Addictions

Many people abuse drugs without realizing it or admitting it to themselves. In fact, the term "substance abuse" can be misleading because we tend to think only about the junkies and drunks who we have seen on the street. But these are not the only users and abusers of drugs. Some of us abuse drugs regularly, yet go on leading relatively productive lives, at least for a while.

10% of business executives are alcoholics.
More and more celebrities and athletes admit to having a substance abuse problem.
Drug dependency does not discriminate: many people, regardless of sex, age, income, or profession, have this problem..

ALCOHOL
The first step in learning about, and dealing with, alcohol abuse is to accept the fact that alcohol is a drug. We often forget this simply because alcohol is legal and is often a part of our social activities.

Alcoholism
This is a disease, which is characterized by a growing need to drink.
Research has shown that heredity plays a role in the development of the disease, but even with no known family history of alcoholism, you can still be at risk.
Anyone who drinks alcohol has the potential to abuse it.
There is no known cure for this disease. If left untreated it can have severe health consequences such as liver cirrhosis, resulting in premature death.
Abstinence is the only choice for those who have alcoholism and want to survive.
It is a disease that affects not only the drinker, but also touches the lives of their loved ones.
You can be afflicted by alcoholism before any symptoms have become obvious to you or your family.
Early warning signs, such as frequent drinking or having a preoccupation with alcohol, are often ignored because they are socially accepted.
Another early warning sign is having a high tolerance for alcohol - that is, being able to drink large quantities of alcohol at a time without feeling the effects.
Alcoholic amnesia or "blackouts" can occur at any stage of the disease and can last from several minutes during a night of drinking to many days during binge drinking. During these times, you might have no recollection of what was said or done or cloudy memories.
During middle stage alcoholism, you might display an even greater tolerance for alcohol and need to drink even more to achieve the same desired feeling.
You may make failed attempts at drinking less.
In the later stages of alcoholism, tolerance decreases. No matter how much you drink you will not be able to achieve the desired effect, and you will tend to get sick.
During late stage alcoholism, you will also experience withdrawal symptoms and strong cravings for alcohol, and you will suffer from malnutrition.
Alcoholism is a disease of denial. First, you drink to deny your life problems, then you deny that you have a drinking problem.
Alcoholics believe that they can control their drinking, but they cannot. The first step toward recovery is to admit to having the problem. It is only then that you can look to the various resources that are available for help.

Some Facts
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol is a depressant.
In small quantities, it has a tranquillizing effect on most people, but it can work as a stimulant for some.
When you drink alcohol, it affects your self-control.
If you consume large quantities of alcohol, you might experience memory loss, loss of some muscle coordination and balance, or impairment of sensory perception.
Higher doses of alcohol can lead to the complete loss of control of your body and even alcohol poisoning (which can lead to coma and death).
You can become impaired from as little as one drink.
Although food delays the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream, no amount of food will counteract a large intake of alcohol. You will feel its full impact, but it will take longer to feel it.
Beer has as much of an effect as "hard" liquor, wine, or spirits (although light beer does have a little less alcohol).
Carbonated alcoholic drinks, such as wine coolers, are more potent than non-carbonated ones, because the carbon dioxide increases the rate at which alcohol passes from the stomach to the blood stream.
You can develop a drinking problem from drinking just beer.
Coffee does not help you to sober up. It only counteracts alcohol's depressant effects so you are a less drowsy drunk.
Body size and build affect the relative amount of alcohol that a body can dilute. Since the body consists of 70% water, a heavier person's body can dilute more alcohol than a lighter person's. Alcohol will also effect a woman more than a man of the same size, because women generally have a higher percentage of body fat.
The setting in which you drink, the mood that you are in, and the atmosphere around you can all affect how you will react to alcohol.
The presence of other prescription or non-prescription drugs can intensify the effects of alcohol. Antihistamines, especially, can have a very serious effect if you drink alcohol while they are in your system.
Alcohol is not a sexual stimulant, because it interferes with the ability to perform, even though it might increase your interest in sex.
Alcohol is highly addictive for many people.
Long term overuse of alcohol can damage the liver, heart, muscles, and brain.
You are just as likely to develop a drinking problem from beer as from vodka.

