatment as well. Like for instance some users often become dependent on the euphoric effects of narcotics following surgery or long-term treatment for pain. It is likely possible that those risk factors for drug abuse are present in such individuals even before treatment.

Necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse: Complications of narcotic abuse

The necessities of identifying courses of abuse cannot be ignored at this point of time. We are living in a world that is saturated with serious infectious diseases like AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis which may also develop during the course of drug dependency. And as a matter of facts in some (if not most) large, urban areas, it is estimated that up to 60 percent of those dependent on heroin are infected with the HIV. And besides that tracks, visible puncture scars, are caused by repeated injection especially with heroin and cocaine users. Experts are raising the red flag that scarring of the veins may lead to swellings this is because many users switch from the veins in the forearm to those in the feet, inside the thigh, or in the neck while others stop using veins and inject directly into the first layer of skin a practice that is commonly known as “skin-popping.” When this practice is done consistently over a period of time, it will eventually lead to the development of cellulitus which is an infection into connective tissue, and abscess, where cell death causes pus to collect beneath the skin. Round, healed scars are common signs of skin-popping.

Doctor Akoury reiterates that being addicted to drugs is not only health hazardous but also brings on board other complications that can really bring your life and that of your loved ones to a standstill. Take for example criminal activity that are associated with drug dependency like theft and forgery (of doctors’ signatures), as well as the transportation, sale, and production of illegal substances. All these can land users into serious problems with the law enforcer’s agencies thereby leading to the pillar or bread winner of the family being imprisoned. The trauma, stigma and discrimination that come with it may be unbearable to the family and more so the children in school. In spite of all these doctor Akoury says that all is not lost because the situation can be remedied by seeking for treatment in good time. She says that it is always very important that when you have noticed that you are struggling with any form of drug, immediate treatment must be sought. This way the effectiveness of your treatment will be less complicated since most of your body organs shall have not been affected by the scourge of addiction. Therefore for quick solution to your addiction problems to all kind of narcotics, schedule for an appointment with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for a thorough evaluation to be done with a view of starting you on the right king of treatment program the will deliver back your health to you for comfort and full enjoyment thereafter.

Necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse: Narcotic Abuse Prognosis

Finally it is important to note that the estimated death rate in those dependent on narcotics includes death by overdose as well as by murder associated with drug-related crime. From the various studies, it has been established that the death rate increases by 2 percent for every year of use and the translation of that is that those who have been using narcotics say for the past 10 years stand a 20 percent chance of drug-related death. In 2013, drug overdose deaths surpassed car crashes and the leading cause for injury death in the United States. This raises great concern on the urgency with which lasting solution must be sought. Don’t therefore weight until it is too late, take action now.

Necessities of identifying courses of narcotic abuse: Diagnosis of Narcotic Abuse

Understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge

September 16, 2015

Understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge: The endless list of substance abuse elements

Defeating drug addiction begins with understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge and taking the correct action

The reason why many people are suffering from various health complications is because of luck of luck of knowledge. This can be very painful more so if something could be done and an individual suffers ignorantly. That is why doctor Dalal Akoury and her team of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are taking the lead role in posting very informative blogs to the general public so that together we can find solutions to this problem. In that regard we want to focus this discussion into understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge and some of the substances that we need to disassociate with by all means. The list of substances is endless and they include the following:

Understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge: Cocaine

Cocaine is one of the most abused drugs and it is also known as crack, coke, snow, rock. Taking the US as an example it will be noted that cocaine use has gone down in the last few years; from 2007 to 2012 with the number of current users in the U.S. ages 12 or older dropped from 2.1 million to 1.7 million. Derived from the coca plant of South America, cocaine can be administered into the body by smoking, injection, snorting or just by swallowing. The intensity and duration of the drug’s effects depend on how you take it. Desired effects include pleasure and increased alertness. Short-term effects also include paranoia, constriction of blood vessels leading to heart damage or stroke, irregular heartbeat, and death. Severe depression and reduced energy often accompany withdrawal. Both short- and long-term use of cocaine has been associated with damage to the heart, the brain, the lung, and the kidneys and this are the complications we want this blog to help you address by scheduling for an appointment with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of a veteran addiction expert doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery journey.

Understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge: Heroin also known as smack, horse

There is no doubt that heroin use has been on the rise from time to time and according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2012 about 669,000 Americans reported using heroin in the past year, a number that has been on the rise since 2007. The biggest increases are among users ages 18 to 25. Effects of heroin intoxication include drowsiness, pleasure, and slowed breathing. Withdrawal can be intense and can include vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, confusion, aches, and sweating. Besides that any overdose of this substance may result in death from respiratory arrest (stopping breathing). And because heroin is usually injected, often with dirty needles, use of the drug can trigger other health complications including destruction of your heart valves, HIV/AIDS, infections, tetanus, and botulism.

Understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge: Methamphetamines

This substance is also known as meth, crank, ice, speed, crystal and its use has also increased significantly especially in the West. Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant with the potential abilities of increasing alertness, decreases appetite, and gives a sensation of pleasure. The drug can either be administered into the body by injection, snorting, smoking or taken in as a mixture with food. It shares many of the same toxic effects as cocaine including effects like heart attacks, dangerously high blood pressure and stroke. It is also associated with several withdrawal symptoms including depression, abdominal cramps and increased appetite. Besides that it is important to appreciate that, methamphetamines other long-term effects may also include paranoia, hallucinations, weight loss, destruction of teeth, and heart damage. These are not the only substances that bring complications to your health.

Understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge: Club drugs

The club scene and rave parties have popularized an assortment of other drugs. Many young people believe these drugs are harmless or even healthy. And as we had mentioned before that the list is endless, the following are some of the club drugs that we need to be careful about even as we desire proper understanding of the scourge of addiction in our societies.

Ecstasy also called MDMA, Adam, STP – This is a stimulant and hallucinogen used to improve mood and to maintain energy, often for all-night dance parties. Long-term use may cause damage to the brain’s ability to regulate body temperature, sleep, pain, memory, and emotions.

GHB also called Liquid XTC, G and blue nitro – Once sold at health food stores, GHB’s effects are related to dose. Effects range from mild relaxation to coma or death. GHB is often used as a date-rape drug because it is tasteless, colorless, and acts as a powerful sedative.

Rohypnol also called roofies, roche – This is another sedative that can be used as a date-rape drug. Effects include low blood pressure, dizziness, abdominal cramps, confusion, and impaired memory.

Ketamine also called Special K, K – This is an anesthetic that can be taken orally or injected. Ketamine (Ketalar) can impair memory and attention. Higher doses can cause amnesia, paranoia and hallucinations, depression, and difficulty breathing.

LSD (also called acid, microdot) and mushrooms (also called shrooms, magic mushrooms, peyote, buttons) – Popular in the 1960s, LSD has been revived in the club scene. LSD and hallucinogenic mushrooms can cause hallucinations, numbness, nausea, and increased heart rate. Long-term effects include unwanted “flashbacks” and psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and mood disturbances).

PCP also known as angel dust, hog, love boat – PCP is a powerful anesthetic used in veterinary medicine. Its effects are similar to those of ketamine but often stronger. The anesthetic effects are so strong that you can break your arm but not feel any pain. Usually, tobacco or marijuana cigarettes are dipped into PCP and then smoked.

Finally the list above is represent may not be conclusive but it represent the magnitude of the problem that we are likely to go through if we don’t act expeditiously as required to defeat drug addiction and all other complications that are associated with it. Therefore individually and collectively you need to consult with your physician before taking any action so that any further complication can be addressed in the most professional way for a better, healthier and more comfortable life of full productivity thereafter.

Understanding the genesis of drug addiction scourge: The endless list of substance abuse elements

Tag Archives: Substance abuse