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The Medical View
Definition
In medical terms, a drug is any chemical substance which, when taken into a living organism, may modify one or more of its functions, altering the way we as humans perceive the world or our present circumstance. (Kuhn, Swartzwelder and Wilson, 1998)In the book Understanding Medications by Alfred Burger, Drugs are defined as chemical compounds that modify the way the body and mind work.
These chemicals or drugs, many of which are plant-based (such as marijuana from the cannabis plant) have been taken for curative, religious and recreational purposes for hundreds of years. Within recent times however, because of advances in chemistry and pharmacology, these drugs have been synthesized into stronger and highly addictive substances such as cocaine and heroin. The end result is people use these substances to reduce anxiety, suppress shyness or even seek the stimulation and power they feel they do not have in social settings.
Addiction
Kuhn, Swartzwelder and Wilson (1998) have cited four 'principles of addiction'
- Addiction is the repetitive, compulsive use of a substance that occurs despite consequences to the user.
- Addictive drugs activate circuits in the brain that respond to normal pleasures, like food and sex. Every brain possesses these circuits, so every human could potentially become addicted to a drug.
- Drug taking is maintained by many factors, including changes in the brain, the desire to experience pleasure from the drug, and the desire to avoid the discomfort of withdrawal.
- Because addiction depends on many different factors in the life of an individual (such as family history, personality, mental health, life experience) most people do not become addicted to drugs.
Copyright ©
• National Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention
Programme
Trinidad and Tobago • Caribbean