Tips on Responsible Drinking
Drinking should not be the primary focus of any activity.
Try setting a limit on the number of drinks that you will have and sticking to it.
Drink slowly to consume less and allow your body to absorb the alcohol more slowly.
Respect someone else's choice not to drink.
Discourage irresponsible behaviour.
Avoid drinking games.
Avoid alcohol before or during studying. Although it might help you to relax, it will interfere with your ability to retain information.
Avoid situations that will lead you to miss classes because of alcohol use or a hangover. When partying affects your ability to attend classes and to study, you have a drinking problem.

When you are throwing a party, you should
- provide food so guests can eat while drinking (slows down absorption).
- provide your guests with some non-alcoholic beverages.
- have someone act as a bartender, so they can....
- limit your own drinking so that you are in a position to assess the state of your guests at the end of the evening.
- stop serving drinks at least an hour before guests are supposed to leave.
- call someone a cab if they have been drinking too much or offer him or her a place to stay.
If you are going out and will be drinking, you should always have a designated driver or take a cab home.
Never drive or operate any motorized or other vehicle (includes snowmobiles, bicycles) while under the influence of alcohol.
Never allow a person who is under the influence of alcohol to drive.
Never ride in a car with a drinking or drunk driver.

Getting Sued Can Ruin a Good Party
If you are hosting a party, organizing a party to be held in a community centre or having a bush party you can be liable if someone gets injured while intoxicated, or injures someone else.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your next get together.
1. A provider, in the eyes of the law, is anyone who provides alcohol to others. You are a provider if you are a bartender in a commercial establishment, if you are hosting a party at your home or if you ar hosting a party in a rented space and alcohol is accessible.
  As a provider, you are only liable when you serve someone who is past the point of intoxication, however you did not have to serve them the majority of alcohol which brought them to that state. You are also resposible if they injure themselves or others on or off your property.
2. An occupier is anyone in thepossession or control of preperty with the right to exclude. In other words if you own or rent a home, apartment, community centre, or hall then you are the occupier.
  As an occupier, you are responsible for:
  - the physical safety of the premises (broken stairs, loose railing etc.)
  - everyone allowed to enter and remain on your property
  - all activities permitted on your property
So what does this mean to you? Well here is an example of how a provider and an occupier can get into some trouble if they do not properly plan their event.
Your friend Jill, with your permission has a party at your apartment because she lives with her folks who know better and denied her the use of the house. You are away for the wekend so you give her your keys. You tell her your place is still a bit of a mess because you haven't finished all your renovations but Jill says no problem. At this party there is lots of drinking, dancing and good times. One person accidently stepped on an old nail but they had shoes on. As the night continues, one bozo has a little too much to drink. He becomes a bit insulting, a little too loud and annoying to many of the guests. After about an hour and a half, he finally lets go and bops Carl, the law student in the nose, breaking it.
Carl, naturally, being a keen student, puts all his recent knowledge to good use and files a lawsuit. Not only against Mr. Bozo, but Jill who invited Mr. Bozo and let him stay even after he started bothering people, and he sues you as the occupier who allowed this party in your apartment.
Although this is not an actual case, it is not that unlikely either. It is very important to know your legal and moral responsibilities if you're planning to host or throw a party. Most students on campus are injured from falls related to intoxication! There is much more to drinking responsibly than not driving.

The Criminal Code
You might be committing a drinking and driving offence, even if you are not drunk or you have not taken several drinks.
The law states that it is a crime to operate a motor vehicle while over 0.08.
"Over 0.08" means having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) which exceeds 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
Although the way in which alcohol is processed by the body is influenced by many factors (such as percentage of body fat and mood), it is generally recommended that alcohol consumption be limited to one drink per hour, over a period of four hours. After four hours, drinks should be spaced out even more, alternating between non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.
The BAC is evaluated using a roadside test or a breathalyser test.
It is a crime to refuse to give a breath sample without a good reason. It is up to the judge to determine if the reason was a valid one.
It is also a criminal offense to refuse to give a blood sample under certain circumstances.
Impaired driving, which is separate and distinct from "driving over 0.08", is also a criminal offense. Your BAC might not be over 0.08, but you can still be found guilty of impaired driving. Impairment is determined by police observations, such as the smell of alcohol on the driver's breath, erratic driving, lack of co-ordination, etc.
The most severe penalties apply to impaired driving causing bodily harm or causing death.
If you are convicted of a drinking and driving offence, any expenses that you incur are your responsibility, not your insurance company's.
A conviction also exempts the insurer from having to provide any assistance to cover a loss of income.
Your insurance premiums are likely to increase by at least 50% once you are allowed to drive again.

