FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Addiction is an illness. People from all backgrounds can become addicted. No one plans on becoming addicted. However, it is apparent that the brain chemistry changes after continuous use in a way that it disrupts the normal function of a person. It affects the neural functioning of the brain’s reward system. So one will compulsively and repetitively indulge in the behaviour despite negative consequences. Psychologically the person is driven by the emotional ‘high’ making it hard to stop despite the harmful consequences.

Addiction, or now more commonly referred to as Substance Use Disorder, is classified by the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) as a complex disease which affects the functioning of the brain and body through chronic use of substances resulting in an inability to stop the habitual use physically or psychologically.

To determine whether you have a substance abuse problem we need to look at the following criteria that determine a substance use disorder:

1. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful effort to cut down or control the use of the substance.

2. Recurrent use of the substance failing to fulfil major role obligations at work, school, or home.

3. Continued use of the substance despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of its use.

4. Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of the use of the substance.

5. Recurrent use of the substance in situations in which it is physically hazardous.

6. Use of the substance is continued despite the knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance.

7. The substance is taken to relieve or avoid the withdrawal symptoms.

8. The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than what was intended.

9. A need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve intoxication or desired effect.

10. Cravings or urges to use the substance.

11. Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from the substance.

To be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, you need to meet 2 or more of these criteria within 12 months. If you answered yes to 2 or 3 of the above, it is considered mild. 4 – 5 yes answers is considered moderate. Answering 6 or more as yes, it is considered severe.

1. Pre-Alcoholic - Occasional relief drinking. It makes you feel better about yourself, helps with worrying or make you forget about something troubling you.

2. Early Alcoholic - Onset of memory blackouts and excessive drinking. You start obsessing over the next drink and possibly lying about the amount you’ve been drinking or denying that you have been drinking.

3. Middle Alcoholic - This is a more obvious stage that you have a problem with alcohol. Your mood is affected and you might have more noticeable physical signs of alcohol abuse.

4. Late Alcoholic - Drinking has now consumed your life and is affecting your health and relationships. Trying to stop may result in physical withdrawal symptoms.

5. Recovery - This is when most people seek help. Once stabilized through detoxification, treatment starts and the maintenance phase of your recovery takes place.

Even if this is an illustration of alcoholism, it depicts the stages for most substances that are commonly abused. Understanding that early intervention is crucial to illuminate the chances of severe addiction. Contact us before the problem becomes more severe.

1. That addiction is merely a bad habit and you can choose to stop. Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing. No one decides to become addicted. Many people who have used drugs recreationally or drink can do so without becoming dependant on it. Read more about what addiction is.

2. An addict is a junkie and lives on the streets. Many people are high functioning members of society despite having a substance use disorder.

3. Alcohol is not as bad as illicit drugs. Because alcohol is socially acceptable, the consequences of alcoholism is just as real as any other substance user.

4. My doctor prescribed my drugs so it can’t be harmful. Numerous types of medication have the potential of becoming physically and psychologically addictive. Read more on prescription medication addiction.

5. Addiction is about drugs and alcohol. Process addiction or behavioural addiction is more common than one would think. Read more on process addiction.

There is no better time to get help than now, no matter the severity of the addiction.

Trying to go into recovery can be daunting in itself. Though getting sober on your own is possible, it is staying sober that most people need help with.

1. After years of substance abuse, your brain chemistry changes in a way that disrupts the normal function of a person’s decision-making process, inhabitations and risk vs. reward analysis.

2. Psychological and social factors are often powerful stimuli for substance abuse relapse.

3. Supervised detoxification helps with withdrawal symptoms and could be dangerous.

4. Confronting life on your own is not easy.

There is no need to suffer alone. If you cannot afford treatment, contact us for a referral to state-funded institutions in your area or join a support group like Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. Help is always available, contact us today.

Addiction statistics are alarming; 1 in 12 people suffer from some type of substance use disorder of which only 10% seek help for their addiction. People struggling with addiction are urged to seek treatment and courts often mandate inpatient or outpatient care. The sad reality is that many addicts are sceptical whether rehab does work or they rely on themselves to quit.

