Hangover Effect Including Loss Of Appetite example essay topic

Young people today have a lot of stress to cope with. Families, friends, studies, health, finances. When they do get some time to relax and have fun, they want to enjoy themselves to the max. They may find themselves at the receiving end of advice from friends and acquaintances offering a quick fix to help them have more fun. And when they see everyone else using drugs and apparently having fun they don't want to feel left out, their inherent curiosity leads them on to discover what all the fuss is about.

There are many young people who can try it once, and feeling that nothing much was gained, walk away and never look back. But there are others, probably the ones lacking in confidence or suffering from low self-esteem, who feel good when they take drugs, they like the buzz, the high they get, and they want to continue feeling good. So they keep on taking the drugs, not knowing what side effects they may have, or what effects can be expected long term. And if they get addicted, they won't care anyway, they " ll keep on taking more and more just to feel good.

Their friends will become alienated because the drug user undergoes a change of personality. They become bad tempered and irritable; suffer from mood swings; lose concentration, interest and enthusiasm in life; withdraw from hobbies and sports; lose pride in their appearance and will make unusual and repeated requests for money (it's an expensive habit.) Physical signs of drug addiction include sudden weight loss, occasional memory loss, slurred speech, lack of energy, disturbed sleep patterns, chronic coughing, poor coordination, red or watery eyes, dilated or pin-point eye pupils, loss of appetite but craving sweets. (All in all, a total wreck.) Here's a run down of the more widely used drugs. AMPHETAMINES - these are stimulants, they speed up the central nervous system. Slang names: speed, bennies, gooey, uppers, pep pills. Effects: small doses give feelings of well being, self-confidence, energy, loss of appetite and alertness.

Higher doses make the above feelings more intense, also give headaches, sweating, dizziness, rapid or irregular heartbeats, can also produce feelings of aggression or hostility. Overdose: brings on brain haemorrhage, heart attack, coma, death. Most deaths are due to accidents while under the influence of speed. BENZODIAZEPINES - minor tranquillisers, they slow down physical, mental and emotional responses. Combining them with alcohol, painkillers, or antihistamines can result in unconsciousness and failure to breathe. Slang names: thanks, downers.

Effects: relieve anxiety, depression, insomnia. Higher doses give feelings of euphoria and dizziness, no feelings of worry, fear, hunger or cold. Dependence happens in 4-6 weeks. Overdose: brings on convulsions, breathing problems, coma and death. CANNABIS - also known as marijuana, pot, grass, dope, mull, yun di. Usually smoked in water pipes or rolled into cigarettes.

Can also be cooked in foods and eaten. Effects: small doses produce feelings of wellbeing, users laugh and talk more, feel happy and relaxed. Higher doses can distort time / colours /sounds and feelings of anxiety, excitement, confusion may increase. Long term effects include loss of energy, lack of interest in activities, loss of memory and concentration, risk of psychotic behaviour.

It also impairs driving ability. ECSTASY - is a hallucinogen. Small tablets taken orally. Used at all night rave parties to give energy to dance all night.

Slang names: E's, ec kies, XTC, MDMA. Effects: gives energy and freedom from hunger. Increased doses produce hallucinations, blurred vision, irrational behaviour, convulsions, vomiting. It has a hangover effect including loss of appetite, insomnia, depression, muscle aches, loss of concentration. Higher doses can produce severe hallucinations and irrational behaviour which is dangerous to the user and to others. Overdose: produces very high blood pressure, fast heart beat, high body temperature.

It can produce severe reactions; deaths have occurred in Australia, USA, UK, mainly associated with overheating and dehydration. COCAINE - is a stimulant. It directly affects the central nervous system by speeding up the activity of certain pathways in the brain. Slang names: coke, "C", crack, snow, nose candy, blow, toot, the lady. Effects: Snorting cocaine can lead to nosebleeds, sinusitis and tearing of the nasal wall. Smoking free base cocaine (e.g. 'crack') can cause breathing difficulties, a chronic cough, chest pain and lung damage.

Injecting cocaine with used or dirty equipment, such as needles, increases the risk of becoming infected with HIV, hepatitis B and C, blood poisoning and skin abscesses. Long-term injection of cocaine can result in: blockage of blood vessels that can lead to major damage to body organs; inflamed blood vessels; and abscesses. Overdose: As little as 10 mg (about one-tenth of the dose users commonly inhale) has been known to kill individuals. Can produce the following effects: faster, irregular heartbeats; lung failure; heart failure; and burst blood vessels in the brain. HEROIN: is a strong painkiller and highly addictive. It is injected or smoked.

Slang names: horse, smack, stuff, dragon, H, junk Effects: hepatitis, ulcers, abscesses, loss of sex drive, tetanus, infertility, pneumonia, malnutrition, bronchitis, tooth decay, collapsed veins, overdose, brain damage, and AIDS. Employers have the right to sack a person caught using drugs at work or convicted of a drug charge. Overdose: causes severe breathing problems and coma. Unless medical help is obtained quickly, the breathing rate will continue to fall until it stops altogether and the person dies.

There is one form of substance abuse that is not treated as seriously as the drugs mentioned above, yet it kills more young people than any of them: ALCOHOL: this is a depressant because it slows down parts of the brain and the nervous system. Slang names: booze, grog Effects: combining alcohol with other drugs can be dangerous. Mixing over-the-counter or prescribed medications with alcohol can reduce their effectiveness. Mixing alcohol with minor tranquillisers or marijuana can affect judgement and coordination and even cause breathing failure. Immediate effects include feeling relaxed and less inhibited, followed by reduced concentration, slurred speech and blurred vision. It also affects coordination and judgement and aggressive behaviour.

An unpleasant effect of heavy drinking is a hangover. Symptoms include headache, nausea, shakiness and possibly vomiting. Sobering up takes time. Black coffee, cold showers, exercise, or vomiting does not speed it up. Physical problems include liver damage, heart and blood disorders, stomach inflammation and brain damage.

Impotence and menstrual irregularity can also occur. Emotional problems can include depression or relationship and family problems. Poor work performance, financial difficulties and legal problems may be some of the social problems experienced at times. Overdose: Severe overdose may result in stupor or coma, with cold and clammy skin, low body temperature, depressed breathing, and increased heart rate. Death from suicides and accidents most typically result from overdose combinations of alcohol and sedatives.