NICOTINE
Most people are unaware that nicotine is a psychoactive drug - that is, it affects your mind and your behaviour.
Although nicotine is classified as a stimulant, it can have either a stimulant or a depressant effect, depending on how it interacts with your brain chemicals.
It is so addictive that you might have to try quitting many times before you succeed.
Nicotine is an extremely potent poison and carcinogen. The minimum lethal oral dose of the pure substance is 40-60 milligrams.
Most tobacco users believe that it alleviates stress and helps them to relax.
Although smoking has been shown to cause cancer, emphysema, heart disease and complications during pregnancy, some people ignore these facts because they believe that they can quit long before these diseases affect them.
You can become addicted to nicotine in as little as a few months.
Addiction to nicotine is the same as addiction to any other drug. At first, you will be intolerant of nicotine and might feel nauseous, but with repeated use you build up a tolerance and need to increase the dosage to feel the same effects.
In daily users of tobacco, their systems will never be free of nicotine and it will remain in their bloodstreams 24 hours a day.
The effects of chewing tobacco, snuff, or smokeless tobacco are the same as cigarettes.

The Reasons Why People Smoke
- Stimulation: people often smoke for a quick high because it increases the heart rate and gives a temporary energy boost.
- Relaxation: it can also be used as an excuse to sit back and relax without feeling lazy. Smokers might feel relaxed because the carbon monoxide dulls their senses, but the actual physical effects are completely the opposite.
- Handling: smoking gives people something to do with their hands.
- Temporary crutch: during times of stress, anger, or anxiety, someone who smokes might feel that smoking gives them some temporary relief.
- Cravings: most smokers are physically and psychologically addicted, although they would often like to deny this.
- Habit: smoking can be associated with other events, such as having a cup of coffee or being with friends who also smoke, and it is easy for smokers to find themselves inadvertently lighting up during these times.
How to Quit
After eating, or other times when you are craving a cigarette, you should delay smoking for 5, then 10, then 15, then 30 minutes.
You can try switching to a lower tar brand every week.
Changing all of the things that are part of the habit can also help. For example, if you always use a lighter, switch to matches.
Try to avoid smoking when you are drinking or when you are in the car. If it is too difficult to avoid cigarettes in those situations, it is best to not drink or to go to bars for some time after you have quit.
It also helps to hide the cigarettes in a place that is out of reach.
Substitute sugarless gum, fruit, tooth picks and other items that will keep your hands and mouth busy.
Avoiding cigarettes at times where you usually want one will help to break some of the patterns.
Avoid giving into temptation during the first 3 to 5 days, when the withdrawal symptoms are at their worst. It is during this time that the body is trying to rid itself of the chemicals in tobacco.
It might be easier for some people to quit "cold turkey", that is to quit in one shot, rather than gradually reducing their consumption.