Denial is the biggest stumbling block for people with addiction and the next is the cost of rehabilitation and the time needed to get away from it all to recover.

Many registered and affordable rehab facilities in South Africa are also registered with medical aid companies and accept medical aid and will help you with the authorisation process.

Getting help for addiction is as simple as 1, 2, 3;

1. Call or email PRC Recovery Centre - Speak to a friendly trained admissions coordinator who’ll answer all your questions about the treatment approach and costs. If you commit to recovery they will help you with the next steps in the process. Contact details for PRC Recovery Centre: Phone: +27 (81) 246-7452 or Email: info@prcrecovery.co.za

2. Verify your medical aid benefits - PRC Recovery Centre will assist you with all the pre-admissions for your medical aid. We will verify your medical aid benefits with your health insurance company and provide you with the pre-authorisation and date of admission.

3. Fill out an online application or speak to a qualified screening professional - Each person admitted to PRC Recovery is screened to meet pre-qualifying criteria for admission into treatment. You could complete our online application or speak to a qualified representative who will conduct a telephonic evaluation before admission. An email with all pre-admission documentation will be sent before your arrival to make the admission as easy as possible.

Like you, many other families are faced with the challenge of finding a treatment centre for their loved one and this is a very daunting task for most of them. We hope that through our experience of helping over 100 families we can also help you through this step.

There is a lot to take in when dealing with addiction. But what are the key factors to consider?

• Registered Centre – All checks are in place and you are assured that we comply with legislation to provide a safe environment for your loved one.

• Individualised Program – We do not use a “one-size-fits-all approach”. We individualise each person’s treatment plan and is discussed in one-on-one counselling sessions. We believe in therapy and we are not a working rehab.

• Family Integration – We do not only work with your loved one, family participation is an extremely important component in our program.

• Aftercare Plan – It’s hard work to overcome drug or alcohol use. But the intention is staying clean. The aftercare is crucial to maintain sobriety.

PRC Recovery accepts most medical aids and will assist you with your claims from pre-admission to completion. You simply supply your medical aid details and we will do the rest for you.

We also extend your medical aid cover to provide the best possible treatment option for your loved one extending either to 3 months or 6 months depending on your plan and medical aid tariffs. Contact us for more information and co-payment options.

The main priority for someone new in treatment is to identify the denial aspect of their addiction. This process varies from person to person and can take time to work through. Through our individualised treatment plan each client is guided through several assignments, group and individual therapy sessions to arrive at the point of admitting defeat over their addiction. By working through a clinically integrated 12 step recovery program each individual can again regain perspective over their addiction and learn the essential life skills required to beating addiction. Aftercare is an essential component that ensures long-term rehabilitation.

Admittedly numerous treatment centres pop up on search engines but what are the key factors when choosing which one to go to? The important factor to hold onto is that you’ve taken a big step already.

Here is a checklist of factors to consider when choosing a treatment centre:

1. Is the rehab registered? Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Centres in South Africa have to be registered with the Department of Social Development. Registration ensures that the rehab facility complies with the relevant health standards, staff qualification requirements, treatment centre management practices, medical care conditions and cheap labour exploitation prohibitions.

2. Does the rehab provide detoxification? Legislation dictates that severe opioid, alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal has to be supervised by medical professionals. Rehab centres have to be specifically registered for detox or detox off-site.

3. What groups and counselling sessions does the rehab provide? Best practices for therapeutic groups and one-on-one counselling recommends that groups consist of at least 9 clinical hours per week and one-on-one counselling should at least provide 1 hour with a counsellor and 30 minutes with a social worker per week.

4. What qualifications does the rehab staff have? Reviewing the qualification requirements of treatment staff ensures that the clinical staff consists of someone with a minimum degree in psychology with a qualified social worker and registered medical personnel.

5. Does the rehab offer dual-diagnosis treatment? Treating co-occurring disorders had to be confirmed by a qualified medical professional if not previously diagnosed. Treatment needs to take into consideration both disorders and has to be treated by qualified staff.

