How to Overcoming Depression ?

I’ve got a question for you: Are you in the mood? Your response is probably something along the lines of, “Uh, not really, doc, I’m sitting in front of my computer with my pajamas on.” Despite the fact that my question typically means one very specific thing to most folks, I’m not asking you that. I’m asking if you’re in the mood to work? The mood to play? The mood to walk down the street and introduce yourself to the new neighbors? The mood to play hide-and-seek with your kids? Are you in the mood to live?

While depression can be a complex issue that needs medical attention, there are several things you can do to help elevate your spirits. Here are three of my suggestions:

Get Your Sweat On

If you haven’t exercised in a while, the thought of slipping into a pair of tight pants and a sports bra might seem depressing in itself. Exercise, however, has been shown to be more effective than many antidepressants in reducing major depression. And it has the same kind of effect on less serious mood issues, too. Part of that may be attributed to the endorphin effect of exercise; we may also feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment that comes with completing an exercise program. 

A simple walk will do, but doing something that really elevates your heart rate and gets your sweat flowing will have a major payoff when you’re finished. Sometimes, action has to come before motivation, and depressed folks need to act to prime their motivational engine.

Find a Guide

Guided imagery isn’t the screen of your car’s GPS. It’s actually a way of making you feel better. The technique has been shown to improve the ability to cope with depression, improve mood, and decrease stress. How do you do it? Go to a quiet place (the bathroom often works well, since privacy is usually respected there).

Start by relaxing and breathing deeply, then visualize yourself in different scenarios. Some variations include visualizing yourself in a pleasant place (the beach), fighting disease (seeing your good immune cells fighting off bad germs), or practicing for a big performance (doing well in your job).

Fix Your Diet

It’s one of the most vicious circles there is: You feel sad, you reach for chips. You reach for chips, you feel sad. Food, in many ways, really is medicine. And if you can break that cycle of reaching for sugary carbs, mashed carbs, fried carbs, and all-adjective junk foods, then you’ve got a fighting chance to improve your mood in natural ways. Lots of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats can help. Top it off with a small piece of dark chocolate.

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What are tranquilisers?

Several different groups of drugs may be used to relieve anxiety or induce sleep (or occasionally for other effects such as muscle relaxation). These include:

• Benzodiazepine drugs
• Diazepam (trade name Valium)
• Temazepam
• Nitrazepam
• Lorazepam
• A group often referred to as the Z drugs - zopiclone, zolpidem and zaleplon

Benzodiazepines have been in use since the late 1950s and their effects are well understood. They act by enhancing the effect of a brain chemical transmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which depresses or calms the central nervous system, slowing down mental activity to cause relaxation and sedation. 

The Z drugs were introduced in the 1980s and are said to have fewer side effects and a lower risk. However, they act on the same receptors in the brain and the general prescribing advice is that they too shouldn't be used long term. 

As many as two to three per cent of adults find themselves taking benzodiazepines or Zs for many months or more, in an effort to control symptoms. 

Effects of tranquilisers

In the short term, tranquilisers can be very effective in managing the symptoms they are prescribed for, such as:

• Tension
• Anxiety
• Excessive worry
• Stress
• Insomnia
• Sleeping problems

They are often used to help someone get through a particularly stressful life crisis, such as bereavement. 

Benzodiazepines may also be used in low doses as a muscle relaxant, for example when there is muscle spasm causing back pain or dental problems, and occasionally in epilepsy or relaxation prior to surgery. 

There is also a very significant illicit use of benzodiazepines ('benzos') by those with other substance abuse problems, such as alcoholics and heroin users. 

Risks of tranquilisers

As the brain gets used to the tranquiliser or sleeping pill, often as soon as three or four weeks after starting them, the drugs may become less effective. More of the drug is then needed to achieve the same effect - this is known as tolerance. 

If the drug is suddenly stopped, there may be unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. This indicates a dependence on or addiction to the drug, and that you need to take the drug just to feel normal. Dependence may occur after just four weeks on benzodiazepines or Z drugs. 

Physical withdrawal symptoms include:

• Restlessness
• Insomnia
• Headache
• Sweating
• Tremor
• Nausea
• Palpitations
• Muscle spasms
• Confusion and seizures (occasionally)

Psychological withdrawal symptoms include:

• Increased anxiety
• Depression
• General feeling of being unwell
• Agitation
• Panic attacks
• Out-of-body sensations
• Paranoia and intense psychological distress (occasionally)

Withdrawal symptoms are worst in the first week or two and may last as long as six weeks or more. Generally, the higher the dose, the longer benzodiazepine has been used and the more rapidly it is discontinued, then the more likely severe withdrawal symptoms will occur. Sometimes people continue to have some withdrawal symptoms for months, and it can be difficult to resist going back onto the drugs in order to cope. 

Those taking heroin may use benzodiazepines when heroin is unavailable, or to counter some of the symptoms of withdrawal (benzodiazepines used along with prescribed opiates such as methadone can make the effects of the opiates feel stronger). Some heroin users have said that coming off benzodiazepines is harder than coming off heroin. Using these drugs with heroin increases the risk of overdose - one in every four heroin-related deaths involves the combined use of these drugs. 

Stopping tranquilisers

The usual strategy a health professional will advise when stopping tranquilisers or sleeping pills is to reduce the dose of the drug gradually over a number of weeks or months before finally stopping it, rather than suddenly giving up. 

At the same time other tactics should be put into place to help to manage symptoms and deal with underlying problems. These might include:

• Relaxation skills
• Help with sleep problems
• Anxiety management
• Counselling
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Complementary therapies such as massage or aromatherapy
• Careers and relationship advice

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What is Sex addiction ?

It's estimated that six per cent or more of the population experience sex addiction and one in five are women.

Maybe if you look at the sheer physical damage that addictions such as heroin or cocaine can wreak on the body then sex addiction may indeed seem like a different sort of problem. But sex addiction certainly meets some of the criteria for an addiction. Like other addictions, the person is driven by a compulsion to seek out and engage in the behaviour that brings them the benefits or a sort of intoxication that they seek, even though it may cause enormous disruption and even harm to their life. 

If you've a sex addiction you may find you need a markedly increased amount of sex to feel sexually fulfilled. And you may have such a persistent desire that you'll spend abnormal amounts of time involved in activities necessary to fulfil cravings, or recover from its effects. 

