Have A Drug Free New Year By Ryan Robinson
In this great new year, people make resolutions of what they are going to do, what they are going to stop doing, and what they are going to focus more on. Usual resolutions include “Lose weight”, or “Work harder at Work” and even “Help the local river clean-up team”. But one resolution which should definitely be looked at is “Stop using drugs.”
There are many different types of drugs and many different categories they fall in. By looking at www.brainsource.com, I see a list of many different drugs and what they do. Here is a quick low-down of “popular” drugs.
Heroin
Heroin is a highly addictive opiate (like morphine). Brain cells can become dependent (highly addictive) on this drug to the extent that users need it in order to function in their daily routine. While heroin use starts out with a rush of pleasure, it leaves the use in a fog for many hours afterwards. Users soon find that their sole purpose in life is to have more of the drug that their body has become dependent on.
Marijuana
The parts of the brain that control emotions, memory, and judgment are affected by marijuana. Smoking it cannot only weaken short-term memory, but can block information from making it into long-term memory. It has also been shown to weaken problem solving ability.
Alcohol
Alcohol is no safer than drugs. Alcohol impairs judgment and leads to memory lapses. It can lead to blackouts. It distorts vision, shortens coordination, and in addition to the brain can damage every other organ in the body.
Cocaine
Cocaine, both in powder form and as crack, is an extremely addictive stimulant. An addict usually loses interest in many areas of life, including school, sports, family, and friends. Use of cocaine can lead to feelings of paranoia and anxiety. Although often used to enhance sex drive, physical effect of cocaine on the receptors in the brain reduces the ability to feel pleasure (which in turn causes the dependency on the drug).
Inhalants
Inhalants, such as glue, gasoline, hair spray, and paint thinner, are sniffed. The effect on the brain is almost immediate. And while some vapors leave the body quickly, others will remain for a long time. The fatty tissues protecting the nerve cells in the brain are destroyed by inhalant vapors. This slows down or even stops neural transmissions. Effects of inhalants include diminished ability to learn, remember, and solve problems.
Ecstasy
Extended use of this amphetamine causes difficulty differentiating reality and fantasy, and causes problems concentrating. Studies have found that ecstasy destroys certain cells in the brain. While the cells may re-connect after discontinued use of the drug, they don’t re-connect normally. Like most drugs, this one impairs memory and can cause paranoia, anxiety, and confusion.
LSD
While some people use LSD for the sense of enhanced and vivid sensory experience, it can cause paranoia, confusion, anxiety, and panic attacks. Like Ecstasy, the user often blurs reality and fantasy, and has a distorted view of time and distance.
Steroids
Anabolic steroids are used to improve athletic performance and gain muscle bulk. Unfortunately, steroids cause moodiness and can permanently impair learning and memory abilities.
Tobacco
Tobacco is a dangerous drug, putting nicotine into your body. Nicotine affects the brain quickly, like other inhalants, producing feelings of pleasure, like cocaine, and is highly addictive, like heroin.
I also interviewed Mrs. Elizabeth Connolly, a guidance counselor at Valley Middle School in Oakland, NJ. She not only councils students in the 8th grade, but also teaches a “Coping” class. This class varies from learning about drugs, emotions, bullies, and more. I asked her about children and adults under drugs.
This is what she had to say to our questions.
RR: Why do you think kids are drawn into taking drugs?
Connolly: I think usually the peer pressure is stronger than their desire to actually use a substance. Before they realize it, they are caught up in something that has a great power over them.
RR: What are “you” doing in the schools about it?
Connolly: We completely revamped the drug and alcohol curriculum last summer. We made sure to include all state requirements pertaining to drugs and alcohol content.
RR: What do you do if you find someone who you think is under the influence of drugs?
Connolly: It is broken down into two different areas. In a school, any adult is legally required to report concerns of an intoxicated student to the school nurse. Once evaluated, the child may need to go out for drug and alcohol testing. Personally, if I knew someone who was caught up with drugs and/or alcohol I would do my best to get them the help they needed by first suggesting counseling and/or therapy.
RR: What is a good way to tell if some one is under the influence?
Connolly: Usually you can tell by looking at their eyes, if their pupils are dilated, or bloodshot. Another way is if they are acting outside of their normal character or personality.
RR: How do kids get introduced/tricked into taking drugs?
Connolly: Sometimes kids think a substance is harmless especially when they look like a candy, for example, ecstasy. Another time they might be tricked is if they see friends who usually smoke and they think that it is just a simple cigarette.
Thanks to Ari McVeigh and Rebecca Chang for helping to research and help in general to write this article.