Does Anxiety Increase Risk of Drug Abuse?

The concept suspected by Manitoba researchers and written about in the Vancouver Sun is that those who have anxiety problems are more susceptible to drug abuse.

Another instance of research confirming common sense?

We can see primitive versions of this behavior in others and also in ourselves to varying degrees.  We get nervous or anxious about something and that causes us to overeat.  That is why they call it “comfort” food.   So why wouldn’t the same concept apply to drug use?  Of course it does.  Instead of food, a person may go for a beer.   Wouldn’t the same concept apply to a joint, or a harder drug for some people?  It is the same basic concept applied in of these cases – The avoidance or escape from pain!

The human brain is highly addictive.  We also know that the two greatest motivators for the human brain are getting pleasure and AVOIDING PAIN.

Feeling anxious is a sort of uncomfortable feeling – and that IS a kind of pain!

From The Vancouver Sun:

“The work by Manitoba researchers writing in the Archives of General Psychiatry, which followed close to 35,000 people, is one of the first to try to answer a longstanding question: Do anxietyridden people self-medicate because they are substance abusers, or do they become abusers because they selfmedicate?

“Self-medication in anxiety disorders confers substantial risk of incident substance abuse disorders,” wrote lead researcher Jennifer Robinson at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and colleagues.”

There you have it! Of course, the researchers are on to something.  This is really nothing new.  It is obviously a part of human nature.  We have all experienced trying to escape from our feelings / problems by turning to chocolate, a drink,  or in many cases – something worse.  However, some personalities are more prone to doing this than others.  I think we all know that is true.

You can always submit your story to this site if you have one to share in this regard.  Keep all the information, including your name, anonymous!

Drug addiction is a serious problem.  This is just one of the many reasons why!

If you Know of someone who might find this information useful, please share on Facebook or: 

Addiction to these types of drugs has alarmed the general public. Websites on natural news has also taken on an interest in the harmful effects of drug dependency to these drugs. Though most of us will not understand the stress involved in college life, understanding the different factors that contributes to adderall addiction may help us give the necessary support needed by our students to prevent them from resorting to drug stimulants.

The Final Exams

New studies reveal that almost 15% of all college students are relying on ADHD drug stimulants to give them an academic advantage. While these stimulants are meant to calm and suppress emotions amongst those afflicted with ADHD, the opposite effect is experienced by those who take this medication even without needing to. As a result, adderall intake will result in heightened focus and concentration as well as gives an energy boost to students cramming for their final exams. Though it may give temporary benefits and pull your grades up, the side effects could lead to something far worse than failing in your exams.

Making Varsity

College students oftentimes paint a picture of the football quarterback or the beautiful cheerleader. College life today is not just purely defined on academics but also on excellence in sports and athletic activities. Taking drugs to boost energy has been very common in professional sports and this has cascaded down to the collegiate level. Recent scandals include major league baseball players being associated with ADHD drug stimulants to excel in their game.

Weight Loss

As our society becomes more defined by physical appearance, students face an added pressure of trying to keep up with this unreasonable standard leading us to the other reason why some students get hooked on adderall, and that is to lose weight. As this drug suppresses one’s appetite, it can easily and drastically make you lose excess pounds.

As we live in a society that places emphasis on grades, performance and physical appearance, some students may resort to any means necessary to rise to these expectations.

There are occasionally those circumstances where the individual’s abuse and/or addiction is in early enough stages where the drug addiction intervention process can be avoided.  The key is the family support issue and in many cases, this alleviates the need for any intervention services being brought into the picture.  The support of the family could be the difference between whether or not the individual quits using the substance and returns to a drug-free lifestyle.  The first key element of any family support is that you have to separate the love you have for the person from what will them and is in their best interests.

Ways to approach a drug addled individual

Remember first and foremost that you want to approach the suffering individual with compassion and let them know that they are hurting themselves the more they continue to pursue their current lifestyle.  In addition to that compassion, you do have to be firm and put the love that you have for that person to the side.  That doesn’t mean pulling the plug on your love for them.  It simply means that you should still make a loving suggestion here and there, but you want them to know that the love you have for them is what is propelling you to take action and try to turn things around for them.

The deeper that a person’s drug abuse and addiction runs, the less they are able to control what they are.  Eventually, their addiction will control every aspect of their life, from the time they awake in the morning until they fall asleep at night.  In many instances, this “tough love” concept combined with the support of the family is what proves to be the most beneficial to turning addicted individual’s lives around.  The sooner you are aware of the problem, the sooner you will be able to take action and avoid the need for a drug addiction intervention.

