When Your Loved One Is Struggling With Addiction

1. By Addiction Rehab Toronto

2. Synopsis ?Getting Familiar with the Side Effects of Commonly Abused Drugs ?Know the Effects of Drugs for Effective Treatment ?Harmful Effects of Drugs and Available Treatment Options

3. Getting Familiar with the Side Effects of Commonly Abused Drugs ■ Cannabis – Also called skunk, weed, dope, pot, hash, and marijuana, cannabis is known for causing a state of relaxation. It can cause altered perception and lead to low blood pressure and increased heart rate. Besides making you feel relaxed and happy, it can also cause anxiety, lethargy, and psychosis. If you have a family history of mental illness, you are likely to experience severe reactions after taking cannabis. Its use is also linked to schizophrenia and other mental health problems. It can also cause lung diseases, such as chronic bronchitis and asthma. Its excessive use may also result in tongue, mouth, or throat cancer. ■ Cocaine – Also called Charlie, blow, coke, powder cocaine, and crack, cocaine can make you have increased energy. Its use may make you feel confident, awake, and less inhibited. You will eventually experience a nasty come down that makes you feel unwell. It can also over-stimulate your heart and central nervous system, which in turn can lead to brain hemorrhage, seizure, heart attack, and stroke. Taking cocaine during pregnancy can lead to a miscarriage. Its use is also linked to mental health issues, such as paranoia, anxiety, and psychosis. When snorted, cocaine can damage the lining of the nasal passage.

4. Getting Familiar with the Side Effects of Commonly Abused Drugs ■ Mephedrone – Also called plant food, m-cat, meow meow, and meph, mephedrone can induce feelings of euphoria, happiness, and confidence. At the same time, it is known for causing paranoia and anxiety. Its use may also be responsible for the overstimulation of heart and central nervous system. It may also lead to fits and hallucinatory states. When injected, it leads to vein collapse and increases your risk of contracting hepatitis and HIV infection. Ecstasy – Commonly known as pills, MDMA, eckies, or simply E, Ecstasy usually makes you feel warm, alert, and chatty. However, its use can also cause confusion, anxiety, psychosis, and paranoia. Its long-term use is linked to depression, memory loss, and anxiety. Ecstasy can also lead to dehydration and overheating. Speed – Common names are whizz, billy, and amphetamine, and it is often used to feel confident, alert, and energetic. It suppresses appetite and causes problems like paranoia, confusion, and psychosis. The long-term use is associated with severe depression and lethargy that may continue for days. It also increases your risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks. ■ ■

5. Know the Effects of Drugs for Effective Treatment ■ T Th he ere re a ar re e d de ep pr re es ssa alcohol, opiates, GHB, and benzodiazepines are called depressants. They depress or slow down the function of your central nervous system. When taken in small quantities, these drugs may help you feel relaxed. They also help you feel less inhibited. An overdose can cause unconsciousness, vomiting, and even death. These drugs directly affect your coordination and concentration, so you should never operate heavy machinery even if you have taken a smaller dose of these drugs. sants nts. . Certain drugs such as cannabis, ■ T Th he ere re a ar re e h ha al ll luci magic mushrooms are some of the drugs in this category. They affect your sense of reality and make you see/hear things that are not there. You also have to deal with psychological and emotional problems, such as panic, jaw clenching, euphoria, nausea, gastric upset, and nausea. ucinoge nogens. ns. Cannabis, ketamine, PCP, LSD, and ■ T Th he ere re a ar re e s st ti im mul ula ants nicotine, and caffeine fall into this category. They stimulate your central nervous system and make you feel alert. However, they can cause problems such as increased body temperature, elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, sleeplessness, and reduced appetite. nts. Ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamines,

6. Harmful Effects of Drugs and Available Treatment Options ■ Drug addiction can ruin your life, and it is never easy to undo things you may have done while being addicted. It affects you both mentally and physically; in fact, you will not be the same person you once were. There certainly are some good treatment options available, but once you abuse drugs for a long time, even an outpatient addiction treatment may not prove that effective, unless of course you are committed to change your life. You have to take control of your life and know that what you might have started as fun can hurt you in the long-run. ■ The effects of drugs usually depend on a number of factors. For instance, it depends on how the drug has been made in the first place. You need to understand that drug making is not a regulated industry, so you may notice a vast difference in quality in different batches of the same drug. Moreover, you may experience serious side effects because most of these drugs are manufactured in home labs, so they are likely to contain dangerous chemicals, bacteria, and other harmful substances. An overdose of one such drug can cause brain damage or death.

7. The End Want to learn more? Please visit: https://addictionrehabtoronto.ca/blog/ Addi Addic ct tion 4 Warrendale Court Etobicoke, ON M9V 1P9 E-mail: info@addictionrehabtoronto.ca Phone: 1 855-787-2424 (Toll Free) Phone: 416.792.7550 (Local) ion R Re eh ha ab b T To or ron ont to o