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Prevalence Of And Motivation For Drug Abuse
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Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens also called psychedelic drugs, or phantasticants are drugs that cause great changes in the way a person feels and interprets things. As the name suggests, hallucinogenic drugs cause hallucinations perceived distortion of reality. i.e it becomes difficult for the mind to distinguish fact from fantasy. Hallucinogenic drug include laboratory produced Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), mescaline (from the peyote cactus plant) and psilocybin (from a particular genuse of mushroom) (Pollock, Candace and Charles, 1979). Hallicinogen consumption do not produce physical dependence but mild level of psychological dependence, no withdrawal symptoms, however, tolerance could be developed. All hallucinogens produce similar reactions but the intensity of the reaction varies according to the kind and amount used.
Hallucinogens users experience synesthesia, a sensation in which users report hearing a color, smelling music or touching a taste. Moods may swing from completely joy to absolute terror. A dreamlike period may become horrifying night mare. This is called “bad tripâ€. Recurrence of hallucinations without having taken new dose of the hallucinogen may results to “flash backâ€- the unpredictable return to a psychedelic trips that occurred months or even year earlier. Flash back are thought to result from the accumulation of a drug within body cells. Some users have been frightened that this is a sign of insanity and as a result have committed suicide (Merki, 1996).
LSD: The best known and most powerful of all hallucinogen is Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). It is a lab-brewed hallucinogen and mood changing chemicals. LSD is odourless, colourless and tasteless. It is otherwise called acid, blotter, doses microdots. LSD is licked or sucked off small squares of blotting paper. Capsule and liquid forms are swallowed. Paper squares containing acid may be decorated with cute cartoon characters or colourful designs. Hallucination occurs within 30 to 90 minutes of dropping acid. The effects are unpredictable depending on how much LSD is taken and the use.
Designer Drugs: Designer drugs are drugs produced by chemist in their home laboratories. These are illegal drugs similar to the controlled drugs but are sufficiently different so that they escape governmental control. Designer drugs are said to produce effects similar to their controller counterparts. It is a great risk using this type of drug because its manufacturing is unregulated. The neuro-physiological effects of these home-made drugs can be quite dangerous. Experts are particularly concerned that designer drugs can produce strong psychological dependence and can deplete serotonin, an important excitatory neuro-transmitter associated with a state of alertness (Pollock, Candace & Charles, 1979). Permanent brain damage is possible.
Phencyclidine: Phencyclidine (PCP, “angel dustâ€) is unique because it produces multiple effects. It acts not only as hallucinogenic but also as analgesic, a depressant, a stimulant and an anesthetic. This makes the typical PCP experience impossible to predict or describe. After consumption, the physical effects of PCP begin a few minutes and continue for four to six hours (Merki, 1996). PCP was studies for years during 1950s and 1960s and was founds to be a suitable animal and human anesthetic (Pollock, Candace & Charles, 1979).
PCP come in tablet or powder form and can be injected, inhaled, taken orally or smoked. Some of it effects are euphoria, bizarre perception, paranoids feeling and aggressive behaviour. Its over dose can cause convulsion, cardiovascular collapse and damage to the brain respiratory centre (Durani, 2012). Authorities have difficulty in limiting it availability because PCP is easily and cheaply manufactured in home laboratories
Cannabis
Cannabis (marijuana) is a wild plant (cannabis sativa) whose fibers were once used in the manufacture of hemp rope. It grows wild in nearly every part of the world. The leaves and flowering tops of the hemp plant are dried to obtain marijuana. Hash (commonly smoked in pipe) is obtained by collecting the sticky substance that comes from the flowers of the hemp plant. Marijuana produces hallucinogenic effect caused by the determination of the percentage of active ingredient tetrahydrocainabinol (THC), present in the product (Merki, 1996).
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]ABSTRACT COMING SOON ... Continue reading---
APPENDIX A - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]UNIVERSITY OF ILORINFACULTY OF EDUCATIONCOUNSELLOR EDUCATION DEPARTMENTPrevalence of and Motivation for Drug Abuse Questionnaire (PMDAQ)Dear Respondent, This instrument is designed to elicit information on the prevalence of, and motivation for drug abuse among students of tertiary institutions in Kwara State, Nigeria. Your sincere responses to each of the items will be highly appreciated as all information supplied will be treated with utmost confidentiality and be used strictly for the re ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER ONE - [ Total Page(s): 6 ]The American Psychiatric Association (2010) referred to substance abuse as maladaptive patterns of substance use leading to clinical significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one (or more) of the following, occurring within a 12 month period: recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home; recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous; recurrent substance related legal problems; continued substance ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER THREE - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]Pilot Testing The pilot testing is used to determine the usability
of an instrument. To establish this, the instrument was administered to
ten students of the University of Ilorin, which did not form part of the
final respondents of the instrument. After administration, the
researcher interacted with the respondents, recorded their observation
about the instruments and effect necessary corrections.Psychometric Properties of the InstrumentAn instrument is considered appropriate when i ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER FOUR - [ Total Page(s): 7 ]Hypothesis Three:There is no significant difference in the prevalence of drug abuse among students of tertiary institutions on the basis of age.Table 7 indicates that the calculated t-value of 1.51 is less than the critical t- value of 1.96 at 0.05 alpha level. This indicates that there is no significant difference. Hence, the hypothesis is accepted. Therefore, there is no significant difference in the prevalence of drug abuse among students of tertiary institutions on the basis of age.Hypothesi ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER FIVE - [ Total Page(s): 4 ]Still on the basis of age, the hypothesis that there is significant difference in the motivation for drug abuse among students of tertiary institutions was accepted as no significant difference was found. It then indicates that respondents’ age has no influence in their motivation for drug abuse. Irrespective of their different age brackets, they tend to be motivated towards drug abuse by peer pressure, in order to work better and experiment how it works. The finding thus supports that of ... Continue reading---
REFRENCES - [ Total Page(s): 3 ]REFERENCESAaron, K., Robert, L., Reische, D., Barbara, V., Waggoner, S. & Wagger, H.(1982). Understanding health. New Jersey: Random House Visual Education Corporation. Abdullahi, O. (1995). Typology of research. In S. Jimoh (ed). Methodology: An inter disciplinary approach. Ilorin: Unilorin Library and Publication.Akindelly, B. (2009). Causes, effects and control of drug abuse in society.Retrieved July 22, 2013 from. http://www.voices.yahoo.com/causes-effects-control-drug-abuse-society. ... Continue reading---
