Inherited vs Learned Behaviors in Adolescents Quiz

Drug Use, Misuse, and Abuse

• Defined as a psychological and sometimes physical state characterized by a craving for a drug
• Can be either psychological or physical dependence on the drug

Drug Use, Misuse, and Abuse

• Drug use refers to drug-taking behavior in general
• Drug misuse is the inappropriate use of prescription or nonprescription drugs
• Drug abuse is the use of a drug when it is detrimental to one's health or well-being

Risk Factors for Drug Abuse

• Inherited risk factors: genetics, family structure, family dynamics, quality of parenting, and family problems
• Home and family life: family attitudes toward alcohol and drug use influence adolescents' beliefs and expectations about the effects of drugs
• School and peer groups: perceived and actual drug use by peers influences attitudes and choices by adolescents
• Sociocultural environment: effects of sociocultural and physical settings on drug-taking behavior

Types of Drugs Abused

• Legal drugs: alcohol, nicotine, nonprescription (over-the-counter) drugs, and prescription drugs
• Illegal (illicit) drugs: marijuana, narcotics, cocaine and crack cocaine, hallucinogens, stimulants, depressants, club drugs, and designer drugs, anabolic drugs, and inhalants

Over-the-Counter Drugs

• Legal drugs that can be purchased without a physician's prescription
• Examples: analgesics (aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen), cough and cold remedies, emetics, laxatives, mouthwashes, vitamins, and many others

Prescription Drugs

• Can only be purchased with a physician's or dentist's written instruction/prescription
• Regulated by the FDA and subject to misuse and abuse

Controlled Substances and Illicit (Illegal) Drugs

• Drugs that cannot be legally manufactured, distributed, or sold, and that usually lack recognized medical value
• Examples: marijuana, narcotics, hallucinogens, stimulants, depressants, club drugs, and designer drugs

Prevention and Control of Drug Abuse

• Requires knowledge of causes of drug-taking behavior, sources of illicit drugs, drug laws, treatment programs, community organizing skills, and persistence and cooperation of various individuals and agencies

Levels of Prevention

• Primary prevention: target population has never used drugs; goal is to prevent or forestall the initiation of drug use
• Secondary prevention: target population has begun alcohol or other drug use but has not become chronic abusers and has not suffered significant physical or mental impairment from their drug or alcohol abuse; goal is to prevent chronic use and abuse
• Tertiary prevention: target population is chronic drug users and abusers; goal is to provide drug abuse treatment and aftercare, including relapse prevention programs

Elements of Prevention

• Education: provides information about drugs and the dangers of drug abuse, changing attitudes and beliefs about drugs, and providing the skills necessary to abstain from drugs
• Treatment: provides care that removes the physical, emotional, and environmental conditions that have contributed to drug abuse and/or dependence
• Public policy: guiding principles and courses of action pursued by governments to solve practical problems affecting society
• Law enforcement: application of laws to arrest, jail, bring to trial, and sentence those who break drug laws or break laws because of drug use