| Alcohol: | |
| √ | Alcohol is a psychoactive drug. It affects your senses, thoughts, emotions and behaviour. In Canada, the most commonly used drug is alcohol. |
| √ | 80% of the alcohol drunk by Canadians is in the form of beer. |
| √ | In Canada, half of all substance abuse treatment involves alcohol. |
| √ | It takes about 90 minutes for your body to absorb and eliminate one standard drink. |
| √ | Developing a tolerance for more alcohol over time is a sign of alcohol dependence. |
| √ | If a male and female drink the same amount, the female will be more affected by the alcohol even if they have a similar build and body weight. On average, women weigh less than men and have less water in their bodies, so alcohol is less diluted and has a stronger impact. |
| √ | Research shows that a lot of the harmful things people experience whey they drink happen when they have 5 or more standard drinks on one occasion. |
| √ | In Canada, impaired driving is the most common criminal offence. |
| √ | Around the world, alcohol is linked to more acts of aggression and violence than any other legal or illegal drug. |
| √ | Alcohol reduces your inhibitions so socially unacceptable behaviours such as aggression are more likely to occur. |
| √ | Alcohol impairs your perception and judgment. This makes it harder to interpret other people’s words and actions. |
Reference: Drinkingfacts.ca – 2006 Canadian Public Health Association | |
| Cocaine: | |
| √ | Cocaine is a powerful drug that comes from the leaves of the coca bush, a plant grown in South America. It’s sold as a white powder that is most often snorted (inhaled through the nostrils), but it can also be dissolved in water and injected. Powder cocaine can be chemically changed to create forms of cocaine that can be smoked. These forms, known as “freebase” and “crack”, look like crystals or rocks. |
| √ | The cocaine you can buy on the street is rarely pure. Often, it’s mixed with other substances, like talcum powder or dextrose, or with other drugs, like amphetamines. Cocaine is also known as “coke”, “C”, “snow”, “flake” or “blow”. |
| √ | Cocaine is addictive. It interferes with the way your brain processes chemicals that create feelings of pleasure, so you need more and more of the drug just to feel normal. People who become addicted to cocaine lose control over their use of the drug. They feel a strong need for cocaine, even when they know it causes them medical, psychological and social problems. Getting and taking cocaine can become the most important thing in their lives. |
| √ | Cocaine causes people to “crash” when they stop using it. When they “crash”, their mood swings rapidly from high to distress. This brings powerful cravings for more of the drug. Bingeing to stay high leads quickly to addiction. |
| √ | Symptoms of Cocaine withdrawal can include exhaustion, extended and restless sleep or sleeplessness, hunger, irritability, depression, suicidal thoughts and intense cravings for more of the drug. The memory of the high experienced when using cocaine is powerful and brings a strong risk of relapse to drug use. |
| What are the Risks? | |
| √ | People who inject cocaine, especially if they share needles, are at risk of getting infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV. |
| √ | A person can overdose on even a small amount of cocaine. There is no antidote to cocaine overdose. |
| √ | Loss of interest in other areas of their life, like school, friends, sports |
| √ | Cocaine use is linked with risk-taking and violence. This increases the chance of getting hurt. |
| √ | Trouble with the law |
| √ | Addiction |
| Problem Gambling: | |
The inability to stop gambling even when an individual recognizes their gambling is causing serious financial, family, work and other problems. Problem gamblers lose control over their behavior and commonly lie and cheat to continue their gambling. Even worse, they may even resort to fraud or theft when faced with desperate financial problems. Problem gamblers come from many backgrounds. They can be rich or poor, young or old. Problem gambling can affect people of every race, every religion and every education and income level. It can happen in small towns, rural reservations and big cities. Most importantly, problem gambling negatively impacts the family with high rates of divorce and domestic violence. | |
| Signs of Problem Gambling: | |
| √ | Spends large amounts of time gambling |
| √ | Begins to place larger and more frequent bets |
| √ | Larger bets are necessary to get the same level of excitement |
| √ | Has growing debts |
| √ | Pins hopes on the “big win” |
| √ | Promises to cut back on gambling |
| √ | Refuses to explain behaviour, or lies about it |
| √ | Feels frequent highs and lows |
| √ | Boasts about winning |
| √ | Prefers gambling to a special family occasion |
| √ | Seeks new place to gamble close to home and away |
| √ | Jeopardizing or losing important relationships and/or job |
| √ | By borrowing money or stealing to gamble |
| Summary |
Addiction is a complex issue. It affects every member of the family and can have a lasting impact on their lives. The effect on family members varies from person to person and family to family. When a family member has a dependency, the whole family usually develops ways of coping with the problems associated with the dependency. Often, there is less communication: the family avoids talking about the issue, avoids expressing emotions and may keep the addiction secret from the community. Some family members may take on some of the responsibilities abandoned by the addicted person. Members of the addicted family often experience loneliness, frustration, fear, anger and shame. They may also feel a sense of hopelessness about the situation. It is important for them to realize that the addiction is not their fault. Often, seeking outside help from a support group or professional counsellor can help them cope with what is going on in their family. Addiction often creates an unstable family environment. Parents may not effectively discipline their children or provide them with training in basic life skills. Children may feel insecure and unloved. They may also begin to take on adult responsibilities that are not appropriate to their age. Children in families where an addiction is present are more likely to show anti-social behavior and have problems such as skipping school, aggressiveness, hyperactivity and eating disorders.Reference: AADAC – ABC’s |