As a result this addiction may interfere with work, hobbies and relationships with family and friends. You may struggle to cut down or control your behaviour, and continue despite being well aware of the psychological or even physical damage that it's doing.

Sex addiction symptoms

Of course most people enjoy sex, get a buzz from it and welcome the chance to engage in it. So when does sex become addiction?

One clue comes from a definition often used by experts, who suggest that sexual addiction is any sexual behaviour that feels out of control. Another important feature is that, like other addictions, those affected find their emotions swing between intense highs and lows. 

Following the gratification and sought–after high that the sexual behaviour brings, emotional lows follow. Typically you may feel:

• Shame
• Regret
• Remorse
• Anxiety about your behaviour
• Trapped by your helpless need

The only way to relieve these feelings may be another sexual encounter, so you go in search of more sex.

Warning symptoms of a sex addiction might include:

• Certain types of behaviour such as frequent casual sex, multiple affairs when you're in a relationship or high-risk sex
• Excessive use of pornography
• Feeling worried about the possible behavior
• Wanting to stop or change your sexual behaviour
• Feeling unable to stop, despite wanting to
• Using sex as a way to cope with other problems
• Needing more sex to get the same fulfillment
• Feeling very low or guilty after
• Spending large amounts of time planning or engaging in sex
• Missing important social events or even work in order to pursue sex

The debris of a sex addiction includes consequences such as breakdown of meaningful relationships, loss of job opportunities, sexually transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancy. Depression is common among sex addicts (it may even be a factor which leads to the addiction or aggravates the problem) and as many as one in five may have contemplated suicide. 

Advice and support

It may be very difficult to admit to a sex addiction and seek help. Many of those addicted feel intense shame about their behaviour and are reluctant to talk about it. But few are able to change their behaviour without some professional help to explore why it has developed and how the behaviour can be changed. 

So recognising that you have a problem is the first step. Then talk to your GP or local counseling service. There are also some support groups especially for sex addicts. 

Whether sex addiction is a true addiction or a form of compulsive behaviour, the main approach to treatment is the same, and consists of psychological therapies, especially cognitive behavioural therapy, which involves learning about and understanding your condition, and how to make changes to your behaviour.

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What is Prozac?

Prozac is a trade name for fluoxetine, one drug in a family of antidepressants called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Other drugs in this family include sertraline (trade name Lustral), paroxetine (Seroxat) and fluvoxamine (Faverin). There are other families of medications that are also antidepressants. 

Until the advent of the impotence treatment Viagra, Prozac was probably the most high-profile new treatment to be launched in a generation. It was initially hailed as a miracle cure, but became a victim of its own success as patients who were not clinically depressed demanded the drug as a quick fix for their personal problems. 

Effects of Prozac

As an SSRI, Prozac makes serotonin more available in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that affects mood. SSRIs have potential benefits that include:

• People who take SSRIs usually need just one dose per day
• SSRIs are safer to take with other drugs and pose less risk in overdose

All the drugs commonly prescribed for depression are roughly equal in effectiveness. This often surprises people who assume that Prozac is best. On average, antidepressants seem to help 60 per cent to 80 per cent of the people who take them. This is true both of the earlier developed drugs, including tricyclics such as amitriptyline, as well as the newer drugs such as SSRIs. 

Many people combine Prozac with psychotherapy. 

Psychiatrist Peter Kramer, in his best-selling book Listening to Prozac, claimed that the drug could be use to alter personality traits like shyness and lack of confidence. However, there is scientific evidence to suggest that claims that Prozac can transform personality are exaggerated. People may become more gregarious and easy-going when taking the drug, but this can be attributed to recovery from depression, rather than any magical properties of Prozac itself. 

Risks of Prozac

There is evidence to suggest that taking Prozac may trigger suicidal thoughts in some people. Other side effects may include:

• Nausea
• Headaches
• Diarrhoea
• Insomnia
• Sexual difficulties, such as delayed orgasm

Managing Prozac use

In England, the Department of Health has recommended that fluoxetine should be the only drug of its type prescribed to patients under 18, although specialists in the area of paediatric psychiatric illness are able to prescribe other medications in certain circumstances. However, an analysis by the US Food and Drug Administration concluded that the drug posed a similar risk to young people as other SSRIs. 

Eli Lilly, the makers of Prozac, argued that in no case studied by the FDA did Prozac actually lead to a suicide, and that depressed people were probably prone to suicidal thoughts regardless of what medication they took. They also warned that the risk of not treating depressed young people at all was probably greater than any risk posed by taking their product.

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What are painkillers?

A large range of painkillers are available, from the simple treatments you can buy - such as aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol - to much more powerful medicines, often based on natural or synthetic opiates (morphine-type drugs), that should be prescribed by a doctor.

You may take painkillers for an acute, short-lived pain such as a muscle strain, period pains or toothache. But chronic and severe pain is also very common, such as joint pain from arthritis, low back pain, chronic headaches, and after an injury. 

Many people need to take painkillers, sometimes strong ones, on a long-term basis. Then there may be the risk that they will develop tolerance (needing more and more as time goes by to achieve the same effect) and become dependent on them (finding they cannot feel normal or get through the day without them). 

These are signs of addiction, and this may lead to ongoing painkiller use long after the pain has settled. This is sometimes known as a silent addiction - it starts as a legitimate use and the user doesn't fit the usual profile of a drug addict, or even see themselves as such. 

Others use painkillers, especially opiates, in the same way as other street drugs, buying them from illicit suppliers and taking them because of their sedating or other mood-altering effects. 

Addictive painkillers

The simple painkillers you can buy in a pharmacy or supermarket, such aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol, are not addictive. A person may become physically dependent on them in order to control pain and keep active, but won't become psychologically dependent, taking them even when they know they are doing harm.

However, there is a small risk of problems with the extra-strength formulations of these medicines that contain codeine as an additional painkiller. Although the dose of codeine is very low, it's a member of the opiate group of drugs - which includes morphine and heroin - and it can induce a feeling of calm, sedation or general wellbeing. Because of this opiate effect, addiction can occur and a person may experience withdrawal problems if they try to stop taking it. 