About our US website

We developed our website to not only help addicted individuals in their struggles but to provide inspiration, information, and hope for them and their families as well.  It is our goal to always be compassionate and understanding while offering advice and suggestions that can help addicted individuals and the ones who love them in there situations.

Marijuana or Cannabis is indigenous to central and southern Asia, and has been taken as a form of drug or medicine for centuries. There is evidence of its use dating back to an ancient burial site in ancient Romania in the third millennium BC. Today, there are two schools of thought regarding marijuana addiction. It is often characterized as a powerful addictive drug by some, while others feel that this addiction is just an uncontrollable urge to enjoy the drug and smoke it.

In the US, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that roughly 40% of the population aged 12 and older has tried marijuana at some point during their lives. Many have continued to use the drug since they first started taking it, while others have stopped. Many of those who have stopped did so of their own accord, while others have had to rely on addiction treatment and recovery centers such as one of the many California drug rehab facilities that currently exist.

Marijuana as a Gateway Drug

Again, there are two schools of thought regarding marijuana use as a way of escaping from the day-to-day stresses of life. Some feel that marijuana leads to the abuse and addiction of more powerful substances such as cocaine and methamphetamines. Conversely, there are those who feel that this statement is just a myth that has been perpetrated to scare people away from its use. This is oftentimes referred to as the “Gateway Drug Theory” and there are many proponents of it worldwide.

The gateway drug theory basically claims that the use of marijuana will increase the probability of the user moving on to harder drugs. This has been the central premise that many US anti-marijuana drug policies have been based on. However, the implications and the validity of this theory have been hotly debated for quite some time now, as research studies reveal that smoking regular cannabis is a better predictor of the eventual use of harder drugs.

Developed Dependency on Marijuana

Granted, people throughout the world today are using marijuana for recreational purposes. However, many cultures have been using it for religious and spiritual purposes for centuries as well. In more recent times, marijuana is now being prescribed for medicinal purposes because of its anaesthetic qualities. But when you are talking about tolerance and dependency issues, a smaller percentage of marijuana users become dependent on it compared to other substances such as alcohol, opiates, and regular tobacco.

Impacts of Marijuana Usage

Orange County drug rehab rehab facilities have found that the impacts or effects of marijuana usage are both physiological and psychoactive in nature. It only takes about 10 micrograms of marijuana for every kilogram of body weight to produce these psychoactive effects. The end result is a change in moods and perception of your surroundings. On the other hand, the neurological and physiological effects include decreased psychomotor coordination, impairment of concentration and memory, increased heart rate, and lowered blood pressure. At the present time, research does not have a clear picture of what the long-term effects of Marijuana use are.

• When your doctor prescribes drugs for your condition, follow your prescription to the letter – don’t stop short of the prescribed period or take the drugs for a longer period of time. If you feel your condition has not improved, talk to your doctor again and ask for their opinion.
• Don’t use drugs left over from someone else’s prescriptions; if you take the wrong kind of medication, you could fall seriously ill and even die; or if you swallow painkillers you find when you’re in the smallest amount of pain, you could end up becoming addicted to them.
• Remember that when you take drugs without a prescription and combine them with alcohol or other prescription medicine, you could suffer adverse reactions that could affect your health in the short and long term and also cause complications and bring about chronic conditions.
• OTC drugs may be available without a prescription, but that does not automatically make them safe. So no matter how good cough syrups and other OTC drugs make you feel, no matter how relaxing they may seem to be, don’t waste your money on these drugs. Prolonged usage not only makes you dependent on them, it also wreaks havoc on your health and wellbeing.
• An increasing addiction to prescription drugs is the first step to serious drug addiction; sooner or later, the highs you receive from cough syrups and painkillers is not going be enough and you’re going to gravitate to harder stuff. This leads to further complications and before you realize it, you’re a full-blown addict.

The first sign of addiction is denial; so if you find yourself reassuring yourself that you’re not an addict and that you can stop anytime, it’s time to seek help and start getting out of the rut before you dig yourself into too deep a hole.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Paul Hench, he writes on the topic of masters in public health . He welcomes your comments at his email id: paul.23hench[@]gmail[.]com.

Anything that can be done to further the cause of addiction recovery is valuable. In addition, you were able to raise awareness for the problems of addiction which are vast and far reaching.

Since much of mainstream society is a bit ignorant about the problems of addiction, it is good that this walk took place in Kansas City.

I once met a woman from KC who had a deep scar on her face. She told me that her boyfriend was in rehab. It took the car accident in which he was driving and caused the scar on her beautiful young face to get him to wake up to his addiction problems.

If awareness can be raised about the problems of addiction and substance abuse, it would be of great help to society – and to many individuals as well as those who love them.

