Drug Abuse and 11 Strange Addictions you might not have heard off

Strange addictions

Addiction is a strong affinity for certain substances or a compulsive physiological and psychological craving for a certain drug.

The condition can have very dire consequences on the health and well being of the addict which could lead to suicidal tendencies, mental and physiological wasting and even death.

An addiction could be secondary, primary or chronic depending on the frequency of use or type of addiction. the need usually affects the individual’s capacity to function in normal society.

Sometimes types of addiction are closely related to certain rites and traditions while individual appetite for certain drugs or behavior my point to the person having an unusual character which is peculiar to the addiction. Supernatural influences, beliefs, preternatural behavior are all pointers to weird and strange addictions.

Interestingly addiction does not cover only common place drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol, tobacco, hard drugs like hemp, cocaine, heroin and some species of mushrooms.

The common place drugs that are abused and could transcend into full blown addictions are, cigarette, tobacco, hard drugs like cocaine, heroin.

Others include Indian hemp, prescription drugs, house hold industrial products like glue, and paint, strong detergents even petroleum products like petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Unusual and strange addiction may cover pica disorders which have zero nutritive elements such as addiction to the consumption of chalk, sand, glass, sponge, ice and clay.

Marijuana

The drug marijuana is known by many names both scientific and common place names such as hibiscus cannabis, sida rhombi folia, hashish, bhang, Indian hemp and many other names. The drug is a narcotic that can be taken through smoking of the dried leaves or flowers, ingested in food, put in liquid and drank or inhaled.

In certain countries Indian hemp is used for traditional ceremonies or religious occasions like during the worship of Shiva (an Indian god) the followers smoke the drug in devotion to the deity and offer some as incense through burning.

Marijuana first originated in central Asia but can be found in India, Europe, America and Africa the components used in preparing the drug is derived form the plants leaves, flowers which are dried and the seeds

Effect of marijuana

The drug is known to have physical, moral and psychological effects on the addict the effect are usually short termed, long termed or life threatening. In some cases moderate use have been seen to have some beneficial uses like the reduction of chronic pain, increases muscle strength.

It is used extensively in hair care products that aid hair growth, have a pleasant scent and the repair of split ends. Other negative effects are hallucinations, increased aggression, poor judgment, increased strength and muscle mass, increases endurance, disorientation, palpation of the heart and symptoms of dementia with long use of the drug.

Addiction

Pain relief is a common condition that attracts several visits to the doctors; the pain may come about by illness, injury, trauma and several other conditions.

The drugs sometimes prescribed could be very powerful and the patient unwittingly develops an affinity to the effects of relief thereby using the drug more than he should.

It becomes a problem when the addiction results in stealing, multiple doctors for same prescription and buying large quantities of the drug.

Effect of painkillers addiction

There are very dangerous consequences attached to this addiction but the most serious is liver and kidney damage. The body can become toxic from the powerful substances that make up the pain killer, it could affect the spleen, heart and result in blood poisoning depending on the type of drug in use.

Pain killers are not meant for constant use and the addict finds himself in a dilemma because the need could result in more powerful drugs as the older prescription might not provide the same relief after a while.

Another addiction is the addiction to sleeping pills which has similar effects as that of the pain killers.

Addiction to petrochemicals

This form of addiction is very dangerous because the radical agents present in petroleum bye products are very dangerous to human beings if exposed to high amount of the compound.

In Brazil around the early nineties a large number of street kids were found to be addicted to glue. This dangerous mind altering drug causes the death of countless addicts form stroke, heart attack and sudden death syndrome.

Other petroleum products sniffed by addicts are petrol, diesel, kerosene and paint; the easy accessibility of the product makes the addiction worse.

The effects of hard drugs to a user are many some of which are.

1 irregular heart beat

2 extreme aggression

3 extreme agitation

4 high blood pressure

5 seizures

6 cardiac related issues

7 paranoid

8 muscle wasting

The addiction to hard drugs like cocaine, heroin LSD, speed and many more causes the addict severe redraw symptoms when the need arises for a fix.

The drugs individually have different effects on the addict ranging from hallucinogenic properties, feeling of immense strength, used as sexual boost, dizziness, disorientation, languid feeling and a feeling of euphoria.

Hard drugs kill several million of addicts yearly making it the number one killer of substance users. It takes tough intervention, seclusion, medication and will power to beat the dangerous addiction.

List of addictive practices

# Ingestion of hard drugs like cocaine

# Object addiction

# Petroleum bye products addiction

# Pica, eating inedible substances

# Alcohol addiction

# Harmful urine consumption

# Internet addiction

Other effects of pain killers

One of the effects of addiction to pain killers are depression, it is a serious condition of the mind that can lead to suicidal tendencies.

The patient may experience increased high blood pressure that can lead to sudden death or stroke another symptom is disorientation because of the sedative found in most pain killers.