However, most painkiller addiction is related to more powerful analgesics, especially natural opiates and synthetic opioids (opiate-like drugs). These drugs, which you need a prescription to obtain, include:

• Higher strength codiene or dihydrocodeine
• Morphine
• Buprenorphine
• Diamorphine
• Oxycodone
• Pethidine
• Tramadol

These painkillers may come in the form of tablets, syrup, skin patches and sometimes injections.

As well as removing pain, they can induce a sense of wellbeing or euphoria. They may have a relaxing effect or cause a feeling of mental detachment. In some people and in larger doses they may act as sedatives, making people feel sleepy. 

Risks of painkillers

Like all medicines, painkillers can have side effects:

• Aspirin and ibuprofen, if taken in high doses or for long lengths of time, can irritate the gut causing bleeding and ulcers, or damage the kidneys
• Paracetamol, if taken in a very high dose, damages the liver
• All painkillers, even simple ones, carry the risk of inducing pain such as headaches and back pain
• Opiate painkillers may cause withdrawal symptoms such as shivers, aching joints, agitation, anxiety, depression, constipation, paranoia and other physical and psychological side effects

However, the greatest risk from opiates is addiction. Symptoms to watch out for include:

• Feeling that you need to take the drugs in order to feel 'normal'
• Finding you need to take higher doses to achieve the same effect
• Taking them even though you know that they are doing harm
• Adopting devious or even illegal means to get more painkillers

It's estimated that painkiller addiction affects at least 100,000 people in the UK. However, there is some controversy about how great the risk of addiction is when someone takes opiates for pain rather than as a street drug. 

It's important that when people have severe pain they are properly treated and don't miss out on adequate pain treatment for fear of addiction. And there is some evidence that the risk of addiction is much less when the drugs for pain relief are used appropriately, with close medical monitoring. There is no doubt that the vast majority of people, when prescribed these medications, use them correctly without developing addiction. 

Limiting your risk of addiction

If you have severe pain and need powerful painkillers, the aim is to help you stay on the right side of the difficult balance between pain relief and addiction.

Simple tactics include :

• Close monitoring by a doctor or nurse
• Never increasing your dose without first discussing with your doctor
• Increasing information to improve people's awareness of the risks of addiction
• Limiting packet sizes of over-the-counter painkillers (or prescription sizes of more powerful analgesics), with clear label warnings that they should only be used for a short period without medical advice
• Discussing all effects of your painkillers, both good and bad, with your doctor
• Never sharing or allowing anyone else access your painkillers
• Never buying them from a casual or illegal source
• Trying a combination of different pain management techniques (including complementary therapies, heat, stress relief etc)
• Not suffering unnecessarily - there are plenty of tactics and other treatments that your doctor can try in order to improve your pain management without necessarily increasing your dose of an painkillers

If you are concerned at all, talk to your doctor or medical team.

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What is nicotine?

Nicotine is the most widely used drug of abuse. It's usually taken by smoking or chewing tobacco, which then releases the nicotine, and is used by millions of people around the world. 

Nicotine works by travelling rapidly from lungs to brain (in about seven seconds) where it stimulates the release of dopamine, an important brain neurotransmitter involved in mood, appetite and other brain functions. 

Although usually taken for its tranquillising and mildly mood-elevating properties, nicotine actually seems to have both a stimulant and a depressant effect - the effect at any time may depend on the circumstances in which it is used. So it may help with concentration or relax the user. 

Nicotine is generally recognised to be one of the most addictive of all drugs. Users can quickly become dependent on its effects (in the most vulnerable, it takes just a few cigarettes to get hooked on the habit).

If someone suddenly stops taking nicotine, they usually experience prolonged withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and mood swings. This causes them to crave the drug in order to try to reverse these unpleasant feelings. As a result the habit is hard to break. 

The fact that smoking or chewing tobacco is not illegal and has some social acceptance (although it has becoming much less so in recent years) makes it harder to give up. Many argue that if tobacco were to be discovered today, it would be considered too dangerous to be licensed for human consumption.

Risks of nicotine

As a pure drug, nicotine has few adverse effects on physical health, however it does raise blood pressure and accelerates the progression of heart and arterial disease. But it's the other chemicals taken in along with nicotine which do much of the damage. When tobacco burns as a cigarette is smoked, it releases hundreds of other constituents. It is these chemicals, described below, that pose the greatest risk to health.

Smoking increases the risk of cancer in almost every organ and tissue of the body, but especially cancer of the lung, throat and stomach. Heart disease, stroke and serious lung disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (commonly known as chronic bronchititis and emphysema) are just some of the reasons why smokers are much more likely to die young, often years before their non-smoking peers. It's estimated that smoking accounts for more than 110,000 premature deaths in the UK each year.

What's in a cigarette?

There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, some of which are well known for their toxicity. Here are just a few:

• Nicotine - immediate physiological effects include increased heart rate and a rise in blood pressure
• Ammonia - also found in toilet cleaners
• Acetone - found in nail varnish remover
• Cadmium - a highly poisonous metal used in batteries
• Vinyl chloride - used to make PVC
• Napthtalene - used in moth balls
• Carbon monoxide - poisonous gas that is commonly given off by exhausts and gas fires, fatal in large amounts
• Tar - thick brown stuff in cigarette smoke that stains fingers and teeth a yellow-brown colour and which deposits in a smoker's lungs, clogging them up
• Cyanide - a lethal gas used in Second World War gas chambers
• Formaldehyde - used to preserve dead bodies
• Arsenic - poison

Some cigarettes include flavourings include childhood favourites such as cocoa, vanilla, liquorice, sugar and even honey.

Did you know...?

• Addiction to nicotine is usually established in young smokers within about a year of first experimenting with cigarettes, in many cases before reaching the age at which it is legal to buy cigarettes (on average at 12-13 years of age)
• It can take less than one pack of cigarettes - on average, just six cigarettes - to suffer withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop, in other words to become addicted
• Smoking causes permanent changes in brain receptors - once hooked most people will have cravings for nicotine which will never completely leave
• 80 per cent of ex-smokers will return to a regular habit within one month of having just one cigarette, even if they gave up years before
• People who smoke mild cigarettes simply drag longer and harder in order to get the same amount of nicotine and as a result they more often develop peripheral lung tumours at the edges of the lungs and vertical pursing lines around their lips
• Only about five per cent of smokers seek help to quit, even though this can increase their chances of stopping long term to as much as 30 per cent at one year if they get support from a trained adviser and use medications for nicotine dependency 

Giving up smoking

About half of all smokers make at least one attempt to stop in a given year. A significant number may do well at first - the data varies but some studies suggest that over 40 per cent of those who use all available help, including nicotine replacement treatment and behavioural support, are initially successful. 

