Level 3 Substance Misuse

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Substance misuse & drugs awareness level 3 TMA1 Page No. 1 1.1 There are various definitions of the term drug. For the purpose of this assignment I will use the one found in the Collins dictionary (2010) (1) which states, ‘Substance used in the treatment or prevention of disease; Chemical substance, esp. a narcotic, taken for the effects it produces’. The term ‘drug’ includes both legal and illegal forms, ranging from the commonly used caffeine to the frowned upon heroin. As we know, certain drugs are accepted as a part of normality within our lives such as the ever popular alcohol, this being the third most popular drink overall in the world despite the devastating effects it can have on both our minds and bodies. Shockingly a recent study made by Professor Nutt (Nutt, 2010)(2) claims that alcohol is more dangerous than crack and if it were illegal would be classified in the same band, A, alongside heroin and ecstasy. Similar debates have occurred in which MDMA otherwise known as ecstasy has been proven to be helpful in certain situations or circumstances (channel 4 2012). It has been found to alleviate symptoms of post traumatic stress, resolve cases of severe depression and be a useful tool in marriage resolution (David Nutt) The substances which alter mood, consciousness and perception are known as psychoactive drugs and are placed into one of four categories; Depressants, Stimulants, Hallucinogens and Complex drugs. Not only does the variant of drug alter the person’s state of consciousness but other factors can change the way in which the drug affects a person. For example, if a particular individual is familiar with taking a specific drug in a certain place such as Ecstasy in a loud club surrounded by an abundance of people the effects will be much different if that same individual were to ingest the drug at home, alone. Substance misuse &

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