Patient Suffering From Mental And Behavioral Disorder Secondary To Multiple Psychoactive Substance Use
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Patient Suffering From Mental And Behavioral Disorder Secondary To Multiple Psychoactive Substance Use
Chapter one
1.0 Introduction.
Young people and adults with unsound minds can be found in both urban and rural settings. They roam around, occasionally begging for food or money. It is clear that they are mentally ill when they speak to themselves or others.
Those who know them well in their neighbourhood might link their problems back to excessive alcohol use, smoking, and/or drug usage, such as marijuana.
Unfortunately, despite the overwhelming proof of medicines’ detrimental consequences, healthy people continue to use them. Drug misuse is not limited to any single country.
Governments around the world struggle to regulate illegal drug trafficking. Those that engage in the illegal drug trade are determined to continue because they make a lot of money.
According to the Merck Manual of Medical Information (2003), substance abuse is defined as the use of mind-altering drugs without a medical need in an amount or over a period of time sufficient to endanger the user’s or others’ quality of life, health, or safety.
Our youth are increasingly using substances such as alcohol, cannabis, and amphetamines. Teenagers and youths aged 15 to 30 are the highest risk groups, with females also involved. Other groups of abusers include divers, conductors, civil officers, and artists.
Illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin, as well as legal substances such as paracetamol, chloroquine, cough syrup, and so on, can be used in excess or without a medical prescription.
According to APA (2000) in DSM IV TR, substance abuse is a maladaptive pattern of drug use characterised by recurring and major negative outcomes associated with the repeated use of substances that pose considerable health risks.
Individuals who abuse substances may face negative repercussions such as frequent failure to fulfil responsibilities, legal challenges, or social and interpersonal problems.
1.1 Literature Review.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (2000), drug abuse is defined as the continued use of a psychoactive substance despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent social, vocational, psychological, or medical problem caused by the substance’s deliberate use.
Commonly Abused Drugs in Nigeria
According to the NDLEA and NDICP (2014)
· Sedatives, including barbiturates and moderate tranquillizers.
· Cannabis, including marijuana and hashish.
· Examples of hallucinogens include dertrover and Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD).
· Narcotics, including heroin and methadone.
· Stimulants, including cocaine and amphetamines.
Sedatives
These are a class of medications intended to calm the nervous system and promote sleep. When taken in tiny dosages, they can alleviate daytime stress and anxiety. Barbiturates constitute the largest subset of sedatives.
Some barbiturates are short-acting and quick to start, whereas others are slow-acting and long-acting. The most commonly abused sedatives are those that take a long time to take effect.
Cannabis
For thousands of years, this plant has been produced for its fibre and oil-rich seeds. The leaves and greenish blossoms contain a potent nercotic chemical. The leaves and blooms are prepared and consumed in numerous ways, including eating, drinking, inhaling, and smoking. It is not used medicinally.
The drug is recognised by a variety of names around the world, including marijuana and hashish. The drug’s strongest version is derived from a chemical found in the blooms of female plants. Frequently, the leaves are merely dried, powdered, and blended with tobacco in cigarettes or smoked alone.
Hallucinogens
These are medicines that can cause changes in sensations, thoughts, distorted perceptions, self-awareness, and emotions. They interfere with the user’s capacity to distinguish between reality and fantasy. The severity of hallucinations experienced by users is determined on the drug dose.
Nercotics
These are medications that frequently impair the senses. They also help patients fall asleep and ease pain. Nercotics, which typically relate to opium and its derivatives, in large dosages can cause full sensory loss.
Nercotics operate as depressants on certain parts of the brain and nervous system. They can also lessen hunger, thirst, and sexual desire in addition to pain.
Stimulants
These are a series of medications that stimulate the neural system. They include caffeine (which is found in coffee, tea, and some soft drinks). Caffeine’s effects are modest. Amphetamines and cocaine are both strong stimulants.
1.2 Incidence.
The illicit use of alcohol and other drugs (substance abuse) is on the rise, particularly among teenagers and young people. This is evident in the number of admissions registered at various psychiatric health facilities.
Merck (2003) stated that numerous medications, some legal and some illegal, change the mind. Some mind-altering medicines affect brain function every time they are used, regardless of how much is taken. Other mind-altering medications have an effect on brain function only when used in large quantities or on a continuous basis.
Some people, such as those with sickle cell anaemia, may develop an addiction to the substance they are being treated with, such as injectable pentazocine.
The following are some theories and concepts linked to substance misuse.
§ Peer-Group Theory:
This idea proposes that teenagers use substances in order to be accepted by their peers.
§ Drug Personality Theory:
This indicates that drug users were nonconformists, whereas conformists did not use drugs. This is based on a longitudinal study.
§ Parental Influence Theory.
This indicated that bad parent-child relationships appear to contribute to the development of substance addiction. Drug use, particularly with alcohol, is learnt.
§ Deviance Theory:
According to the statement, using substance is associated with the fact that when a culture or sub-cultural group is stigmatised or penalised, its members adopt values in order to live in such an environment.
1.3 Definitions.
Drug: Any chemical substance used to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose disease, or to otherwise improve physical or mental well-being.
Drug abuse is defined as the use of drugs without a medical prescription that endangers one’s health and interferes with physical, psychological, social, or occupational activities.
Drug Dependence: This is a strong need to continue taking a mind-altering drug in order to experience pleasure, relieve anxiety and tension, and avoid discomfort.
Tolerance: The requirement to utilise increasing amounts of the medicine to attain the same effects as the initial dose.
Withdrawal Syndrome is a group of symptoms that appear after discontinuing or reducing substance usage.
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