Quitting completely is a different matter. Long-term success is much less common and typically more than 95 per cent relapse within the first year, leaving only two to three per cent of those who try with willpower alone and no support from health professionals or medical treatments as successful long-term quitters.

Here are some of the strategies offered to help people stop smoking.

1. Assessment and advice

In most GP surgeries, there are doctors or nurses who offer a brief assessment of a smoker's habit and advice on giving up. This is enough to help about 10 per cent of people to quit completely. Some studies have also shown that telephone contact with an ex-smoker can have a positive effect on increasing the proportion of people who are able to quit over the long term. There have also been some encouraging results from studies that have looked at personalised feedback about smoking and a personalised self-help manual.

2. Behavioural treatments

These are more intensive approaches that combine assessment and advice with help on people increasing their motivation and skills to resist the urge to light up and to cope with cravings. These behavioural treatments often involve the smoker joining a Quit Smoking group or similar sort of programme where they work alone or with others, with a specially trained therapist. Study results show that about one person in seven is able to abstain for at least six months after taking part.

3. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)

NRT works by providing a source of nicotine after the person has stopped smoking, such as nicotine patches. This can be an effective method of reducing withdrawal symptoms and the cravings to smoke. Smokers get used to not having cigarettes, while still having a source of nicotine which they then slowly cut down. 

With this type of treatment, about 10 per cent of people stop smoking for more than one year (although figures vary), and for every 20 people who use NRT one will become a long term quitter.

Other types of nicotine therapy are available - nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal spray, sublingual (under the tongue) tablets and the nicotine inhaler. Some recent studies have looked at combination treatment, which combines patches and gum and these seem to be even more effective than patches alone. 

4. Other medicines

Bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Champix) are other medicines that can help a person stop a nicotine habit. They may be preferred by people who would rather not use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or who suffer side effects.

Bupropion acts on the dopamine system in the brain to help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings (and also therefore acts as an antidepressant). Generally, people taking this medication find that when they stop smoking the withdrawal symptoms and cravings are much easier to deal with. As with any medicine there may be side effects - for example, some people complain they get a dry mouth and others have trouble sleeping - so it isn't suitable for everyone. For every 15 people who use bupropion, one will become a long-term quitter.

Varenicline provides a constant low level stimulation of the nicotine receptors in the brain and makes cigarettes taste awful so the smoker they can't see the point of taking them as there is no nicotine 'hit'. For every eight people who use varenicline, one will become a long-term quitter.

Remember, always consult your doctor first.

(Data from the Cochrane Review 2007).

The success rates quoted above are for when one medication is used at a time. It's now known that if two different medicines are used in combination, success rates may be higher.

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What is methadone?

Methadone is a long-acting synthetic painkiller that mimics the effects of heroin, but is less addictive. It is widely used as a substitute for patients who are attempting to combat addiction to heroin. 

Like heroin, it produces feelings of euphoria and sedation, but to a lesser degree. The drug is usually provided to addicts under the supervision of a specially trained pharmacist or healthcare professional. It comes in the form of a green liquid. 

Methadone uses

Methadone is used as a way to wean addicts off heroin, but it can be addictive itself.

Doctors must first issue a prescription for the dose, specifying the amount, the days on which it can be administered, and restricting the person who can collect the methadone to the addict him or herself. Initially, a drug abuser is prescribed slowly increasing amounts of methadone to increase tolerance to the drug. Then the amount is slowly decreased until they are cured of the need for the drug altogether. However, some addicts are kept on a steady dose of the drug to avoid a return to heroin once the dosage drops. 

Methadone is also an effective painkiller, and is often used to ease moderate to severe pain in patients recovering from operations and serious injuries in injectable or tablet form. It is also used to ease the pain of terminal illnesses. A linctus is licensed for use in relief of coughing spasms in lung cancer. 

Risks of methadone

When methadone is taken in large amounts it produces side effects similar to heroin. These include drowsiness, apathy, confusion, nausea, vomiting, suppression of breathing reflexes and constricted pupils. In excessive quantities it will lead to coma and eventually to death. 

Some addicts become as reliant on methadone as they were on heroin. Department of Health figures show that methadone was responsible for the deaths of 421 people in 1997. Heroin addicts had created a vast methadone black market by selling on their doses for as little as £2. 

However, death rates are much reduced nowadays due to the implementation of supervised consumption of methadone, particularly in the early stages of treatment of heroin addiction. Over 1,500 drug related deaths were recorded in 2005, many more than those due to methadone overdose. 

Comprehensive guidelines by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Abuse on Drug Misuse and Dependence were published for the Department of Health in 2007.

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What are mephedrone and naphyrone?

Mephedrone (dimethylmethcathinone, to give it its scientific name) and naphyrone (naphthylpyrovalerone) are two of a group of chemicals called cathinones, which are found in the African plant khat. Other cathinones include methadrone, methylone and related compounds. 

For centuries people in countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen have chewed khat leaves to produce effects such as a mild euphoria, loss of inhibitions and suppression of appetite. The active chemicals are now known to be stimulants closely related to amphetamines.

In recent years people have discovered how to synthesise these chemicals, with the result that mephedrone and naphyrone have become widely available. Initially, mephedrone and naphyrone were not covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act and so were legal to buy and sell. They became popular as legal highs through the club scene and many internet sites sold the drugs which, although not illegal, were often disguised as 'plant feeder' or 'research chemicals' which were 'not for human consumption'. 

Mephedrone and naphyrone are now Class B illegal drugs with severe penalties for possession and sale.

Mephedrone comes as a white, off-white, creamy or yellowish powder. It's usually snorted up into the nose (like cocaine). However, it may also be swallowed as pills, capsules or 'bombs' (small amounts of powder wrapped up in paper). Very occasionally, it's smoked or injected.

Mephedrone may also be known as meph, MCAT, miaow, bubbles, bath salts, white magic and plant feeder or just plant.