6. Is the rehab a working rehab or therapeutic rehab? Legislation dictates no more than 4 hours per day of physical labour which includes duties and activities.

7. Does the rehabs staff in recovery meet the minimum legislative requirements? Legislation for staff in rehabs prohibits staff with less than 3 years clean time to be counsellors.

8. Does the rehab have a refund policy? Some facilities do not refund upfront payments for total treatment costs if the client absconds or is expelled.

9. Does the rehab offer family sessions? Depending on the program length but at least 1 formal family session and 1 formal progress report per month.

10. Does the rehab offer an aftercare plan and/or relapse prevention program? What does the aftercare plan entail and what is the families participation in continued support. Does the aftercare entail support groups?

11. Does the rehab have a re-admission policy for absconding or expulsions? If a client is expelled or leaves the program before recommended discharge, what is the re-admission policy of the facility?

12. Is the facility a faith-based rehab? Faith-based rehabs often do not treat addiction as an illness which may impede the treatment of underlying causes.

13. What type of 12 step program does the rehab facility offer? The most common twelve-step programs include Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and Celebrate Recovery. Find out which type of program the rehab offers and what aftercare support is available after treatment.

1. The right nor to be deprived of freedom arbitrarily or without just cause, clause 12(1)

2. The right to not be treated or punished in a cruel, inhumane or degrading way clause 12 (1)

3. The right not to be subjected to forced labour, clause 13 and unfair practises clause 23

4. The right of bodily and psychological integrity clause 12(2)

5. The right to freedom of religious belief and opinion, clause 15

6. The right to freedom of expression clause 16

7. The right to basic education, clause 29

8. The right to equality, equal protection and benefit before the law, clause 9(l)

1. The right to dignified and humane treatment and care

2. The right to have access to treatment services, state facilities and subsidised facilities, irrespective of the client's ability to pay

3. The right to effective communication in a language and manner that clients understand

4. The right to reasonable expectations in terms of the range of services offered and the quality of care provided

5. To the right to local availability services

6. The right to exercise choice and guide treatment through informed consent

7. Freedom from discrimination in terms of inequitable access to treatment

8. The right to privacy and confidentiality

9. The right to appropriate treatment and medication

10. The right to protection from psychological, physical and verbal abuse

11. The right to adequate information about his/her clinical and treatment status, and the range and options of treatments available

12. The right to prompt assistance especially in emergencies

13. The right to safe treatment environments, and adequate water, sanitation and waste disposal

14. The rights to protection from life-threatening diseases

15. The right to express opinions and make complaints that shall be investigated

We can agree that they provide guidelines and stipulate regulations that must be adhered to. They provide the moral codes you build your practice on.

The effectiveness of a registered treatment centre cannot be overlooked. Department of Social Development has gone the extra mile to ensure best practice guidelines are followed. These are some of the elements they look at:

1. Department of Health ensures that the premises are suitable for residents. This includes sleeping courtiers, bathroom facilities, food preparation, health and safety, etc.

2. Qualified and registered staff ensure they have thorough skills to provide treatment. The staff that are also in recovery must be sober for at least 3 years to lead any counselling session.

3. Medical processes and standards need to be specified when dealing with detoxification, assessments, procedures and the qualification of medical professionals. A general practitioner, professional nurses, psychologists and psychiatrist must be involved with assessment processes and reviews.

4. It is crucial to take into consideration individual treatment programmes and the types of clinical disciplines and assessment criteria that are taken into consideration.

5. Nutritional guidelines and program have to be taken into account to provide the best possible nutrition after detox and in treatment.

6. Participation of residents in duties in terms of the limitations on the time allocated to residents for duties. This is restricting facilities to expose their clients to ‘cheap’ labour.

You can imagine the impact if any one of these norms and standards are neglected. We pride ourselves to include all these aspects in our standards and philosophy of our programme, building our reputation to become a leading treatment facility. Contact us today for more information.