If even one such similar tragedy can be prevented, then it was worth every ounce of effort that went into the walk and other events like it.

YOU can help, even now! Even though the walk is over, you can add your efforts to the fight for awareness!

Submit your anonymous drug or alcohol related story here.

YOUR story can help others who are struggling with either the awareness of their addiction or the need to overcome the addiction once the person becomes aware. In addition, your story may help to inspire people who love someone who suffers from an addiction. They need support and encourgement to not give up hope!

Submit your anonymous drug or alcohol related story here.

My journey began at a young age of 14. I was adopted and raised an only child. Loneliness was my constant companion.

My father’s job kept him away from the home most of the time. My mother was a strict and very formal lady. I had everything that a child could want but happiness.

When I was prescribed narcotic pain medication I immediately found that by taking a pill I felt pretty, was no longer lonely and I liked my mother. Life would never be the same from that day forward.

It was soon after the introduction to narcotics that I discovered alcohol. With the combination of the two my world was great. The days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. Through the years I had developed many habits from Heroin to Cocaine.

During this time I had a son, James. My parents had passed and his father left before he was born. We were all that each other had. My son spent most of his life seeing mother in and out of treatment with no success. He was taken away from me and now I see that was a blessing.

Life spiraled into the black abyss. Nothing mattered and my only prayer was to die soon. In 2006 I found myself in a seedy motel in Sumter, SC. To this day I do not know how the phone call transpired but I was talking to a man that began describing my pain as if he knew exactly how I felt.

He told me that I never had to be alone again and that I was coming home. Those words meant more to me than anything in this world. He said that God was on the way.

And two women arrived to bring me home. They began to tell me their story and it sounded like mine. I could see life in their eyes and love in their hearts. I wanted what they had and they told me that I could have it if I followed a few simple steps.

I soon arrived at a placed called the Owls Nest. This was the beginning of a life far greater than I could ever have imagined. I was given unconditional love and I learned how to give love. One of the women that came to my motel room that night is and has been my sponsor. She took me through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and showed me how to apply these steps in my everyday affairs. I now have a host of lifelong friends, a fellowship of brothers and sisters. We have discovered a common solution.

I completed the program at the Owls Nest and stayed on as a trusted servant. I have been honored to be on staff as the Admission Director for over 3 years. I now can bring others home and give to them what has been given to me.

My relationship with my son has been restored. We have a bond today stronger than ever before. My only wish is that others may find the peace and happiness that I have.

But I have known 3 people who’s lives are destroyed by them. One young mom, lost her life by overdose and left her 3 children alone in this world.

Two friends are barely existing because of their addictions, which take priority over Everything – Including a single fathers child! They are hurting everyone who cares about them; and I am moving away from both my friends, to get away from their addictions!

I pray daily that God will Bless us all; and we can find a way to solve Americas’ drug problems!! All the suffering families & friends, you ARE in my prayers!!! Kathy 40

[Editors Notes]:

The effects of Painkillers include slow breathing, vomiting, nausea feelings, constipated bowels, neck and face flushing, pupil constriction, energy loss, trouble concentrating, and feeling sleepy.

You should never combine painkiller medication with alcohol or other drugs (unless approved by your doctor). It is always a good idea to let the pharmacist know everything you are taking so they can advise you about possible problems – even if the doctor says everything is ok.

The pharmacists are far more knowledgeable in the area of drug interactions.

Longer term use of painkillers can lead to tolerance and needing higher doses of the drug for the same effect, addiction and overdose!

When you are physically addicted to a painkiller, not getting the drug into your system can lead to the following withdrawal symptoms:

Flu like symptoms

body aches

fever

sweat

shakes

chills

inability to sleep

pains in the bones and muscles

diarrhea

nausea and vomiting

Leg twitches

Feeling cold

See your doctor if you are experiencing or think you might be experiencing withdrawal and even more so if you think you are currently addicted to any medication, drug or even alcohol!

Though there may not be a 100% correlation, meaning that not everyone is going to move on to a ‘stronger’ drug, I do feel that there is a higher percentage of people that do move on.

It really comes down to common sense. The problem stems from an addictive mind / personality. If you are addicted to a substance, how much easier is it to become addicted to another substance than someone with no previous addiction?

How much easier is it for a person who has a current addiction to get access to a stronger drug? How much more likely is it that such a person has contact with one or more people that do use a stronger drug?

Due to these simple, common sense notions, I have to conclude that marijuana addiction would amount to a higher likelihood of moving onto a ‘stronger’ drug than someone who has no current addiction and does not have an addictive mind / personality.