Naphyrone comes as a white crystalline powder which is snorted, swallowed or also taken as 'bombs'. It may also be known as, or found mixed with other drugs in, NRG-1, Energy1, O-2482 

Effects of mephedrone and naphyrone

We still have a lot to learn about mephedrone, naphyrone and related cathinones, and how they act, because there isn't a lot of research. But they're known to be stimulants, working on the brain's messaging chemicals called neurotransmitters, with effects similar to amphetamines, ecstasy or cocaine.

This means they may make a user feel euphoric (happy or 'high') and more awake or alert. They may feel more confident, become very talkative and lose some of their inhibitions. This can make them feel relaxed and stress-free, but may also make them more likely to do things that they wouldn't normally do.

They may feel particularly empathetic or friendly to those around them.

These effects usually last about an hour.

Risks of mephedrone and naphyrone

The risks and side effects are also not yet clearly defined but include adverse psychological and psychiatric effects such as psychosis, paranoia and extreme anxiety. As a person comes down from the drug, especially after a binge, they may experience a very low mood and other symptoms. 

Mephedrone and naphyrone have physical effects, for example on the cardiovascular system. They may cause the heart to beat very fast (tachycardia) and the arteries to constrict or narrow leading to cold, blue hands and feet. Excessive stimulation of the nervous system may cause headaches, insomnia, agitation and hallucinations, and increase the risk of seizures, which may be fatal. 

Snorting the drug can damage the lining of the nose, causing nose bleeds. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting, appetite suppression, sweating and changes in body temperature. It's thought that both drugs and others related to them may have contributed to a number of deaths in the UK and abroad. 

Naphyrone is much more potent than mephedrone, perhaps even 10 times more so, and this could lead to a greater risk of overdose as the temptation is to use it in amounts similar to mephedrone. There is also a possible risk of naphyrone causing cancer - the napthyl part of the compound is known to be carcinogenic.

Some people seem to find mephedrone especially compulsive, so that when they start taking some, it's very hard to stop until all the drug is gone. Psychological dependence can develop, especially with regular or heavy use (this means the person wants to keep taking the drug because it makes them feel good, and if they stop they may develop psychological withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety).

Talk to your doctor or local substance abuse centre if you are worried or want more information.

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What is LSD?

LSD stands for lysergic acid diethylamide. It's a synthetic chemical manufactured from natural sources such as a fungus called ergot, which grows on rye (more formally called Claviceps purpurea).

It was developed in 1938 by the Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman, who was trying to develop chemicals that might be of use as medicines. He did nothing with it until 1943, when he experimented with it on himself and discovered its mind-altering effects. 

LSD is one of the most powerful known hallucinogens. It isn't clear exactly how LSD acts on the brain to cause distorted perception, as research has been limited. But it seems to block the brain neurotransmitter serotonin (which regulates functions including perception, behaviour, hunger, mood and many more) and activate dopamine, another neurotransmitter. 

It's also known to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system causing:

• Dilation of the pupils
• Increase in body temperature
• Rise in blood sugar levels
• Increased blood pressure and pulse rate putting a strain on the heart

LSD is commonly known as acid, but also goes by a variety of names often influenced by the way it is presented for sale - typically it is sold as a tiny square or spot of blotting paper that has been soaked in LSD. These papers may be printed with pictures or logos, which inspire a name. It may also be sold as liquid drops or tiny pellets. 

Names for LSD include blotter, dots, squares, tabs, smilies, stars, windows and fruit. 

LSD is a Class A illegal substance with severe penalties for possession or sale. 

Effects of LSD

LSD causes intense hallucinations - in other words, a distortion of reality. The world around the user becomes changed - light, colours and sounds are altered and even mixed up, and there may be visions of people or creatures or landscapes which don't actually exist. Even time itself seems to change, slowing down or speeding up. 

These experiences are known as a trip and its nature is very unpredictable. It may be peaceful, gentle, colourful and musical, or it may be very unpleasant and aggressive or just anxiety-inducing, leaving a person fearing for their sanity.

The nature of the trip is influenced to some degree by the individual's own mental state, the mood they are in and how comfortable they are with the people around them. The drug can also induce rapid and intense emotional swings.

The trip starts between 20 minutes and an hour or two after taking the LSD. Because the onset and nature of its effects are uncertain, it's not uncommon for people to take a second tablet thinking it isn't having much effect on them, only to find they are then experiencing a double dose. The effects usually last about 12 to 15 hours.

Because of its hallucinatory properties, LSD was embraced by the hippy culture of the 1960s as a way to explore your inner self and achieve higher states of enlightenment. It also saw a resurgence in popularity with rave culture in the 1990s. 

LSD isn't physically addictive, although people can develop tolerance to it, rapidly needing more to achieve the same effect but there are no physical symptoms of craving or withdrawal. 

Psychological addiction - a dependency on experiencing the effects of the drug - may develop, especially when people use it to escape an unpleasant reality. 

Risks of LSD

LSD does not have a risk of physical addiction. However, a variety of other important risks have been associated with the drug:

• The experience of a trip is unpredictable - some people are left mentally scarred from one very bad trip.
• During a trip the person may put themselves in danger without realising it. They may, for example, believe they have supernatural powers and try to jump off a high building thinking that they can fly. A number of fatal accidents have resulted this way.
• In some people, especially if LSD is taken in high doses, the drug can cause intense anxiety and panic attacks.
• Some people experience flashbacks, reliving a bad trip weeks or even months after it happened.
• In those already vulnerable, LSD may be the trigger for psychotic illness. Paranoia and other symptoms typical of schizophrenia may occur. Sometimes this heralds the start of an ongoing problem with schizophrenia, while in other cases symptoms settle as long as LSD is avoided. 

Management of LSD use

Treatment may be needed to help someone get through the effects of a bad LSD trip. This usually means simply being supportive and reassuring, placing them in a quiet dark room with little sensory stimulation. Rarely, if a person is extremely agitated, doctors may suggest using a sedative. 

In the long term, most people who use LSD stop taking it as their social circumstances change or they lose interest. There aren't usually any withdrawal symptoms as it's not physically addictive. 

Sometimes people need psychological support to move away from their habit or to deal with the effects of a bad trip. Talk to your doctor if you feel you need help.

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What is heroin?