The Benefits of Being Smoke-Free
We all know them, but it will not hurt to refresh our memories, especially at those times when the cravings are the strongest.
Physically, you will have
- more energy
- better senses of taste and smell
- less wrinkling around the eyes and mouth
- lower risk of heart and lung diseases, cancer, emphysema, infections
- no more stains on your teeth and fingers
- fewer pregnancy risks
- decreased risk of disease to family members and co-workers due to second hand smoke.
Socially and emotionally, you will
- feel more confident and in control
- feel more welcome by non-smokers
- feel that friends and family are proud of you.
Financially,
- you will save hundreds of dollars
- you might see a drop in your insurance premiums, especially life insurance
- you will save on medication costs, because you will be sick less often
- you will benefit because clothes and household items will no longer be ruined by accidental cigarette burns.
CAFFEINE
Caffeine is a drug that most of society sees as harmless. Although we consume it mostly in coffee, it is also found it tea, cola, chocolate, baked goods, puddings, fillings, soft candy, and frozen dairy deserts. It is also used in more than 1,000 over-the-counter drugs, such as diet pills and wake-up pills.
Caffeine is highly addictive. It belongs to the same alkaloid group as nicotine, morphine, and cocaine.
It stimulates the nervous system, accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels to the brain, suppresses appetite, and acts on the stomach, the kidneys and other organs.
As with other drugs, users build up a tolerance to it and need to consume more to get the same "lift".
Doctors believe that it is safe to consume up to 200 milligrams daily, which is about the amount found in two or three cups of coffee.
Those who get irritable or jittery after only one cup of coffee should avoid caffeine altogether, because it is toxic for them.
If you consume coffee or cola throughout the day, or use caffeine compulsively to keep going, you might be suffering from a serious addiction that needs to be treated. It might be necessary to cut down on caffeine.
If you do feel that you have a problem due to the amount of caffeine that you consume, it is a good idea to consult your doctor and get advice on how you can reduce the caffeine in your diet.
Caffeine can cause anxiety attacks in some people.
Coffee is decaffeinated by either the solvent method or the water method (which is the safer of the two). When buying decaffeinated coffee, you should make sure that the water method has been used.
Five to ten grams of caffeine is a lethal dose and can cause death by convulsive heartbeats. It is extremely important to be very careful of how much you ingest if you use caffeine wake-up pills.
Most people will be able to give up or reduce their caffeine intake if they do it gradually and really set their minds to it. It is best to reduce your intake slowly over a period of two weeks, until you are consuming less than about 200 milligrams per day.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
The most common addiction in this group is to benzodiazepines (BZPs), which are prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders. These include valium and other types of tranquilizers.
When taken as prescribed they can offer safe, effective relief from anxiety, muscle tension or insomnia.
Because of their highly addictive natures, however, you can become hooked on them even though they are being used exactly as prescribed.
Since alcohol and tranquillizer belong to the same class of drugs, incidents of cross-addiction is very high.
The combination of alcohol and BZPs can be fatal.
Millions of people use these types of drugs chronically.
It is very difficult to overcome an addiction to prescription drugs, and it must be done gradually, under the supervision of a physician.
If you want to avoid these dangerous addictions, you should think twice about taking such drugs, especially if you feel that they were prescribed too easily. Sometimes counselling is as effective as the drugs, if not more so.
It is important to ask your doctor about the addictive potential of any drugs that are prescribed for you.
If you have become aware of having such dependencies, consult a physician who will guide you through detoxification.

MARIJUANA
Marijuana is known as hash, pot, grass and some 200 other names.
It is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, ranking right behind alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine in popularity.
Reactions to marijuana will vary, and it can be a depressant, a stimulant, or an hallucinogen.
Chronic use can lead to impaired short-term memory, a depressed immune system, and lung disease or cancer.
For some people, even occasional use can be very harmful.
Contrary to popular belief, you can become addicted to marijuana. Some early warning signs are daily or almost daily use, as well as a preoccupation with the drug.
Addicts will begin to suffer from a lack of motivation, an inability to deal with new problems, and a general sense of lethargy.
Self-help can begin with having an exercise routine, avoiding too much sugar and caffeine, and resuming old hobbies.
After quitting, the mind becomes sharper, senses are heightened, and everything feels and tastes better.

HALLUCINOGENS
These are mostly "street drugs".
The different varieties are "magic mushrooms", LSD, and "buttons".
They can all produce both auditory and visual hallucinations. The senses merge and the perception of time and space is distorted.
During a "trip", pupils are dilated, blood pressure is high, and some dizziness is felt.
"Bad trips", which are intense anxiety and panic attacks, can recur in flashbacks even months after use.
Hallucinogens have no medical use and can unmask psychosis.
Some withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, fatigue, and restlessness.

