Makayla Joseph

Period 2,

2/28/13

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002490/ Abruptly stopping the drug leads to withdrawal symptoms.

Children who grow up in an environment of illicit drug use may first see their parents using drugs. This may put them at a higher risk for developing an addiction later in life for both environmental and genetic reasons.

Opiates and narcotics are usually in the urine 12 to 36 hours after the last use, depending on the amount used and how often the drug was used.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-abuseaddiction Drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction. Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her Drugs contain chemicals that tap into the brains communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugabuse.html Major health problems from heroin include miscarriages, heart infections and death from overdose. Symptoms of withdrawal are restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea, vomiting and cold flashes. People who use cocaine may have to use more and more of the drug to get high.

Makayla Joseph

Period 2

2/28/13

I picked drug addictions as my topic because it really interests me how people can become so depended on drugs. In the past few years I have lost a close friend to overdosing after she was raped, she decided that the less painful way to die would be to overdose on drugs. Also a few people in my life have been addicted to drugs like heroin and cocaine and let me tell you, its not a pretty sight. Reading these articles has taught me that once a person uses drugs regularly the brain basically builds up a resistance to the drug. This causes them to continually need more and more drugs to be able to achieve the same high that they got the first time. This has also helped me to understand why people are so dependent on drugs after they try them, its their brain and the feel good rush that they get when trying drugs. The articles have also told me about what we discussed in class and how only certain people have the drug addict trait. Being a drug addict has many factors like genetics and will power. Drug abuse is no joke and can seriously harm your body and hurt relationships that you have with people. One thing that I learned in life is once they start till be you or the drug that wins the battle in your mind.