Substance abuse means using drugs for non-medical reasons. The drugs can be either legal or illegal. They don't have to be illegal to be abused. If you abuse drugs, you can become dependent on them physically and mentally. Drug abuse and addiction can lead to many problems in life. They can also harm your health.
Many people who abuse drugs don't know they have a problem, or don't want to admit it.
They ignore the warning signs of drug abuse and don't listen to family and friends who are concerned.
This assessment is for people who regularly use drugs and wonder if they have a problem with
abuse or addiction. The assessment is not for occasional users of drugs.
This assessment is based on the CAGE assessment. CAGE was originally developed to identify alcohol abuse.
This short questionnaire can help you take a closer look at your drug use.
A "yes" answer to any of the questions in this assessment should
make you think about the role that drugs may play in your life. Could you be in denial about a problem with
drugs? If you have concerns about drug addiction, talk with your healthcare provider. This is true no matter what your results are on this assessment.
From the answers you gave us, it does not appear that you have a problem with drugs.
About drug addiction and drug abuse
Both drug abuse and drug addiction can lead to many health problems. These problems vary, depending on the type of drug abused. In general, these are the effects:
- Drug abuse weakens your immune system. This makes it harder to fight off infection.
- People who abuse drugs often engage in risky behaviors. These include unsafe sex and sharing of needles. This makes them more likely to get sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and hepatitis.
- Abusing drugs can affect the way your heart works. It can raise your risk for heart attack.
- Certain drugs can harm the kidneys. Other drugs can harm the liver. These include heroin, inhalants, and steroids.
- All drugs that are abused affect the brain. This is because they cause a pleasurable or euphoric effect. Some drugs damage the brain or cause strokes or seizures. Drug abuse can affect memory and attention and can affect decision-making. Over time, the damage to the brain can result in paranoia, depression, and aggression.
- People who abuse steroids for bodybuilding or athletic performance develop problems related to sex hormones. For men, infertility and shrinking of the testicles occur. Women's bodies become more masculine.
- Pregnant women who abuse drugs affect the health of their unborn baby. Drug abuse may cause miscarriage, preterm birth, and low birth weight. As the child grows up, he may have problems with behavior or learning.
Drug abuse and drug dependence also have a large impact on society:
- More than half of the estimated cost of drug abuse is tied to drug-related crime. This includes the impact on victims of crime, the cost of police and prison services, and loss of a legitimate contribution to society by engaging in a life of crime.
- Substance abuse treatment and prevention programs, and medical care needed for health problems tied to drug abuse are additional costs.
- A teenager who abuses drugs may have problems finishing school.
- An adult who abuses drugs may have difficulty keeping a job or helping to provide for a family.
- An older adult who abuses drugs may be more likely to be misdiagnosed with dementia or depression.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease. Like type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses, it has no cure. Drug addiction can be successfully treated, however. Treatment that focuses on changing behavior helps many people. People who are addicted to heroin and certain other drugs can be helped with medicine.
Most treatment programs are led by people who have been specially trained and licensed as counselors.
Programs can be inpatient or outpatient. A variety of programs is available because no single program works for everyone. If you enter a treatment program, you will need to stick with the program for the length of time recommended for it to be effective. Even then, you may need several periods of treatment to remain drug-free.
Where to go for help
You can find a treatment center near you by calling SAMHSA toll-free at 800-662-HELP (800-662-4357), or by visiting the SAMHSA website.
About CAGE: The above assessment is a modified CAGE questionnaire for identifying problems with drug use. The CAGE questionnaire was developed by Dr. John Ewing, founding director of the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. CAGE is an internationally used assessment instrument for identifying problems with alcohol.
