What does addiction mean? Alcohol and some drugs can change your body chemistry if you use them on a regular basis. This means that it is hard to stop using them, and that doing so causes you to have withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms will be different depending on the kind of drug you are using, but can include things like shaking, sweating, feeling sick and a strong urge to take the drug again. If you use a drug often and find it hard to stop using it or experience withdrawal symptoms when you do, this is called addiction. As well as feeling the physical effects of addiction, you might also find it hard to spend time with friends or to relax without taking drugs or drinking alcohol. You may find yourself becoming more and more preoccupied with taking drugs, spending large amounts of your time thinking about them and less time thinking about other things in your life. You may feel uneasy and unhappy until you take them again. If you feel that you are addicted to alcohol or drugs, there is help available. Nicotine in cigarettes/Vapes can also be very addictive and help is also available to people who want to stop smoking.
There are other types of drugs which used to be called ‘legal highs’ that contain chemicals that produce similar effects to drugs like cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy. They are now called ‘new’ or ‘novel psychoactive substances’, and are illegal to make or supply. They include things like ‘Spice’ and ‘mephedrone’. You can find out more about them on the Drugwise website www.drugwise.org.uk When buying illegal drugs, you are unlikely to know what is actually in them or how strong they are, and could end up taking something very dangerous. When can drugs and alcohol become a problem? Drugs can make you feel good for a while. However, if you use drugs or alcohol to help you cope with a situation or feeling, after a while you may feel you need the drug to face that situation or feeling every time. If you spend lots of time with friends who use drugs and alcohol, you’re more likely to use them too. The more often you use drugs and alcohol, the more likely they are to cause different problems, such as: Psychological problems – taking drugs or drinking alcohol often can affect your concentration and memory. This can affect how you perform at school and your ability to do things you enjoy like reading, watching your favourite TV shows or talking to your friends. Social problems – you may find that you start only spending time with other people who are using drugs, and lose contact with other friends. It can also put a strain on your relationship with your family. Physical problems – depending on what kind of drug you are using, your physical health can be negatively impacted in lots of different ways. Financial problems – drugs and alcohol cost money, and if you are using them often you might find that you start to spend all of your money on them and don’t have money to spend on things you enjoy. Try speaking to someone you trust if you feel like using drugs or if alcohol is causing you problems.
In an emergency If you or someone you know has used drugs or alcohol and is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to your local A&E.
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