Who becomes a substance addict?
First of all, we must state that there is a risk of becoming addicted for anyone who uses substances. There is no safe substance to use. However, impulsive adolescents who seek novelty, take risks easily, come from dysfunctional family backgrounds, are neglected, use substances as a method to cope with stress, and individuals with a genetic predisposition are at a much greater risk.
What Are Addictive Substances?
We can list addictive substances as follows: tobacco, alcohol, ecstasy, cannabis, heroin, cocaine, bonsai, inhalants, LSD, GHB, certain types of mushrooms, ketamine, anabolic steroids, and methamphetamine. In recent years, chemical derivatives of cannabis that cannot yet be detected by routine toxicology screenings have also begun to be used. Such addictive substances go unnoticed because they are not detected in tests.
The perception of addictive substances, which we try to limit as drugs, volatile substances, and harmful substances, has begun to break down in today's world. Anything that ultimately provides a reward can be addictive. For example; internet addiction is an increasingly common type of addiction. It is especially prevalent among adolescents and young adults. While betting and gambling are types of addictions that have existed for a long time, online betting has been added to this. At the same time, computer games and virtual shopping addiction are among the types of addiction that need to be treated. As technology and the world develop, types of addictions have evolved and gained a new dimension.
Cannabis
Cannabis is an addictive substance known since ancient times. Today, its frequency of use comes after cigarettes, caffeine, and alcohol. Cannabis is an addictive substance known since ancient times. Today, its frequency of use comes after cigarettes, caffeine, and alcohol. Estimates suggest that cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance in the world.
There are more than 400 different chemicals within the cannabis plant. Among these, the most psychoactive is (-)-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). The most potent form of cannabis is obtained from the dry, brown-black, resinous exudate on the flower parts or leaves of the plant called hashish or hash. The cannabis plant is generally cut, dried, broken into small pieces, rolled into a cigarette (called a joint) and smoked. There are also methods of using it via a bong or a bucket method. Common names for cannabis include marijuana, weed, tea, pot, weed, and Mary Jane. Other names describing various strengths of cannabis are hemp, chasra, bhang, ganja, dagga, and sinsemilla.
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Cocaine
Cocaine is an alkaloid obtained from the plant called Erythroxylon coca, which grows wild in South America and whose leaves are chewed by natives to benefit from its stimulant effect. It was first used as a local anesthetic in 1880. When its addictive effects and side effects were described in 1914, cocaine was classified as a narcotic along with morphine and heroin. In street jargon, it is referred to by names such as coke, C, snow, blow, toot, nose candy, and lady. Crack (crack cocaine) is the form obtained by adding sodium bicarbonate or ammonia and water to the cocaine hydrochloride form. It is a substance that takes effect rapidly and carries a high risk of addiction after the first use.
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Crack
Crack (crack cocaine) is the form obtained by adding sodium bicarbonate or ammonia and water to the cocaine hydrochloride form. It is a substance that takes effect rapidly and carries a high risk of addiction after the first use.
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Heroin
Opioids are chemical substances that act like morphine in the body. There are more than 20 chemically distinct opioids in clinical use worldwide. In developed countries, the opioid substance most frequently associated with abuse and addiction is heroin.
Opium is obtained by scoring the fresh capsules of the Papaver somniferum species and drying the resulting juice. Morphine is obtained from opium, and heroin (diacetylmorphine) is obtained by processing morphine. It creates a feeling of well-being in the user. It has a very high addiction potential even with a single use, and tolerance develops rapidly, especially compared to other substances. Common street names for heroin in our country are peynir, beyaz, and kaşar,
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Ecstasy
MDMA (3-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) was synthesized in 1914. Ecstasy causes the release of all the serotonin present in the brain and leads to feelings of comfort, satiety, vigor, and happiness in the person. Severe side effects and heavy depression occur due to serotonin depletion. The drug begins to take effect approximately 30-40 minutes after being taken orally, and its effects last for 3-4 hours. Research shows that it can cause cardiac rhythm disturbances, hypertension, short-term memory and appetite loss, insomnia, an elevated pain threshold, pupil dilation and lateral movement, impairment in thermoregulation, teeth grinding (bruxism), erectile dysfunction in men, and muscle spasms. Since it causes fluid loss, it is known that the body must consume fluids in proportion to what is lost, but it is also known that excessive water consumption can lead to water intoxication called hyponatremia, which can even result in death.
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Inhalants
Inhalants are volatile hydrocarbons such as toluene, n-hexane, methyl butyl ketone, trichlorethylene, trichloroethane, dichloromethane, gasoline, and butane. These chemicals are sold commercially in four different forms:
1) Volatiles used in adhesives and glues
2) Propellants used in spray paints, hair sprays, frying pan sprays, and shaving cream aerosols
3) Thinners (e.g., those used in paints and typewriter correction fluids)
4) Liquid fuels
At room temperature, these compounds turn into gas and enter the bloodstream via the transpulmonary route by being inhaled through the mouth or nose. Inhalants are substances that are very easily accessible, have a short duration of action, and are frequently abused, especially by adolescents.
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Amphetamine
Amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine), ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) and derivative substances, and other synthetic stimulants (methcathinone, fenethylline) constitute amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS).
Amphetamine is one of the most effective medications used today in a condition called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This active substance can be abused by adult individuals due to its stimulant-euphoriant effects. Amphetamine-derivative medications have been closely monitored in recent years due to their addictive potential and are prescribed subject to a red prescription in Turkey.
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Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine exerts its stimulant effect by causing the release of dopamine and norepinephrine. The availability of amphetamine-derivative medications on the market has led to the spread of amphetamine addiction. Before their addictive potential was discovered, methamphetamine and its derivatives were used to treat many unrelated diseases such as schizophrenia, narcolepsy, hyperactivity, multiple sclerosis, obesity, migraines, and motion sickness. In 1932 in France, nasal preparations named Benzedrine, designed for nasal inhalation and to regulate nasal congestion, were introduced to the market. It is still sold over-the-counter as a nasal decongestant in the United States.
Methamphetamine can be used orally, by injection, smoked, or snorted. In our country as well, methamphetamine has become more frequently used than many other substances in various cities in recent years.