The addict may experience constipation, irregular heart beat, muscle pain and irritability.

Pica disorder

Among some of the more unusual addictions is pica disorder, the disorder allows the addict to have an appetite for strange non nutritive compounds or substances.

It can be very dangerous for the addict because of the consumption of objects like sand, paper, cloth, chalk, ice and many more unwholesome substances.

The unusual compulsive behavior for unconventional substances may stem from very serious psychological issue like dementia.

Eating of sand

Sand consists of many harmful germs that can cause diarrhea, stomach ache and in some extreme cases cholera.

You should properly processed sand for toddlers in sand boxes if properly covered may not have much harmful properties but if there is any exposure to feces that could lead to very dire consequences that may occur to the sand addict.

The act can damage the stomach, cause bleeding gums and intestines. Contaminated sand can have toxoplasmosis from cat defecation which could cause rashes, bumps, head aches, flashes, and flue like discomfort.

Effect of eating contaminated sand

Sand can be contaminated by the introduction of chemicals, if an animal defecates on the sand, exposure to garbage and other contaminants, bacteria like E-coli, toxoplasmosis and coetaneous larvae may be present.

The effects range from head aches, skin rashes, fatigue, and strange flu diarrhea and stomach contractions.

Eating ice

Eating ice is another weird addiction, if the addict carries out this act for very long it may lead to sever weight loss and wasting in muscles, tooth decay, quick aging, tooth loss, the jaw under goes sever strain to the gums and enamel deformation.

In both sand and ice eating the addiction can cause peristalsis which makes the stomach muscles contract in powerful spasms

Addiction to objects

Object addiction may have a sexual connotation or not depending on the addicts purpose and intention, addiction to certain objects gives the inanimate object some animate characteristics.

The addict sees it as a friend, lover or as a source of joy, the addict has in most cases a sever psychological problem of association that may be treated by mental health doctor before the addiction becomes life threatening.

Addiction to objects could cover any type of object like sex dolls, cars, power tools, weaponry and even an addiction to shinny things like spoons, cutlery and cans.

Effect of object addiction

So long as the addict does not ingest or practice and unwholesome act that might be injurious the addict might only have psychological problems, object addiction may lead to the under listed effects

1 Poor interpersonal relationship

2 Poor communication skill

3 Disassociation with real life

4 Causing offense to friends and family

5 Self seclusion

6 Moral reasons

7 Religious reasons

8 Low self esteem

Internet addiction disorder

In this new and modern times there is a greater risk of getting addicted to online content. The web is a powerful place full of excitement, information, entertainment, business and, commerce.

People who find them selves constantly online at least 10 hours daily might have an addiction to internet content. It sounds strange but there are many dangerous hazards associated with this disorder but the most obvious is poor interpersonal engagement with real-time people around you.

All of these activities such as social networking in websites like MySpace, twitter, Facebook, watching internet television, playing video games online, online shopping, office work online.

The addict might seeking entertainment based content constantly and addiction to adult content.

If done individually or collectively over 8 to 9 hours daily then the surfer might have developed and internet addiction disorder.

Effect of internet addiction disorder

1 Poor interpersonal skill

2 Poor and failing eyesight from the monitor glare

3 Back ache

4 Head aches or migraine

5 Becomes an introvert

6 Tiredness

7 Sudden weightless or weight gain

Urophagia

Urine addiction is the addiction to drinking ones own urine, the herbal therapy has been in existence for hundreds of years it involves the consumption of urine as a supplement. Crazy as it seems the practitioners do it for several reasons as a curative means to fight illness and other supposed health benefit, the method although is not entirely harmful has very little curative properties except the re ingestion of sodium compounds mixed with vestiges of medication earlier used by the patient.

Some people take it even further by drinking animals urine or other peoples urine, goats and sheep urine this practice is very dangerous and could lead to serious health complications, the addict uses the therapy a s a sexual stimulant, survival strategy and healing. The immediate danger in urine therapy if not practiced precisely the way herbal expert prescribe is the presence of very high and dangerous levels of sodium in urine. Sick person consuming urine without any other form of medication may inadvertently be re-infecting himself or be exposed to high levels of bacteria. The food consumed usually has an effect on the urine taste and color, very foul smelly urine that does not have a clear coloration may indicate health issues.

Addicted to alcohol

The addiction to alcohol is one of the most common types of addiction because of the ready availability of the substance in drinks, the topic has been well covered in my hub Alcohol the risks and benefits, it takes regular usage and very high quantity to become an addict and the person might find it very difficult to quit. The only way is immense will power and purpose. Some of the dangers are liver damage, poor judgment, slurred speech and other health related issues.

Most addicts suffer from the same general issues which are an uncontrolled dependency on a certain thing, drug or substance they are faced with depression, low self esteem and hopelessness but in most cases they can seek medical experts who can guide them through medication and counseling.