Substance Use and Society

This presentation explores the impact of substance use on society, focusing on the drug class of depressants. It discusses the nature of dependency, effects of dependency, and options for intervention. Depressants are drugs that affect the central nervous system, providing relief from stress and depression. However, they can lead to physical and mental dependency, with potential side effects. The presentation emphasizes the importance of using these drugs responsibly and seeking support from family and friends.

Substance Use and Society

TABLE OF CONTENT
• INTRODUCTION
• Depressants
• Dependency
• Nature of dependency
• Nature of dependency of Depressants
• Effects of dependency of depressants
• Options of intervention
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES

Introduction
Substance use is the practice of using a medical drug in order to ease the
physical or psychological issues in a human body. There is a limit of the usage
of these substances otherwise it can cause addiction. There are various classes
of drugs and every drug has its own nature of dependency and options of
intervention which are analyzed in this presentation. The use of substance has
its significant impact upon the society for which it is important to explore its
option of intervention. The drug class which is selected for this presentation is
Depressant.

Depressants
Depressants are a type of drug which is used to affect Central nervous system of
a human body. These type of drug are highly used all over the world in order to
calm the nerves and relax muscles so that it lower the levels of activity and
awareness of the brain so that user can feel a relieve from stress and depression.

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There are three categories of Depressants which are ethyl alcohol,
Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates. All these categories vary in impact and
efficiencies. These kinds of drugs are consumed as per the prescription of
medical practitioner and are used to control anxiety, obsessiveness, insomnia
and depression. These drugs works by increasing the activity of gamma-
aminobutyric acid in a human body due to which brain activity automatically
reduces and its calm the nerves and leads to the feelings of drowsiness. Like
every other drug, this also has few side effects which include fatigue, breathing
problems, cravings and many others.

Dependency
Drug dependence is a situation in which human body feel discomfort and
compulsion for intake of a specific drug. Drug dependency can be both physical
and mental. Physical dependency means a human body craves for a drug and
causes harmful impacts upon the organ functioning. On the other hand mental
or psychological drug dependence means a sense in a human that he or she can
not cope without the intake of drug which ultimately results in emotional and
social problems.

Nature of dependency
There are levels of dependency which varies due to type of drug, intake amount
of drug and individual capacity or familiarity with that drug. It is important to
understand that there is a difference between the dependency and addiction of a
drug. Nature of dependency on a drug impacts the tolerance and withdrawal
power of a human body. Every drug has its own nature of dependence.

Nature of dependency of Depressants
The nature of dependency of Depressants is high as it creates a tolerance in
human body due to which doses of depressants are increased to maintain
desired effects. This cycle which results in increased doses ultimately lead to
high dependency and sometimes in addiction.

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The dependency which depressants cause in human body is both physical and
mental. The depressants are a type of drug, if which is used by an individual
regularly then it creates a tolerance in the body of that drug due to which its
effects on human body reduces. This reduced effect simulates the individual to
increase the dose of depressants. If this cycle of developing tolerance and
increasing doses of depressants continuous for a significant amount of time then
it creates dependency of the human body which ultimately lead to addiction as
well.
Along with physical, depressants also create a mental dependency which is even
worse as the it can even build suicidal tendencies in a human brain.

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There are various debates around for the efficacy of depressants. According to some
of them depressants is the best cure for people suffering from social anxiety as it
calms their nerve muscles and provide them an ability to perform routine tasks. But
according to the other side of the debate, medical practitioners believe that
depressants are really effective but they must only be used when they are actually
required so that it cannot develop a tolerance in the human body. The nature of
dependency of depressants is both physical and psychological with high level of
simulation due to which individual requires to ensure that they must do not develop
this dependency otherwise it can even result in addiction.

Effects of dependency of depressants
There are various effects of the dependency of depressants which a human body
has to suffer. The major effects are chronic fatigue, weight gain, depression,
sleep and breathing issues and sexual dysfunctions. All these impacts are the
factors due to which a human mind even develops more craving of depressants
as it helps them in calming their nerves down. The effects of dependency of
depression are cyclic and never ending in absence of support. The depressants is
a class of drug which first taken by an individual to experience the stress free
environment but then these drugs creates dysfunctions in their body which
provides more reason to intake depressants.

Options of intervention
There are several interventions which are developed by the government of UK
in order to spread awareness among people and more importantly individuals
who are under treatment of depression. This is one of the most common
problem which is nowadays things seen in people and mostly teenagers who are
in the initial age of their career. Many individual faces and undergoes
meditation for depression in order to fight with the disorders and lead a better
life. Doctors prescribe them depressants which are specifically those drugs that
slow down brain activity making them effective for treating many conditions
and disorders faced by the individual.

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Depression addiction is causes when prescribed medications are taken outside a
doctor's explicit guidance and supervision. Therefore several interventions are
are developed by government to increase awareness among people related to the
use and addiction of these depressant. This intervention and options are as
follows:
• the first and foremost intervention which was taken by the government of the
UK and the policy which is established in relation with the availability of
depression medicines and their sale and purchase. The individual who is
undergoing the treatment for depression is only allowed to buy antidepressant
pills when it is prescribed by doctors.

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The doctors who are treating people suffering from depression or any kind of
disorder also has two holes appropriate degree for running that clinic and also
the respective licenses from the government office which allows them to treat
and prescribe medicines to then patients of respective age group and even
according to the respective disorders or depression.

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The most common depression pill and medications which are used and
prescribed by most doctors are of central nervous system depressants. This
organisation is associated with NHS and continuously provide there is self
health Care programs and awareness shows in which they improve and enhance
the knowledge of people related to the medicines of depression. The
antidepressants are made up of various molecules and ingredients and in these
health Care programs information about these ingredients and the harm the can
cause to the people if consumed without the guidance of the doctor or in excess.

CONCLUSION
This presentation has provided an opportunity to understand about the drug
class of depressants and how it creates a dependency in human body. This
presentation summarises that usage of a drug is essential for an individual but it
must be used in a certain amount so that it cannot affect the bodily dysfunction.
It has also concluded from this presentation that the best option for intervention
for the drug usage is support of family and friends which can help in developing
a tolerance of only using a drug when it is actually important.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
• Oliver, J. and et.al., 2012. American Society for Pain Management nursing
position statement: pain management in patients with substance use disorders. Pain
Management Nursing. 13(3). pp.169-183.
• Soyka, M. and et.al, 2011. The World Federation of Societies of Biological
Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for the biological treatment of substance use and
related disorders. Part 2: Opioid dependence. The world journal of biological
psychiatry. 12(3). pp.160-187.
• Wooditch, A., Tang, L.L. and Taxman, F.S., 2014. Which criminogenic need
changes are most important in promoting desistance from crime and substance use?.
Criminal Justice and Behavior. 41(3). pp.276-299.

REFERENCES
• Doran, N. and et.al., 2012. Adolescent substance use and aggression: A
review. Criminal Justice and Behavior. 39(6). pp.748-769.
• Garfield, J.B., Lubman, D.I. and Yücel, M., 2014. Anhedonia in
substance use disorders: a systematic review of its nature, course and clinical
correlates. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 48(1). pp.36-51.
• Terplan, M., Kennedy-Hendricks, A. and Chisolm, M.S., 2015. Article
commentary: prenatal substance use: exploring assumptions of maternal
unfitness. Substance abuse: research and treatment. 9. pp.SART-S23328.

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