Bottom line is no one person is the same. Each person brings into treatment unique challenges, background and insight to their problems. That’s why tailor-making their treatment plan we address problem areas identified in conjunction with relapse prevention. That’s where evidence-based therapy comes in. These are techniques used that has been clinically proven to work and the best part is there are different techniques/approaches based on the individual. So not only is the treatment plan unique, but the therapy is also unique to each person. Learn more about evidence-based therapy.

Through the individualised plan and therapy received we've recognised challenges and found solutions. Life coaching sets the next stage by setting goals and using effective measures on achieving long-term results. Learn more about integrated life coaching.

Narcotics Anonymous Step Work is extremely comprehensive with nearly 400 self-reflecting questions being worked through. NA also doesn’t distinguish between different addictions and therefore are used for any substances abuse and behaviour and process addictions. The most important aspect of this Twelve Step Program is that it specifically looks at it from a disease perspective, not that it is a moral failing. And for long-term sobriety, there are hundreds of meetings countrywide which forms part of the support system in recovery. Learn more about the 12 step program of recovery.

If you suspect that your loved one has a drug or alcohol addiction problem it is advised that you talk to them about seeking help. Many individuals who abuse drugs or alcohol are in denial and do not believe they need help. People affected with addiction might feel hopeless in their situation but help is always available. If you feel that your loved one is taking long to accept help and that their lives or the family’s lives are in danger you can contact us for help and an intervention specialist with try to assist in getting your loved one into treatment.

One of the biggest worries family or friends have is that broaching the subject of the suspected abuse will exacerbate the problem with disastrous effects. Without intervention, the problem can become severe.

Here a few guidelines on how to approach a loved one if he or she has an addiction problem:

• Choose the right time to bring up the subject. Wait until the person is calm and not under the influence of the substance.

• Don’t be under the influence of a substance yourself.

• Make time for the conversation. State you would like to talk to them and arrange a meeting with other loved ones who supports you in the decision that your loved one needs help. You need an open line of communication and build a support network.

• Remind them you care for them and this is affecting all of you. Emphasize the fact that you care for them and your relationship.

• Each one wrights a letter listing the changes in behaviour you have observed and state you are worried about the effect their substance use is having on themselves and your relationship and that you are concerned (afraid) about their continued use.

• Ask him/her to allow you all the opportunity to read your lists out loud.

• Don’t lecture but express your feelings.

• After the reading of the letters, ask him/her how they feel about what they heard.

• Use open-ended questions.

• Reinforce a positive message of “we care about you”.

• Your goal is not to tell them they have a problem, but to let them know you are concerned there is a problem based on your observations of their behaviour.

• Don’t generalise or speculate, explore motives and don’t judge.

• Don’t expect an immediate or dramatic change in behaviour, this could easily be the first time the person has thought there might be a problem.

• Allow for everybody to get a chance to speak. Do not interrupt someone else. It is important to create a neutral atmosphere as far as possible.

We suggest you use a professional interventionist as these conversations can become heated. Contact us if you need any help or assistance.

If the substance abuse disorder has been escalating considerably and is severe, it is time to create the rock bottom for your loved one.

Enabling is the biggest factor in addiction and the hardest to stop from the family’s side.

Speak to an interventionist about consequences you may impose if your loved one does not seek help. Because of the severe nature of these consequences, it is not always easy to determine them on your own and a professional can discuss the importance with you. This is the hardest part because you need to stick to them. If you allow yourself to give in you are essentially enabling your loved one and he/she has no reason to stop their behaviour.

Ideally, your loved one should be assessed by a qualified professional to determine the best treatment plan. They will consider among others, the severity of the substance abuse, the persons medical and psychological history. Discussing this could arouse feelings of fear, anger or disgust. Remember, they are likely to be feeling threatened.

Withdrawal can also be dangerous and must be evaluated by a health professional.

Remember, there is no quick fix to substance abuse, prepare yourself for the long haul. There is a reason a person starts abusing a substance and these underlying causes need to be identified and resolved.

Yes. Section 33 of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Act 70 of 2008 requires that a person who is closely associated to the person concerned make a sworn statement (affidavit) to open an enquiry. Contact our social worker who can assist you through the process.

