addictions
Drugs, smoking and alcohol
Almost all recreational drugs are illegal, and you can go to prison if you are caught in possession. This may mean that it is much more difficult to get into University or get a job because you have a police record. To give yourself the best chance to develop a sharp mind and body, don&rsquo...read more
Drugs: why does it happen?
Young people use drugs for many reasons that have to do with how they feel about themselves, how they get along with others, and how they live.No one factor determines who will use drugs and who will not, but there are some predictors and key risk factors: ...read more
E - effects
What is ecstasy As with all drugs there are various names to describe Ecstasy, for instance 'E', Doves, Fantasy or Dolphins. This type of drug usually comes in a tablet form of different shapes, sizes and colour, but usually their are white. The chemical na...read more
Eating disorders are life threatening
Unfortunately a lot of young people suffer from eating disorders. They are a way of coping with feelings that make you feel low. People can get obsessive with exercise, what they eat, how much they eat, when they eat, who they eat with and how much they weigh. If one has an ...read more
Experimenting with your consciousness
A desire to experience an altered state of consciousness has been a feature of human culture from time immemorial. In the search for mood and mind altering substances, humankind has long experimented and taken risks. Perhaps more than ever before, we are surrounded by legal ...read more
Facts about alcohol
One of the basic facts about alcohol that many people fail to grasp is that it is a drug.Alcohol is a sedative. Ethyl alcohol was the first of the sedatives to be discovered and is easily available in our culture without a prescription. It i...read more
Facts about ecstasy
It is estimated that nearly one million ecstasy tablets are sold each week in Britain, with the majority being taken in clubs or at dance music events. Over half a million young people have tried ecstasy at least once.Between 1991 and 1996 50-100 deaths were associated with ...read more
Facts about smoking
22% of all male deaths and 11% of all female deaths are due to smoking. As teenagers it is never too late to give up. Giving up now can reduce the risk of developing many smoking related illnesses. Within 10-15 years of giving up, an ex-smokers' risk of dev...read more
Family roles in alcoholic homes
The chemically dependent family has been described as a closed social system.The family tends to isolate itself, its boundaries are rigid, and outside influences are not allowed to penetrate. This kind of closed, rigid system fosters tension. The tension is ...read more
Food addiction
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by cycles of bingeing and purging. Bulimia nervosa usually begins early in adolescence when young women attempt restrictive diets, fail, and react by binge eating. In respons...read more
Gambling addiction
Like all addictions, Gambling or risk taking involves escaping from reality. It is not just the actual risk, but the whole panoply of events leading up to taking the risk and the fantasy which surrounds it. The process of addiction and the inherent Denial pr...read more
Gambling as addictive behaviour
Whilst gambling is not a substance addiction as with drugs or alcohol, it is a craving for excitement, the adrenaline producing a ‘high’ that comes from taking risks. Pathological gambling was first described in DSM III (1980) and retained with s...read more
Hair follicle drug testing
Hair sample drug testing is a great way to detect whether or not a person has used drugs in the past 90 days. Whether in an office format or in the home, hair drug testing serves the purpose of answering questions about an individual’s drug use history...read more
Helping someone you think is using drugs
Helping someone who is not ready to change their behaviour may be difficult and the decision for them to get help is ultimately theirs. Sometimes we may get so concerned over someone else's drug use that we may not be looking after ourselves. It is important that you keep yo...read more
Heroin: signs that tell you something...
What is heroin Heroin is one of a group of drugs which are derived from the Opium Poppy which are collectively know as Opiates. Other examples are Codeine and Morphine, which are commercially produced as painkillers. Heroin...read more
Historical background of alcohol
Nobody knows how long ago it was that humans first learnt to ferment sugars into alcohol, but the founders of the Babylonian Empire were brewing beer 4000BC. The Greeks invented the tavern and were the first to organise mass production and systematic export ...read more
How does second hand smoke affect you and your children
What is it? • Second hand smoke (SHS) is a mixture of smoke breathed out by the smoker (mainstream smoke) and smoke released from the lit cigarette (sidestream smoke).• When tobacco is lit, thousands of chemicals are released in the smoke. Many of...read more
How smoking harms people of all ages
Toxic ingredients in cigarette smoke travel throughout the body, causing damage in several different ways. Nicotine reaches the brain within 10 seconds after smoke is inhaled. It has been found in every part of the body and in breast milk. ...read more
How to help a gambling addict
One to One Counselling This service is provided by some GP surgeries, voluntary organisations and private sector providers. As the name suggests it is a less intensive therapy usually involving sessions of about one hour per week. This is also offered as an addition to other programmes. I...read more
Immediate and social effects of alcohol
Immediate Effects Alcohol is a sedative hypnotic drug and affects people in diverse ways. When alcohol is drunk it is absorbed directly into to the blood stream via the stomach and small intestine. The absorbed alcohol then passes through the liver, and fro...read more
Important things to know about alcohol abuse and alcohol testing
While alcohol consumption is considered to be a recreational activity for adults, it can carry with it potential health hazards including dependence, addiction, liver damage and all kinds of different accidents. Alcohol test kits can help put a stop to irres...read more
Legal herbs
What are legal drugs These are substances that mimic the effects of some illegal drugs such as ecstasy and speed, but are not controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act. Recent changes have been made to the availability of many of these drugs, making it illegal to sell them with...read more
Managing alcohol
Alcohol is our favourite drug. Most people associate it with fun, with being sociable and with celebrations. We may also use it to help us feel better when we are tense or unhappy, or to feel more confident.Social drinking can be extremely pleasurable and, in moderation, may...read more
Many people with addictions and eating disorders also suffer from depression
Depression is a psychological condition that changes how you think and feel, and also affects your social behaviour and sense of physical well-being. Depression can affect anyone. Once identified, most people diagnosed with depression are successfully treate...read more
Nicotine replacement therapy
Nicotine, when inhaled with tobacco smoke, creates a physical addiction. Nicotine withdrawal can result in unpleasant symptoms: craving for cigarettes, irritability, depression, inability to concentrate, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, weight gain, increased...read more