Heroin is an extract of opium. Opium is the dried 'milk' of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum, and it contains the two strong narcotic painkillers, or opiate analgesics, morphine and codeine. 

Heroin - or diamorphine, to give it its scientific name - doesn't occur naturally in opium but can be made from morphine. (It is said to be semi-synthetic - there are also a number of completely synthetic opiod analgesics that may be misused, such as oxycodone.) 

The German Bayer Company was the first to develop heroin in 1898, but soon realised it had very significant undesirable side effects. However, it continues to be used as a painkiller in hospitals for very severe acute pain such as in a heart attack, when side effects can be carefully monitored. 

Heroin is the most commonly abused opiate. It's difficult to know how many people are addicted to it as the Home Office addicts index closed in 1997, leaving only the informal non-identifiable regional drug misuse databases. At that time, there were 40 000 notifiable opiate addicts. It's thought that numbers may have risen significantly since then, although only one per cent of the overall population are currently estimated to be heroin users.

Heroin can be taken in many different ways. Heroin bought on the street comes as a brown or off-white powder (heroin, or diamorphine, for medical use comes as ampoules containing a liquid for injection). This powder can be dissolved in water and injected, or snorted through the nose. It can also be smoked. This involves heating the drug on tin foil. The fumes are then inhaled through a small tube - a method sometimes called 'chasing the dragon'. Injecting creates a more powerful high. 

The vast majority of heroin is illegally manufactured and is diluted or 'cut' for sale on the street. This is usually done by mixing it with glucose, but caffeine, flour, chalk, quinine and even talcum powder are used.

Heroin is also known by the slang terms smack, gear, skag or brown. It's a Class A illegal substance, with severe penalties for possession or supply

Effects of heroin

Most people get a 'rush' or 'buzz' within minutes of taking heroin. The effects vary depending on how the heroin is taken, but users generally feel initially euphoric and then become warm, content and relaxed. They may also feel drowsy, with constriction of the pupils, slurred speech and impaired attention. Heroin can also detach the user from feelings of pain and worry. 

Heroin can also make you vomit, give you headaches and sometimes give you a more disturbed mood.

Risks of heroin

Heroin is highly addictive and tolerance to the drug builds up rapidly. This means more and more of the drug is needed to create the same high. 

Heroin is also relatively short-acting, so a dose or 'fix' needs to be taken several times a day to avoid the distressing withdrawal symptoms of painful muscle cramps, eye and nose watering, shivers and sweats. A typical habit may cost £40 to £150 a day. 

It is illegal to manufacture, possess, or sell heroin in the UK, and so the source and quality of the drug can never be guaranteed. This means the user runs the risk of an overdose (because the strength of the powder, and amount of heroin it actually contains, is unknown) or poisoning (because the powder has been cut with a dangerous or contaminated substance). Overdoses are frequently fatal. 

 

Other risks come not from direct effects on the body's organs but as a result of the method by which it is taken, or from the social effects. Those who inject heroin face the risk of hepatitis and HIV infection from the use of dirty needles, as well as damage to the veins and the formation of thromboses and abscesses. This can ultimately result in gangrene, amputations and infection that spreads to the heart, bone and brain. 

Those who smoke heroin may develop damage to the lungs with an asthma-like condition and a severe cough. 

There may be progressive weight loss and malnutrition as the addict loses interest in eating, and an increased vulnerability to infections. 

Pregnant women who use heroin risk giving birth to smaller babies who are themselves addicted to heroin. The baby will experience withdrawal symptoms soon after birth. 

Jobs and relationships can become difficult to sustain, as the addicts life falls into chaos and disarray. Heavy long-term users can experience mental health problems. Addicts often become involved in crime as a way of funding their habit. 

Managing heroin addiction

There are a variety of opinions as to how heroin addiction is best managed. The National Treatment Agency, which formulates policy for England, recommends the use of methadone, a synthetic substitute that works like heroin but doesn't provide the same euphoric effects.

Methadone is usually given orally (as a syrup) but sometimes as an injection. It can be used either to maintain a heroin addict (so that they can get a regular fix without having to resort to heroin) allowing them to lead a more orderly life, or to detox or wean the addict off heroin (also known as assisted withdrawal). In this case its dosage is controlled and gradually lowered over time until the patient is off the drug completely. Some addicts say that it is more difficult to detox from methadone than from heroin itself. Another synthetic opiate called buprenorphine can also be used. 

A different option is to have an implant of a drug called naltrexone, which blocks the effect of heroin. This is inserted under the skin of the abdomen. However, it is not yet available on the NHS and must be paid for at a private clinic.

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What is gambling addiction?

Problem gambling, pathological gambling or gambling addiction all describe a destructive behaviour where people spend so much time or money on making bets that they're causing harm to the other aspects of their life such as family or work. 

They become addicted to their behaviour, unable to stop and drawn to continually gambling, while falling into debt, damaging important relationships and causing problems with their job. 

It's easy to think of gambling as simply about the chance to make money. But most people with a gambling problem don't stop when they have a big win - they just spend the money to place more bets until it has all gone. 

American research suggests that as many as six per cent of adults have a problem with compulsive gambling at some point in their lives. As gambling becomes more easily available (for example, with increasing amounts of online gambling) it's also likely that this addiction will become more common. 

Effects of gambling addiction

Experts mostly view the effects of gambling as an addiction to an altered psychological state. It's thought to be similar to the effects of stimulant drugs with feelings of thrill and excitement linked to risk taking, inducing a natural high. Research suggests that these sensations are related to increases in levels of the neurotransmitter noradrenaline in the brain. 

With time, the gambler becomes increasingly preoccupied with their habit, as do many drug addicts. They often feel the need to increase to size of their bet to get the same psychological effect, and struggle to control or stop their behaviour. 

The symptoms of a gambling addiction include:

• Spending increasing amounts of time gambling
• Gambling increasingly larger amounts to try to recoup losses or just get the same thrill
• Gambling starts to take precedence over personal relationships and work Lying about habits to family or colleagues
• Concealing the amount spent or the losses from family
• Stealing money in order to gamble (or 'temporarily borrowing' money but with no rational plan to pay it back)
• Lack of recognition that there is a problem ( or denial of problems) despite evidence to the contrary
• Loss of interest in other hobbies or social life
• Physical symptoms if unable to gamble for some reason, such as anxiety, irritableness and even headaches, stomach upsets, palpitations and tremors
• Stress-related symptoms, especially depression, which may be intense

Risks of gambling addiction

The harmful effects of a gambling addiction are mostly the results of the excessive time and money spent on the habit.