Psychosis is a break from reality and can include hallucinations, delusions or false beliefs that are firmly held despite clear evidence to the contrary. The most obvious cure is to stop abusing any substance. Medically supervised detoxification is advised and treatment at a registered facility for substance abuse and possible co-occurring disorders. Contact our registered counsellor to assist you with a screening and referral.

Choosing a rehabilitation centre for your loved one can be intimidating. You need to ensure that the decision allows for an opportunity for a higher chance of long-term success. Has your loved one tried stopping before? What physical symptoms did they experience? These are all questions that you can ask that could guide you in choosing the type and length of treatment program needed. Research, however, shows that the best outcomes are with longer durations of treatment. Part of our evaluations and formal family sessions will be to advise if we feel more time is needed with your loved one. Typically, we will advise on a month-to-month extension where after progress is monitored.

Legislation dictates that severe opioid, alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal require medical detoxification, supervised by medical professionals.

Withdrawal in these severe cases can be fatal and extreme cases could lead to severe psychosis or even death if not administered correctly. We work closely with our off-site detoxification facility and will advise you on the appropriate course of action to be taken should you require detox.

Less severe withdrawal is expected with minimal downtime from the program. Your loved one knows they have a problem and is willing to commit. Emotionally they’ll be able to be pushed to dig deep into their drug use and reservations to use again is minimal. If they are typically procrastinators this program is not suggested. Someone who has done an intensive treatment before and maintained long terms of sobriety at a time before relapse is also good candidates for this program.

This program allows us to explore the underlying causes of drug or alcohol use. Ultimately, the substance use is not the only problem, the behaviours associated with a substance use dependence needs exploring and be dealt with as well. This allows for more therapeutic interventions and the ability to combine a more thorough aftercare plan based on the challenges observed.

When someone has been through numerous in-treatment programs with short-term relapsing results, it might be that there are underlying issues yet to be discovered and/or dealt with. Severe dual-diagnosis (substance abuse disorder with an underlying mental illness) could also have an impact on the treatment term. It is important to be aware that with a dual-diagnosis, your loved one may experience prolonged periods of high or low moods which has an impact on the treatment outcomes.

Dual-diagnosis affects as much as 45% of people diagnosed with substance abuse disorders. Dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders refers to the substance abuse disorder not being the only illness presented. Other moods or psychiatric disorders are also diagnosed like Depression, Bipolar, Panic Disorder, Eating Disorder, Personality Disorder. At PRC emphasis is laid on addiction being treated as a mental disorder. Our registered counsellor will screen and refer your loved one should we encounter any possible dual-diagnosis or co-occurring disorders.

Any individual struggling either with addiction or having a loved one in addiction must know that you cannot do it alone, you need support from others throughout your journey. There are support systems available for families and addicts during this time.

• Social support, start speaking about your problem to friends and family members. Your social support can provide you with needed companionship and emotional support.

• Therapeutic support, fear of judgement or confidentiality is challenging in these situations. If you feel uncomfortable speak to a professional therapist, psychologist, or social worker.

• Spiritual support, having spiritual support offers a sense of hope and it restores your self-worth and offers you a new sense of hope in your life. Speak to a religious leader or spiritual advisor.

• Support groups, attend support groups regularly. Attending support groups such as Al-Anon/Nar-Anon, AA/NA enables you to share your journey and listen to others who face similar situations. This gives you a sense of belonging and it makes you feel less isolated.

To build a strong support system, you need to know what kind of support system you need. If you feel you need more people in your support system, do not be afraid to take risks. Part of our program at PRC Recovery is to assist the client and family with finding suitable support. This forms part of our detailed aftercare plan and is crucial to maintaining sobriety.

The effects of substance abuse frequently extend beyond the conjugal family, each person has a role to play or multiple roles to help the family function better and to maintain a level of homeostasis, stability and sometimes balance. Therefore six roles have been developed:

• The Addict feels great shame, guilt and remorse about the pain and distress they’ve caused their families.