ANABOLIC STEROIDS
These are synthetic copies of the male hormone (testosterone).
Some athletes and bodybuilders use these to enhance their athletic performance.
Most steroids are purchased illegally and are either injected or taken orally.
They facilitate weight gain and increase muscle mass.
Although anabolic steroids result in rapid hypertrophy (abnormal increase in size) of muscle, continual use is necessary to maintain the mass. The body will immediately revert to its natural muscular distribution once steroid use is discontinued.
Regular use can cause acne, sexual impotence, and damage to the heart, kidneys, and liver.
Some users experience psychosis in the form of delusions, paranoia, auditory hallucinations, violence, depression, and mania.
These mental disorders will disappear once the drug is stopped.
Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweats, chills, headaches, and tremors, resemble those of heroin withdrawal.

COCAINE/CRACK
It used to be thought that cocaine was not addictive because few withdrawal symptoms were observed. However, it is now considered to be one of the most highly addictive drugs known, because of the intense cravings that it creates.
Cocaine and crack addicts are willing to give up anything to obtain the drug, and this is where the danger lies.
Repeated snorting of cocaine hydrochloride, the white powder form, leads to an incessant runny nose, bloody nose, sores inside the nostrils, and sometimes a perforation of the septum (the nasal membrane).
Taking intravenous (IV) injections of cocaine puts the user and his or her sexual partners (as well as any other users of the same needle) at risk of contracting such diseases as Hepatitis and AIDS, among others.
Smoking crack can seriously damage the lungs. Often, pain is felt in the throat and chest, accompanied by the coughing up of phlegm.
Other more serious side effects of cocaine addiction include sweats, tremors, twitching, a racing heart, weight loss, psychosis, anxiety, and a host of other extremely dangerous symptoms.
Sudden death can occur in otherwise healthy people.
Some users become ultra-sensitive to cocaine and overdose when ingesting a very small amount. This is referred to as "kindling".
Because of the short-lived high and the inevitable extreme low, addicts find themselves desperately trying to keep the high by taking cocaine every fifteen minutes or so. This cycle is even shorter when doing crack.
Because of the high-low effect, many addicts end up taking other drugs, such as alcohol, to calm the anxiety from the cocaine, inevitably finding themselves in the vicious cycle of doing coke to create the high and taking other drugs to calm the nerves.
Cocaine addiction can develop in as little as two months, especially if it is injected or smoked. After some time, the brain's natural chemicals become depleted and the ability to get high is lost.
Detoxification can be done outside of a hospital setting, and withdrawal is usually characterized by depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, and nervousness.
Unfortunately, most addicts will have to also fight against secondary addictions that arose due to the cocaine addiction.

As we have seen, most of these drugs are dangerous not only because of their long-term effects on our brains and our lives, but also because they can cause us to turn to other drugs. In the end, addicts often either resort to a fatal combination or dosage, or become addicted to so many drugs that they are unable to see a way out.

ROHYPNOL
Date Rape Pill (Roofies, Rohypnol, Rib, Roches)
- Rohypnol is a hypnotic sedative.
- It creates a drunk-like feeling that lasts eight hours or more.
- Certain effects include loss of inhibition, extreme sleepiness, relaxation, and worst fo all for its victims, amnesia.
- Rohypnol belongs to the same family as Valium.
- It comes from Mexico and parts of Europe where it is prescribed as a sleeping pill. It is illegal in Canada and the United States.
- The dime-sized pill is odourless, tasteless, colourless, and costs from one to three dollars.
- The pill dissolves easily in alcohol and soft drinks.
- The drug takes effect in ten minutes and all traces of the pill can be eliminated from the body in as little as twenty-four hours.
Signs You May Be a Victim of Rohypnol
- You feel more drunk than usual, or you have an unusual response to the amount of alcohol you've consumed.
- If you wake up very hung over with a "fuzzy" feeling and memory lapse.
- If you feel someone had intercourse with you but you can't remember any or all of the incident. There have been instances of women being aware of what was happening, but just couldn't move.
- If you remember taking a drink but can't recall the period after you consumed the drink.
I remember my girlfriend only had two beers. She was passing out on me and stumbling all over the place. I decided we should leave. When we were outside, she just laid on the sidewalk because she couldn't stand. It turned out someone slipped a couple of roofies in her drink.