Serious debt is a common problem for compulsive gamblers - recent figures show that debts of £60,000 or more are not uncommon. Crime is another risk as gamblers struggle to find the money for their habit or pay off debt – many find themselves in prison mostly because of theft and fraud.

Problem gamblers risk losing their relationships and their jobs.

There's also a link with alcohol and drugs - as many as 50 per cent of gambling addicts have alcohol issues. Other mental health problems are common too, especially depression. Gamblers are twice as likely to attempt suicide.

Managing a gambling addiction

The main approach to treating a gambling addiction is by using some form of psychological support or intervention. This may involve getting help from professionals or joining a self-help group such as GamCare or Gamblers Anonymous.

These groups offer local, telephone and online help.

The first step is to try to understand why the addiction developed, and what other stresses or problems they may be trying to avoid. This may be explored through individual, or group therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy has been shown to be effective and can help understand what triggers gambling and the ways in which they might change their behaviour. Medical treatments may play an important part in relieving underlying stress or depression.

Good debt management advice, from the National Debtline for example, may be critical in helping to reduce stress.

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What is Amphetamines ?

Amphetamines were discovered at the end of the 19th century but not used medically until the middle of the 20th century, when they were prescribed for many conditions such as:

• Low blood pressure
• Asthma
• Sleep disorders
• Migraine
• As appetite suppressants (they were widely used as slimming pills)

Gradually their addictive potential was recognised and they are now much more widely used as street or social drugs. Use of amphetamines increased in the 1990s with rave culture but surveys suggest it has now stabilised or is even in decline. 

Amphetamines usually come in a powder form or tablets, although sometimes as a pinkish-grey putty-like substance (known as base). The powder has often been heavily mixed with other powders such as glucose, baby milk, laxatives or other drugs, and its purity may be low.

Amphetamines may be known as speed, uppers, dexies, whizzes or billy whizz, whites, and many other names. 

A similar but more powerful type of the drug is methamphetamine, often known as crystal meth (in its powder form) or glass and ice (in its crystal form). 

Amphetamines are usually taken by snorting the powder into the nose, rubbing it on the gums or swallowing the tablets. As base has an unpleasant taste it may be wrapped in a cigarette paper and swallowed – this is known as a speedbomb. Some users inject the drug. Methamphetamine crystals may be smoked, using a glass pipe.

Amphetamines are a Class B illegal drug (Class A if prepared for injection) with severe penalties for possession and sale. 

Effects of amphetamines

Amphetamines increase levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain, and prevent these chemicals from being recycled. This leads to their stimulant effects, making people feel more lively, awake, energetic and confident. Improved focus, concentration and wakefulness mean they are still useful treatments for narcolepsy or hyperactivity. There may be a mild euphoria (more intense if the drug is injected) and ability to stay awake for hours without feeling tired. 

The drugs have powerful physical effects too increasing breathing, heart rate and temperature, dilating the pupils and suppressing the appetite. 

When amphetamines are snorted they produce effects within three to twenty minutes (depending if injected or taken as tablets) with effects lasting for up to about eight hours. As the drug wears off, the person may become anxious, irritable and restless, but even when they feel desperate for sleep the drug may continue to keep them awake. Finally, exhaustion and often intense mood swings kick in.

Methamphetamine has a very strong effect especially if the crystals are smoked, when it produces a very rapid and hard hit. There may be intense paranoia, and the effects as it wears off (the “comedown”) can be very unpleasant. 

Risks of amphetamines

Taking large amounts of amphetamines, especially over a short space of time, can lead to marked psychological problems, especially a sense of panic and paranoia and extreme exhaustion. In the long term, there may be chronic sleep deprivation with reduced performance at work and disruption of relationships. 

The physical effects can be particularly dangerous if someone has pre-existing problems with their heart or blood pressure with palpitations and a risk of abnormal heart rhythms and even a heart attack.

There may also be:

• Low blood pressure
• Nausea
• Headache
• Twitching and tremor

In the long term, convulsions, coma and even death can occur. Amphetamines are particularly risky if taken with alcohol, and those who inject the drugs are at risk of infections such as HIV or hepatitis if they share needles. 

Users may become very run down and more vulnerable to infections and other disease. Depression is not uncommon, and there may be more extreme problems such as hallucinations, aggression, erratic behaviour and psychotic illness.

Amphetamines and especially methamphetamine, with its rapid high and terrible comedown, may be very addictive. Users may be very tempted to take more of the drug just to avoid the awful feelings as it wears off. (It's important to point out that when amphetamines are used to treat hyperactivity, in lower doses and in a carefully controlled way, the risk of addiction is much lower.) 

Psychological dependence can occur, as regular users may feel especially lethargic, hungry and depressed without the drug. Tolerance is also a problem, which means that users need to take increasing amounts to get the same effects. Cycles where the user overindulges and then recovers until the next binge, are typical.

Managing amphetamine addiction

It can be very difficult to stop taking amphetamines, especially after prolonged use. The withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression and fatigue are often so intense and unpleasant that the user returns to regular drug use. They may also experience very strong cravings.

Most heavy users need support from experts to quit. Medical treatments aren't particularly helpful, although antidepressants are sometimes used. Psychological and behavioural therapies have an important part to play in helping the person to give up their habit.

Talk to your doctor or local substance abuse resource if you want more information.

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What is Cannabis ?

Cannabis is a drug produced from the Cannabis sativa (commonly known as hemp) or Cannabis indica plant, which is related to nettles and hops. It's believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of India, and grows wild in many parts of the world. 

The plant contains more than 400 chemicals, including cannabidiolic acid, an antibiotic with similar properties to penicillin. The different chemical derivatives of the plant can be used for medicinal or recreational purposes. 

The recreational drug cannabis comes in many forms – herbal (dried plant material), resin, powder and oil - and is known by many slang terms, including weed, pot, grass and hash. In the UK, cannabis is a Class B illegal drug.

Effects and uses of cannabis

Cannabis is most widely used as a illegal street drug for its relaxing properties. It is usually rolled into a cigarette known as a joint, but can also be smoked in a pipe, brewed as a tea or mixed with food. 