Many people want some type of validation officially that it is on to utilize marijuana or other drugs. However, they should be looking for evidence that marijuana use and addiction is actually detrimental to society.

Of course, society and the law in some instances have accepted the use of medical marijuana for pain relief or other health issues. I think that, like other drugs, there are always potential problems and side effects from the use of any drug.

Consider the drug cartels and the violence and suffering that are intimately intertwined with the production and export / import of marijuana and other drugs. Remember, with every puff on a marijuana cigarette that you are supporting all of that! With every payment to a dealer you are supporting this industry.

I would argue that aside from a few medical instances there is really no redeeming qualities to drug use or abuse. Drugs are simply an escape from a reality that you will ultimately have to face again and again. Repeated drug use and addiction will do nothing but make you dependent on a drug that costs money and support the violence and crime that come with the production and movement of illegal substances.

Leave a comment below if you disagree or agree with me. I am certainly open to listening to your viewpoint.

This site is filled with stories about the problems and disasters that happen to people’s lives from drug / alcohol use and addiction. Your stories are welcome but must be anonymous with names and locations changed to protect identities. The stories must, of course, be true.

Submit your story here.

Brian, who was a well-known athlete in the city of St. Louis, decided to smoke marijuana with his high school basketball teammates.

The addiction from this drug (marijuana) empowered Brian to try one drug after another.

Never in a million years did I believe I would use Cocaine, Heroin, Dippers, Pre-mo, Valiums, Tylenol 3′s & 4′s, PCP, Codeine Pills, Syrup, Hard Liquor, Beer, or any other substance that works against my sports career and Life.

After using and abusing street drugs for so long, my brain’s function could not have been so normal.

Background: I earned 2 M.V.P. trophies as a pitcher; 2 M.V.P. trophies as a quarterback; was asked by four high school students to sign my name on their books and papers, after watching me play basketball. First 8 street fights were knockdowns. First place trophy in a dancing contest.

Story:

One day, as I was using drugs and getting high, my heart stopped beating for 11 minutes. I then went into a coma and stayed in it for ten days.

Due to my heart stopping and coma experience, my brain suffered an injury. Not only that, but the nerves in my leg suffered damage as well.

I kept on using and abusing drugs, until they used and abused me. After experiencing this drug abusing conflict, it made me turn to God.

God’s word explained to me that it was sin that empowered me to try drugs in the first place. I went to God, and He forgave the sins that triggered that drug using experience.

God rehabbed my life time after time.

If you keep using and abusing drugs, drugs will soon use and abuse you. Abusing drugs only leads people to experiencing episodes written in this press release.

-Submitted by “Brian”.

[Editors note] – A recent study has been published suggesting that there is no evidence to prove that marijuana addiction effects lead to the use of more powerful drugs. It is my opinion that this study did not take into account the nature of an addictive personality. It only seems logical that the use of one drug would lead to the use of others for an addicted mind. Why wouldn’t it? If the current marijuana addiction info leads to the conclusion that it is not a stepping stone, I really have to wonder if it could never be after hearing stories like Brian’s above.

There have also been studies that showed that some rehab centers have led addicts to try harder drugs due to the stories told by their peers while in rehab!  There is nothing at all wrong with seeking marijuana addiction help and you are taking a positive step for yourself and / or loved ones by doing so as soon as possible.  No chemical dependency no matter how trivial or minor we think it might be is healthy!

Here are some marijuana addiction symptoms to keep an eye out for:

Yes,  these occur both when the person is ‘high’ as well as up to days or weeks afterwards. Therefore, I am making a small leap to call them symptoms of  marijuana addiction.  You can simply take these as warning signs if you wish!

1. Distorted perceptions

2. Impaired Coordination

3. Difficulty in Thinking and Problem Solving

4. Problems with Learning and Memory

If you are someone (or love someone) who needs to get into some type of marijuana addiction detox to get past the physical and / or mental addiction, please get help for yourself or that person you love right away.  I know this can be a difficult thing to handle. But it is critical to get help, in my opinion.

Marijuana Addiction Withdrawal - There are some problems associated with withdrawal.  Here is a partial list of what to expect when detoxing and rehabbing:

1. Cravings

2. Irritability

3. Insomnia

4. Restlessness

5. Nausea

6. Intense Dreams

7. Feeling of Crankiness

8. Feeling Anxious

The strongest effects are felt in the first week of withdrawal!  These are just some basic marijuana addiction facts.

Do you still think Marijuana has no bearing on moving on to ‘stronger’ drugs. Though it may not do so in every case, it also cannot be concluded that it never does – in my opinion. [/Editors Note]