Essay Example on Drug Dependency: Physical, Psychological Effects

Introduction

Drug dependencies the state of physical, psychological, or both on a drug, which arises in an individual on the administration of the drug on a continuous and periodic foundation. Drug dependence is a general term applied to represent all kinds of drug abuse. Almost every drug user exhibits signs of both physical and psychological dependence (Tracy, 2019). Physical dependency happens after a drug centralizes an individual's thinking, activities, and emotions. It is a physical condition that occurs through chronic usage of a drug that forms tolerance. If the drug is abruptly or gradually withdrawn, it can lead to hostile physical symptoms. The symptoms of physical dependence that can be experienced in the reduction or withdrawal of dosage include tremors, sweating, blood pressure, and amplified heart rate. Severe symptoms of physical dependence include visual hallucinations, confiscations, confusion, diarrhea or constipation, insomnia, anger, depression, moodiness, and anger.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Physical disturbance establishes itself through extreme physical disturbances when drug administration is delayed or postponed or when administering a particular antagonist. Every type of drug has its specific arrays of signs and symptoms of physical or psychic nature and withdrawal or abstinence syndromes disturbances. Conversely, psychological dependence is displayed by a resilient desire to use the drug, despite being conscious of the harmful influence caused by the drugs (Tracy, 2019). People in these states have a psychic drive that motivates them to continue administering drugs to produce pleasure or prevent being uncomfortable. Physical dependence creates a feeling of psychic dependence in the mind of a person. Also, physical dependence is a strong factor that can reinforce the effect of a psychological dependence on ongoing drug usage or relapse to use of drugs after efforts to withdraw.

The significance and the nature of drug abuse might be considered through the impact of the drug on the user or the effect of the drug on society. The impact of physical and psychological dependence to an individual includes depression, anxiety, risk of developing a mental disorder, and feelings of paranoia. Long-term effects include kidney failure, liver failure, cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, and damage to the respiratory system. Physical and psychological dependence affects not only the users but also the society. Injection substance use leads to increased cases of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis contraction. Many of the drug users neglect their loved ones, including vulnerable children, because their priority is how to acquire drugs and use them. Children suffer emotional and physical abuse, lack proper immunizations, lack basic needs like food and clothes, and require medical care. Also, the children can suffer chronic respiratory diseases due to inhaling the illicit substances. Additionally, physical and psychological dependence affects the economy due to unemployment caused by the termination of the people addicted to substances. Businesses are affected because employees abusing drugs steal money to buy controlled substances.

Classification of the Abused Drugs

Chemical categorization of drugs include opioids, alcohol, cocaine, inhalants, benzodiazepines and barbiturates, hallucinogens, cannabis, and new psychoactive substances.

Opioids are potent drugs that interact with neurotransmitters within the brain to block signals. Opioids can stimulate a feeling of pleasure and blockage of pain.

Alcohol is among the most abused substances in the whole world. Most countries have legalized the consumption of alcohol, despite that it is a central nervous system sedative (Sclar, 2019). Alcohol reduces inhibitions and develops a feeling of pleasure. Also, alcohol leads to chronic liver damage.

Cocaine increases the activities of the central nervous system to make an individual feel alert, attentive, and more energized for a long time. Later, an individual can become angry, paranoid, and edgy.

Inhalants exist in vapor form and are used up through breathing. Although they have less probability of addiction, they are incredibly harmful.

Hallucinogens interact with the central nervous system to change the opinion of space, reality, and time. The drugs make an individual imagine or hear things that do not exist.

Cannabis is available in various forms and has different impacts on a user. They influence the cannabinoid receptors within the brain.

New psychoactive drugs are the drugs produced in the laboratory to imitate natural drugs that are found under this group. Some of the drugs include laboratory-developed ketamine and synthetic cannabis.

Classification of Drugs under the Controlled Substance Act

Drugs under the Controlled Substance Act include schedules 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The Controlled Substances Act groups all drugs that are controlled under the state law into 'schedules,' depending on the level of harmfulness to a person.