The main active ingredient in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabino (THC). One type, skunk, can be particularly potent as it contains two to three time as much THC as other types.

Cannabis acts as a mild sedative, leaving most people feeling relaxed, chilled out or just sleepy. It also:

• Has mild hallucinogenic effects, causing a distortion of reality
• Makes some people become more animated
• Releases inhibitions, making people talkative or giggly
• Can cause nausea in some people (despite the fact that cannabis can have an anti-nausea effect), while it quite often makes others feel hungry

Cannabis or its derivatives may also be used as a medical treatment. There is some scientific evidence to suggest it may be useful in a wide range of conditions. But the complex nature of the substances contained within the plant makes it difficult for medical research to establish clearly its safety or efficacy, so its effects are far from proven or well-understood. The active chemicals within cannabis (known as a group as cannabinoids) are gradually being identified and wide-scale trials testing the safety and efficacy of these cannabis extracts (or synthetic forms of them) are currently underway in the UK and elsewhere. 

For instance, cannabis appears to be able to help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy treatment, although not more so than other already established medications. The drugs used to treat cancer are among the most powerful, and most toxic, used in medicine. They produce unpleasant side effects, such as days or weeks of vomiting and nausea after each treatment. Some cannabinoids relieve nausea and allow patients to eat and live normally. 

Extracts also seem to benefit patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, although most of the benefit seems to be from people feeling more relaxed when taking a cannabinoid or medical derivative of cannabis. Recent research showed no reduction in muscle spasticity. 

Claims have also been made for its use in treating:

• Migraine
• Headaches
• Asthma
• Strokes
• Parkinson's disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• Alcoholism
• Insomnia

Risks of cannabis

There's increasing evidence that cannabis use is linked to a number of health risks. It damages the ability to concentrate, decreases motivation and more than occasional use in teenagers can affect psychological development. Users can become anxious, suspicious and even paranoid. Heavy use increases the risk of serious psychiatric illness.

Users of skunk, a stronger and increasingly more available form of cannabis, are seven times more likely to develop a psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia, than people not using cannabis or using the more traditional forms. Cannabis also interferes with coordination, causing problems with balance, walking and driving.

There are other side effects of the drug, but they vary considerably and are less predictable, partly because cannabis has more than 400 active ingredients. They may include effects on the heart, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, and damage to fertility. People who smoke cannabis are also exposed to the toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke.

People may become dependent on cannabis and find it difficult to stop using it, experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if they do stop such as cravings, agitation, mood changes, sleep problems, appetite disturbance and other symptoms.

The debate over the use of cannabis in medicine is highly controversial and emotive. Supporters of the drug claim it has wide-ranging benefits, but opponents say it is a potentially dangerous substance that can actually damage health. 

Cannabis and the law

The use of cannabis remains illegal (except for prescribed cannabinoids as described above). It is a Class B drug. As a result, the penalties for getting caught with cannabis, especially on repeated occasions, can be severe. 

A report by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee recommended the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. However, the British Medical Association (BMA) did not give the report 100 per cent support and believes only cannabinoids - carefully identified chemical derivatives of the cannabis plant - should be used in medicine. TheGovernment says it will not consider legalising cannabis for medical use until clinical trials had been completed. 

Advice and support

Occasional users of cannabis may be able to give it up, although they may find it harder to give up the general smoking habit. However, heavier users may need expert help to stop. Talk to your GP or local community drug agency or clinic.

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What is addiction?

There are a lot of misconceptions and a fair bit of uncertainty about the nature of addictions, how they're caused, what course they follow and how best to treat them. This section will shine some light on the key issues.

Impossible to control

If you ask anyone what an addiction is, they'll probably say it's being unable to stop using a substance, for example an illegal drug such as heroin, or maybe legal substances such as alcohol.

Did you know around four million people use illicit drugs each year in England and Wales, and it’s estimated that more than 280,000 have problems because of their drug use? 

Perhaps the best example is cigarette smoking. Anyone who has ever smoked will recognise the strong sense of compulsion to light up, particularly in situations where this is not allowed, such as in an plane, restaurant or pub. 

These aspects of addiction have a physiological basis related to how the substance acts on the brain (in the case of cigarettes, it’s the effects of nicotine that the person craves) and a psychological aspect relating to the reasons for taking the substance (such as smoking to improve concentration or be part of a social group).

Dependence

Dependence means feeling that you need a substance in order to carry on doing what you want to do, even if problems result from its use. If you are dependent on a substance then you might be said to be addicted to it.

But overall, we shouldn't view addiction or dependence in simple or absolute terms (that someone is either a hopeless addict or not). People may be dependent on substances in many different ways and to a variety of degrees of intensity. 

What happens next depends on the nature of the substance, how someone's using it, the problems that it may be linked with, and the various aspects of the person's psychological make-up, their personal and social relationships.

Stages of addiction

Most addictions take time to develop and almost no one deliberately sets out to become addicted to a substance. What happens is a person's consumption progresses through several stages.

Following initiation (a first try) - maybe to experiment to see what the substance is like - a person may go on to use the substance again, and perhaps begin to use on an occasional then regular basis. Meanwhile, the amount consumed may also begin to increase. For some substances, the body rapidly becomes tolerant of a dose taken and the user will increase the amount to achieve a desired effect.

Risk of harm

The harm from dependency on a chemical substance can be measured not just in how the addiction harms the body (the physical effects), but also in the way it affects an individual's mental health (the 'psychological' effects) and also their social health. In the extremes of serious addiction, the need for the substance becomes all-consuming, taking priority over work and relationships and disrupting the person’s ability to live a normal life. 

But these effects don’t always add up in a straightforward way. For instance, as well being antisocial (among the non-smoking majority), the tobacco addict faces enormous damage to his physical health from his habit, but the effects on his mental health might almost be said to be beneficial at times (stress relief, for example). Cocaine addiction is extremely damaging to a person's mental and social health, but its physical consequences would not be as marked (in most cases) as, say, heroin. 

Addictions and addictive behaviours

Addiction doesn’t stop at drugs and alcohol. People can become overly attached to gambling, sex, shopping, computer games - even using the internet. These non-drug addictive behaviours are similar in that the person has a lack of control over their behaviour.

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