What to Do if It Happens to You
- Get to a safe place.
- Get help immediately by phoning the police and obtaining medical care.
- Have a trusted friend stay with you and take care of you.
- Go to the hospital emergency department as soon as possible for an exam and evidence collection.
- Preserve as much physical evidence as possible. Keep your clothes and yourself unwashed if possible. Even try and get the glass or the bottle you drank out of.
- Request that the hospital take a urine sample for drug toxicology testing at a police laboratory. Only a special test can detect Rohypnol.
- Also remember that Rohypnol is eliminated from the body very quickly and therefore you need to be tested as soon as possible.
How Can I Protect Myself?
1. Don't drink beverages you didn't open yourself.
2. If possible, bring your own drinks to parties.
3. Never leave your drink unattended. Even when you go dancing or to the bathroom.
4. Always be aware of the stranger that places a drink on your table.
5. Although Rohypnol is unidentifiable, don't drink anyting that has an unusual taste or appearance (ie: salty taste, excessive foam, unexplained residue).
6. If someone offers to buy you a drink, go with them to the bar and accept the drink from the bartender yourself.
7. Take care of your friends. It is comforting to know you have trusted people looking over your shoulder (the "buddy system").
8. You can never be too safe. At least when you're aware, you can be one step ahead.
How Can I Find Help?
Health Services 564-3950
Protection Services 562-5499
Sexual Assault Officer 562-5222
Riverside Hospital 738-7100

CO-DEPENDENCE
It is dangerous to oversimplify the definition of co-dependence and to outline typical behaviours, because this condition might exist whether or not certain behaviours are exhibited. Co-dependence is an addiction that is estimated to touch the lives, to varying degrees, of 90% of the population. Some experts also believe that drug addictions might only be covering up underlying co-dependency for some people.

Co-dependency is a form of addiction to dysfunctional relationships. The co-dependent usually tends to live through others, having an identity that is based solely on that of someone else. This is not a new disorder, but awareness is growing simply because we now have a label which allows us to address it, namely the term "co-dependence".
Co-dependants often feel a loss of control similar to that which is felt by drug addicts.
What they see as being helpful to others is actually an attempt to assume responsibility for others' lives, while neglecting their own.
Co-dependants often confuse their identities with those of someone else and base their self worth on obtaining the approval of others.
Co-dependence and substance abuse often go hand in hand. Many co-dependants either try to control a loved one's addiction or are themselves addicted to something.
A co-dependant will often continue to live through someone else, even if he or she quits his or her addictive substances and behaviours or leaves the house.
Because of their lack of self-worth, co-dependants are unable to express their emotions openly and cannot make decisions or adapt to changes.
If a co-dependant is also chemically dependant, and is trying to go through detoxification, they should not attempt to deal with the co-dependence until they have gained a considerable amount of control over their substance abuse problem. The painful moments that are lived through when dealing with co-dependence can actually cause a relapse into substance abuse.
Co-dependence can now be dealt with through therapy and by joining supportive self-help groups.
In therapy, co-dependants learn to deal with childhood experiences, to draw boundaries between themselves and others, to express their emotions, and to care about others without needing to control them.

By talking to a counsellor or a therapist, we can learn to address this issue and start to deal with it. It is an affliction that can rule our entire beings and lead to a joyless life- style. With help, we can discover and learn to care about ourselves. We can stop neglecting the struggling person inside.

Back to Health Information Page

Addictions

ALCOHOL

Alcoholism

Some Facts

Tips on Responsible Drinking

When you are throwing a party, you should

Getting Sued Can Ruin a Good Party

The Criminal Code

NICOTINE

The Reasons Why People Smoke

How to Quit

The Benefits of Being Smoke-Free

CAFFEINE

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

MARIJUANA

HALLUCINOGENS

ANABOLIC STEROIDS

COCAINE/CRACK

ROHYPNOL

Date Rape Pill (Roofies, Rohypnol, Rib, Roches)

Signs You May Be a Victim of Rohypnol

What to Do if It Happens to You

How Can I Protect Myself?

How Can I Find Help?

CO-DEPENDENCE