Schedule 1 drugs lack medical importance and have a high probability of abuse and addiction. Drugs in this category include LSD, ecstasy, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) marijuana, methaqualone, and heroin. Abused drugs in schedule one have a high degree of probable abuse, together with significant physical and psychological dependence. Drugs under schedule 1 have no legal, medical use in the U.S. due to a lack of acceptable usage of the substances (Hartney, 2020).

Schedule two drugs consist of methamphetamine, phencyclidine (PCP), morphine, opioids, methadone, and cocaine. They are different from schedule 1 drugs because they have permitted medical use in the U.S. with serious restrictions. Abusing schedule 2 drugs can cause physical and psychological dependence.

Schedule three drugs have moderate to low probability for misuse, high psychological dependence, and moderate physical dependence. Examples of schedule 3 drugs are codeine and hydrocodone containing Tylenol or aspirin, anabolic steroids, some barbiturates, testosterone, and ketamine. Currently, they are medically used for treatment in the U.S.

Drugs in schedule four-category have minimum dependence probability, and they include Xanax, Equanil, Talwin, Darvon, Ambien, Ativan, and valium. In the United States, they are medically used for treatment. Abusing drugs can cause psychological dependence and physical dependence.

Drugs used for medicinal purposes such as cough medicines containing codeine, antidiarrheal, analgesic, and antitussive are grouped as schedule five drugs. The United States uses it for medical purposes. Abusing drugs can cause limited psychological and physical dependence.

Proper Collection and Preservation of Drug Evidence

Standard Operating Process for collection and preservation of drug evidence is vital to prevent contamination of the evidence. Protective gear ought to be worn to avoid transmitting body chemicals to the drug. A separate HAZMAT bag is used to collect each drug sample, and the case numbers are used for easy identification. The essentials details labeled on evidence bags include the initials of the individual obtaining the evidence, time and date of collection, full description of the evidence, and name of the investigating agency. HAZMAT bags should have heat regulators and weatherproof because some drugs like crack cocaine react on heat (Miller, 2014). The drug evidence containing moisture must not be preserved in paper or plastic containers to prevent the growth of micro-organisms that can interfere with the evidence. Photographs should be taken during the collection of drug evidence for comparison purposes during legal proceedings. Syringes must be submitted with capped needles and razor blades or knives with protective coverings. Sharp or piercing objects must be packaged in a hard-sided container like sealable plastic tubes.

Laboratory Tests Used to Perform Identification Analysis

The laboratory tests used to perform identification analysis include presumptive/screening and confirmatory tests. The presumptive or the screening tests help in evaluating evidence to determine the probable presence of controlled drugs. Screening tests are also used to group the identified substances into common classifications. Presumptive tests narrow likelihoods and aids in deciding the tests to follow. After the drugs are detected from the sample evidence, they are taken to the laboratory for confirmatory tests. Confirmatory tests conclusively identify the controlled drugs in a piece of evidence. Confirmatory tests can include one technical process or various technical processes combined. Confirmation tests need selectivity, and sensitivity towards the controlled substances, and also the metabolites, which are frequently conducted by mass spectrometry or gas chromatography (Harper, Powell, & Pijl, 2017). Gas chromatography primarily focuses on separating volatile samples through the identification of the sample's distinctive affinity for the column. The chromatographic column identifies the retention periods taken by the targeted sample when they are passed through the gas chromatography. A combination of gas chromatography and mass chromatography is an excellent procedure because structures of unidentified complexes may be recognized after separation from gas chromatography. Other analytical tools present in the forensic labs as corresponding methods include UV/Vis, FTIR, and HPLC.

References

Harper, L., Powell, J., & Pijl, E. M. (2017, July 31). An overview of forensic drug testing methods and their suitability for harm reduction point-of-care services. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537996/

Hartney, E. (2020, January 20). Controlled Drugs in the Controlled Substance Act. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-controlled-drugs-22310

Miller, M. T. (2014). Packaging, Preservation, and Collection of Evidence. Crime Scene Investigation Laboratory Manual, 147-155. DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-405197-3.00016-2

Sclar, K. (2019, November 19). Drug Classifications. Retrieved from https://luxury.rehabs.com/drug-abuse/classifications/

Tracy, N. (2019). Effects of Drug Addiction (physical and psychological). Retrieved from https://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/drug-addiction/effects-of-drug-addiction-physical-and-psychological