Sunday 8 May 2011

DRUG ADDICTION


In a community, there are both individual and social problems. When individual problems affect a large number of people, they become social problems. One of the present day social problems is drug addiction. Drug addiction is defined as a state of periodic or chronic intoxication detrimental to the individual and society produced by the repeated intake of habit-forming drugs.
Drug abuse has reached an alarming proportion in recent years. “Drug culture” is fast making inroads into the lives of young people from all walks of life.
To call a person drug addict, the following criteria must be satisfied:
1. Psychological dependence: There is as overpowering desire (compulsion) to take the drug and obtain it by any means.
2. Physical dependence: when the drug is withdrawn, the person shows “withdrawal symptoms” such as irrational and violent behaviour, nausea, diarrhoea, watering from the eyes and nose, etc.
3. Development of tolerance: there is a tendency to increase the dose.
The term “Drug abuse” is the excessive, maladaptive, or addictive use of drugs for non-medical purposes despite social, psychological, and physical problems that may arise from such use.

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