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Dependency is quantitatively and qualitatively definable
administration of a consumable
chemical substance which results from repetitious abuse of a substance or
drug and is characterized by physiological changes that increase drug
tolerance and any modification of dose or time, including refraining from
using the drug will result in negative consequences as the body attempts
to adjust to the physiological stress. Usually, there is a
strong craving for the drug, but the reaction of the body and brain is
always greater than a psychological adjustment. The discovery that
all psycho-active substances trigger a physiological change makes this
form of drug administration synonymous with drug addiction, The two
terms have been used interchangeably even though the terms are defined
differently. Dependency produces uncontrollable changes that must be
addressed by regulating the dose and time variables in order for a person
to stop. Abrupt discontinuation of an drug that has been abused over
time can strain the cardiovascular system in weaker patients. If the drug
has been used to repress a virus, a resistance to the medication can
develop. Like
drug abuse, dependency is characterized by the administration of excessive quantities
of a substance that exceeds the standards maximum dose; like
drug misue, dependency involves a drug of diminished quality that must be
administered in low graduated lower doses to ensure the survival of the
patient. Drug-related mortality increases when recovering abusers
either slip or relapse, taking no time to measure a smaller dose than they
were administering at the height of their abusive period. The sudden
shock of a body in recovery can produce changes equivalent to a
beginner.
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 QUANTIFIABLE FORM OF DRUG
ADMINISTRATION
Drug dependency and drug addiction depend
on dose and time as well as the chemical substance itself. However,
for psysiological changes to occur in the body, abuse must be
present. A psychological addiction can occur because the effect of
the drug gives such pleasure such that the drug is misused. For
example, a person may say they want to use a drug for sex and wind up
using the drug every day. That's misusing the drug because they want
that feeling all the time. With dependency, the act of abusing the
drug may first enter a stage of addiction and then develop into a
dependency. Some experts don't see the difference, but there
is. It is not always possible for a dependency to be controlled. |
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Drug Dependency is related to:
- substance dependency
- chemical substance dependency
- substance use disorder (SUD)
Drug Dependency is not to be confused
with other forms of drug administration:
- drug use
- drug abuse
- drug addiction
- drug misuse
- anti-drug disorder
- fatal overdose (suicide)
- drug misuse (qualitative disorder)
Drug Dependent individuals will
typically appear normal when they are using the drug and will seem
confused or "high" wehn they are recovering or abusing the
drug. It is virtually impossible for someone to develop a dependency
without abusing a drug, and not all drugs can lead to dependency, however,
this is debatable when it pertains to psycho-active substances. Most
cases of repeated drug abuse only cause a psychological dependency, better
known as addiction, where the best medication is another activity, such as
a job, that occupies the time.
drug dependency is the reliance on a
single psycho-active drug, regimen, or chemical substance(s) to avert the
uncomfortable psychological and sometimes physiological side effects
associated with discontinuation once tolerance develops. It is an
intermediate stage that follows repeated drug abuse and is caused
primarily by lack of proper administration education and the inability to
obtain adequate treatment from physicians with restrictive medical
training.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO
BECOME DEPENDENT ON A DRUG?
For an abuser to become dependent on a
drug, it generally takes a great deal of time, however, situations have
been reported that it could take as little as a few months. Crystal
meth critics have said that a person can develop a dependency after just
one administration which is impossible. For dependency to develop,
the body must have to adapt and compensate by introducing physical
changes. It is impossible to say however there is definately a
correlation between frequency and dose. As the dose increases and/or
frequency increases, it will take less time for a patient to become
dependent.
drug dependency is often incorrectly
classified as an addiction. Addiction is purely psychological and
sociological. Dependency may be psychological but there is a
physiological component involved that is critical to consider. When
a drug dependent person stops using drugs, they inevitably increase the
probability of physical and psychological illness. It is especially
harmful when a recovering drug dependent individual returns to using the
same drug, because the rate of tolerance for various organs of the body
differs.
Recovery needs to involve replenishing the
brain using cognitive
enhancing drugs, nootropics that stimulate the brain's dopamine and
serotonin. Without this, there can never be full recovery, however,
the American Medical Association (AMA) and US medical bodies believe that
the administration of nootropics will only cause the drug dependent
individual to return to using the drug. This is less likely to
happen if a substitute for the drug is provided. Methadone, for example,
is usually given to those dependent on heroin. However, methadone is
also likely to result in dependency. Sometimes the substitute may be
a physical activity or exercise. For the hardcore drug dependent,
who generally tend to be over 40, this might not be a viable option.
Cigarette smokers as old as 90 have terminated their habits with
frequently deadly results since the body cannot adjust to dramatic
changes. This is not well understood because, until recently, there
have been few geriatric studies particularly with octogenarians.
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SUBSTITUTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL Drug
Dependency
typically involves overdosing (abusing) drugs which have psycho-active
side effects. The pleasure center of the
hypothalamus gland can no longer experience comfort and the individual is
compelled to repeat the abuse, often haphazardly. It is often
dangerous for someone who is drug dependent to cease drug administration.
However, continued abuse also imposes a threat. In order for someone
to become drug dependent, a history of drug abuse or prolonged period of
drug use without switching between medications is essential. For example,
if someone has a "sweet tooth" and craves sugar, it could be
alternated with a sugar substitute to prevent diabetes. Such
substitutions will be pivotal to the success of future drug users and
abusers.
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TREATMENTS
Faith-based
treatment does not work for anyone but martyrs. Sooner or later, the
craving will outweigh an individual's dedication. The stronger the
dedication, the more dangerous this approach can present. Quite
often faith-based treatment results in serious relapses that could last
for only a few minutes or days, but often carry on for weeks, months, and
years. There are many who are convinced that this is not a valid
treatment. It is painful and leads to self-degradation, crime,
family dishonor, and fear of sobriety. The idea behind faith-based
treatments like the 12-step program is to have an individual keep reliving
the dependency which is like wearing a chastity belt and forcing one to
look at it everyday and dwell on it as the punishment for sexual behavior.
Most of those who have been down this road have suffered severely.
There
are few chemical-based treatments. Called vaccines, these treatments
are new. Their long-term side effects are virtually unknown.
They can be lethal and more dangerous than the drugs. It is a criminal
offense for a physician to administer such vaccines without the knowledge
of the patient. In the US, this is often overlooked and today we see
students who are almost zombies after a course of treatment. |
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PATIENT
(SELF)
The
most common form of drug dependency is addiction or psychological
dependency. It often results in young adults and teenagers and it is
a societal flaw. Movies, television, radio, Internet, and
advertising create a climate of permissiveness and lay the foundation for
drug abuse. Friends are often the ones who compel the curious and
once abuse results, a pattern becomes established, often whether or not
the patient really likes the drug. Cigarettes, for example, are
often rejected by the smoker's body. To "fit in with the
crowd" a youth will tolerate his or her displeasure until it becomes
pleasurable. Since cigarettes are "dosed" (one cigarette
is equal to the standard maximum dose) it is the frequency of use that
causes dependency. There are people who smoke one or two cigarettes a week
who never develop a dependency. Some can even smoke one or two
cigarettes per day and not become dependent upon them. It's because the
majority smoke more than 5 cigarettes a day that they develop a
physiological as well as a psychological propensity to use them often.
PARENT
OR GUARDIAN
It
is very common for a parent's dependency to influence children. Parents
who have used drugs before pregnancy, are likely to produce a child who
will crave drugs at an early age.
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