• The Enabler is often assumed by a spouse or an older child. The enabler takes care of all of the things that the addict has left undone.

• The Hero takes on responsibilities in the home that seemingly exceed their developmental stage, often assuming parental roles, who overachieves and appears confident and serious.

• The Scapegoat is the child in the family who habitually misbehaves and displays defiant tendencies in the face of authority.

• The Mascot uses humour as a coping mechanism. These individuals tend to suppress a lot of emotions and always try their best to make others smile even though they are not okay.

• The Lost Child takes on this role is isolated from other members of the family and has trouble developing relationships as a result.

Addiction is a family disease and understanding the impact is vital in the recovery and healing for everyone. We urge you to seek help.

• First and foremost, talk about it. If you feel uncomfortable seeking professional help, find a friend or family member you can confide in.

• Be proactive. Change your routine and find healthy distractions.

• Make a list of things you can do to pick yourself up.

• Uncertainty can lead to fear. We tend to think of worst-case scenarios in moments like these when in fact the outcome was far less serious than what you imagined.

• Writing down your feelings might help you put things into perspective.

• Meditate. Just sitting in a quiet spot and tuning out helps clear your mind. Try starting with some guided meditation with your earpieces in if you struggle to switch off. Soon you’ll be comfortable with the silence. We think of way better solutions to our problems when our minds are clear.

• Share responsibilities. Set up a daily schedule to help each other out with the chores. And have your schedule include a daily ‘Me-time’ and ‘Us-time’.

• Tag if you need a time-out. Speak to your partner about calling a time-out when you feel things are getting too much for you.

• Speak up if something is bothering you, talk about it. It’s easy to see how people do not address the things they dislike build up into resentments.

• Stay connected. We all need human connection. Keep in touch with friends and family.

• If you are a religious or spiritual person, remind yourself to stay faithful.

• And most of all, this too shall pass. Try and look at the things you can be grateful for. We often feel that our circumstances are detrimental and nothing will ever be the same again. But chances are, someone is worse off than you. Be thankful for what you do have, rather than the things you would’ve or could’ve had if the situation was different.

The relationship between health and addiction works both ways, i.e. addiction leads to an unhealthy lifestyle, and an unhealthy lifestyle makes us more prone to addiction and relapse. The most important elements of a healthy lifestyle are also the most basic. These are proper nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep and meaningful social connection.

• Proper nutrition and hydration are key to the substance abuse healing process because they help restore physical and mental health and improve the chance of recovery.

• Exercise benefits are obvious and well known. Regular exercise has a significant positive impact on mental health that improves our mood. Exercise stimulates the body’s natural feel-good hormones which can make problems seem more manageable.

• Social connection and contact are like a vaccine, they protect you now and well into the future. Simply shaking hands or giving somebody a high-five is enough to release oxytocin and lowers your cortisol levels, so it lowers your stress.

Alcohol is a major cause of the nutritional deficiency. Alcoholism affects every area of the body. It can cause insomnia, anorexia, weight changes, gastrointestinal cramping, decreased digestive enzymes, ulcers, muscle wasting, liver disease, and abnormal glucose levels depending on the amount of alcohol ingested.

The reason we drink and the consequences of excessive drinking are linked with our mental health. Mental health problems not only result from drinking too much alcohol, but they can also cause people to drink too much.

Put very simply, a major reason for drinking alcohol is to change our mood – or our mental state. Alcohol can temporarily alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression and people often use it a form of ‘self-medication’ in an attempt to cheer themselves up or sometimes help with sleep.

One of the main problems associated with using alcohol to deal with mental health problems is that regular consumption of alcohol changes the chemistry of the brain. It decreases the levels of the brain chemical serotonin - a key chemical in depression. As a result of this depletion, a cyclical process begins where one drinks to relieve depression, which causes serotonin levels in the brain to be depleted, leading to one feeling even more depressed, and thus necessitating even more alcohol to then medicate this depression.

Although legalization activists and many marijuana users believe smoking pot has no negative effects, scientific research indicates that marijuana use can cause many different health problems.