Kutumia dawa za kulevya humaanisha kutumia dawa za kulevya kwa sababu zisizo za kitiba. Dawa za kulevya zaweza kuwa halali au zisizo halali. Haipaswi kuwa kinyume cha sheria ili kutumiwa vibaya. Unapotumia dawa za kulevya vibaya, unaweza kuwa na uraibu wa kimwili na kiakili. Kutumia dawa za kulevya na uraibu wa dawa za kulevya kwaweza kusababisha matatizo mengi maishani. Pia zinaweza kuharibu afya yako. Watu wengi wanaotumia dawa za kulevya hawajui kwamba wana tatizo, au hawataki kukiri. Wanapuuza ishara za kuonya za matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya na hawawasikilizi watu wa familia na marafiki wanaohangaika. Mtihani huu ni kwa ajili ya watu ambao mara kwa mara kutumia dawa za kulevya na kujiuliza kama wana tatizo na matumizi mabaya au uraibu. Tathmini hiyo si kwa ajili ya watumiaji wa mara kwa mara wa dawa za kulevya. Tathmini hii inategemea tathmini ya CAGE. CAGE ilitengenezwa awali ili kutambua matumizi mabaya ya kileo. Swali hili fupi linaweza kukusaidia kuchunguza kwa makini matumizi yako ya dawa za kulevya. "Jibu ""Ndio"" kwa maswali haya yote linapaswa kukusukuma kufikiria jukumu la dawa za kulevya katika maisha yako." Je, unaweza kukataa kuwa na tatizo la kutumia dawa za kulevya? Ikiwa una wasiwasi kuhusu uraibu wa dawa za kulevya, zungumza na mtoa huduma yako ya afya. Hii ni kweli bila kujali matokeo yako ni juu ya tathmini hii. Kutokana na majibu uliyotupa, haionekani kwamba una tatizo la dawa za kulevya. Uraibu wa dawa za kulevya na matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya - Uraibu wa dawa za kulevya na matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya inaweza kusababisha matatizo mengi ya afya. Matatizo hayo hutofautiana, ikitegemea aina ya dawa ya kulevya inayotumiwa vibaya. Kwa ujumla, hizi ndizo athari: - Matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya hupunguza nguvu za kinga. Hilo hufanya iwe vigumu zaidi kupambana na maambukizo. - Watu wanaotumia dawa za kulevya mara nyingi hujihusisha na tabia zenye hatari. Hizi zatia ndani ngono isiyo salama na kushiriki sindano. Hii inawafanya wawe na uwezekano mkubwa wa kupata maambukizi ya zinaa kama vile UKIMWI na ugonjwa wa ini. - Matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya yanaweza kuathiri jinsi moyo wako unavyofanya kazi. Inaweza kuongeza hatari yako ya mshtuko wa moyo. - Dawa fulani zaweza kuharibu figo. Dawa nyingine za kulevya zaweza kuharibu ini. Hizi zatia ndani heroini, dawa za kuvuta pumzi, na steroidi. - Dawa zote za kulevya zinazotumiwa vibaya huathiri ubongo. Hilo ni kwa sababu husababisha hisia zenye kufurahisha au zenye kusisimua. Dawa fulani huumiza ubongo au kusababisha kiharusi au mshtuko wa akili. Matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya yanaweza kuathiri kumbukumbu na uangalifu na yanaweza kuathiri maamuzi. Baada ya muda, uharibifu wa ubongo waweza kusababisha wasiwasi, mshuko wa moyo, na uhasama. - Watu wanaotumia vibaya steroids kwa ajili ya kujenga mwili au utendaji wa michezo huendeleza matatizo yanayohusiana na homoni za ngono. Kwa wanaume, utasa na kupungua kwa viini vya uzazi hutokea. Miili ya wanawake inakuwa ya kiume zaidi. - Wanawake wajawazito wanaotumia dawa za kulevya huathiri afya ya mtoto wao ambaye hajazaliwa. Matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya yaweza kusababisha utoaji-mimba, kuzaliwa kabla ya wakati, na uzito wa chini wa kuzaliwa. Mtoto anapokua, huenda akawa na matatizo ya tabia au ya kujifunza. Matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya na utegemezi wa dawa za kulevya pia una athari kubwa kwa jamii: - Zaidi ya nusu ya gharama inayokadiriwa ya matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya inahusishwa na uhalifu unaohusiana na dawa za kulevya. Hii inajumuisha athari kwa waathirika wa uhalifu, gharama za huduma za polisi na magereza, na kupoteza mchango halali kwa jamii kwa kushiriki katika maisha ya uhalifu. - Programu za matibabu na kuzuia matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya, na utunzaji wa kitiba unaohitajika kwa matatizo ya afya yanayohusiana na matumizi mabaya ya dawa za kulevya ni gharama za ziada. - Kijana anayetumia dawa za kulevya anaweza kuwa na matatizo ya kumaliza shule. - Huenda mtu mzima anayetumia dawa za kulevya akawa na ugumu wa kudumisha kazi au kusaidia kutunza familia. - Mtu mzima mzee anayetumia dawa za kulevya huenda akachukuliwa kimakosa kuwa na ugonjwa wa akili au kushuka moyo. Uraibu wa dawa za kulevya ni ugonjwa sugu. Kama vile ugonjwa wa kisukari wa aina ya 2, kansa, magonjwa ya moyo, na magonjwa mengine ya kudumu, ugonjwa huo hauna tiba. Hata hivyo, uraibu wa dawa za kulevya waweza kutibiwa kwa mafanikio. Matibabu yanayokazia kubadilisha tabia husaidia watu wengi. Watu wanaozidiwa na heroini na dawa nyingine fulani za kulevya wanaweza kusaidiwa kwa kutumia dawa. Programu nyingi za matibabu huongozwa na watu ambao wamefundishwa na kupewa leseni ya kuwa washauri. Programu zinaweza kuwa za wagonjwa wa ndani au wa nje. Kuna programu mbalimbali zinazopatikana kwa sababu hakuna programu moja inayofaa kila mtu. Ikiwa utaingia kwenye mpango wa matibabu, utahitaji kushikamana na mpango huo kwa muda unaopendekezwa ili uwe na matokeo. Hata hivyo, huenda ukahitaji kutibiwa kwa vipindi kadhaa ili uendelee kutotumia dawa za kulevya. Unaweza kupata kituo cha matibabu karibu na wewe kwa kupiga simu ya bure ya SAMHSA kwa 800-622-HELP (800-662-4357) au kwa kutembelea tovuti ya SAMHSA. Kwa mujibu wa CAGE, uchunguzi huo unafanywa kwa kutumia maswali ya maswali ya CAGE, ambayo ni ya kawaida kwa watu wanaotumia dawa za kulevya. Utafiti huo ulifanywa na Daktari John Ewing, mkurugenzi wa Chuo Kikuu cha North Carolina katika Chapel Hill. CAGE ni chombo cha tathmini kinachotumiwa kimataifa kutambua matatizo ya kileo.