The short-term effects of marijuana include:

• Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)

• Problems with memory and learning

• Loss of coordination

• The trouble with thinking and problem-solving

• Increased heart rate

• Psychosis

Whether used for short durations or extended periods, any use is associated with side effects. Usage can lead to a serious heart attack, even in those that are young and otherwise healthy. Taking large amounts is associated with erratic and possibly violent behaviour.

The side effects of cocaine use can include:

• Tremors.

• Muscle twitches or tics.

• Paranoia.

• Vertigo.

• Constricted blood vessels.

• Dilated pupils.

• Increased heart rate.

• Increased blood pressure.

• Increased body temperature.

• Decreased sexual function.

Overdose from cocaine can result in:

• Cardiac arrest.

• Stroke.

• Respiratory arrest.

• Sudden death.

When short-term use crosses the line into long-term use, the risks increase for new and exaggerated negative results. These lasting health risks illustrate the drastic impact cocaine has on the abuser's physical health.

The potential health consequences of long-term use include:

• Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain.

• High blood pressure, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death.

• Liver, kidney and lung damage.

• Destruction of tissues in the nose if sniffed.

• Respiratory failure if smoked.

• Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected.

• Malnutrition, weight loss Severe tooth decay.

• Auditory and tactile hallucinations.

• Sexual problems, reproductive damage and infertility (for both men and women).

• Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion Irritability and mood disturbances.

• Increased frequency of risky behaviour.

• Delirium or psychosis.

• Severe depression

Similar to other stimulants, methcathinone can amplify the action of norepinephrine and dopamine. Unusual stimulation of these two neurotransmitters can cause strange behaviour in some individuals.

The negative effect of Cat use can include:

• Anxiety

• Convulsions

• Delusions

• Fever

• Hallucinations

• Headaches

• Insomnia

• Irregular heart rate

• Muscle twitching

• Paranoia

• Restlessness

• Tremors

• Withdrawal

The long-term effects of Khat use can include:

• Paranoia

• Hallucinations

• Anxiety followed by depression

• Tremors and convulsions

• Anorexia, malnutrition, and weight loss

• Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance

• Stomach pains

• Nausea

• Nose bleeds and eventual destruction of nasal tissue

• Elevated blood pressure

• Elevated heart rate

• Body aches

• Permanent brain damage

• Death

Methamphetamine has neurotoxic effects that damage the serotonin and dopamine receptors in the brain. The long-term use of methamphetamine can cause damage to the brain similar to other conditions that injure the brain. This brain damage lingers for months even after use has stopped. The neurological effects of meth use can be permanent, even after a person quits.

What are the common side effects of crystal meth use?

• Physically, crystal meth can increase respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure. It can cause hyperthermia and an irregular heartbeat that can be fatal. There is also the potential for cardiovascular collapse.

• Meth use affects the central nervous system and can produce symptoms like irritability, confusion, anxiety, paranoia, aggressiveness, delirium or psychosis. Some users also suffer from prolonged insomnia and tremors.

• Methamphetamine can also cause irreversible damage to the blood vessels in the brain, which can result in a stroke.

Overdose is a danger associated with methamphetamine use. An overdose results in a rapid onset of physiological deterioration, eventually leading to a heart attack or stroke. Because of the speed of onset, death occurs suddenly and unexpectedly.

Repeated heroin use changes the physical structure and physiology of the brain, creating long-term imbalances in neuronal and hormonal systems that are not easily reversed.

No matter how they ingest the drug, chronic heroin users experience a variety of medical complications, including insomnia, constipation and lung complications. Many experience mental disorders, such as depression and antisocial personality disorder.

Heroin risks increase through the consequences of chronic injection use including scarred and/or collapsed veins, bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves, abscesses (boils), and other soft-tissue infections. People who inject drugs (PWIDs) are the highest-risk group.

Sharing of injection equipment or fluids can lead to some of the most severe consequences of heroin use—infections with hepatitis B and C, HIV, and a host of other blood-borne viruses, which drug users can then pass on to their sexual partners and children.