Sunday, July 6, 2008

HEROIN

WHAT PARTS OF THE BRAIN ARE AFFECTED BY DRUGS?

Drugs change the way the brain works naturally this is because, parts of the brain start to disagree with each other and therlems, be creative, be logical, make plans, make wise decisions, and can do anytefore; creates a big problem. This is a big problem because your brain can solve probhing and everything you can think of. All the parts of the brain have to work together to keep us healthy and happy.

http://www.addictionintervention.com/addiction/heroin.asp

And.. by heroin?


And now to how heroin affects the brain, heroin is a drug processed from morphine, and is a naturally grown substance extracted from the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a powder substance, often colored brown or white. Mental functioning becomes clouded because of the depression of the central nervous system. The area of the brain that is severely affected by heroin is the “corpus striatum”, which plays a part in joining together motor activity and perceptual information. The receptors occurred much less frequently, in the "cerebral cortex," which controls higher intellectual functions, and the "brain stem," which controls sleeping and wakefulness. Below is a picture of some other effects on the brain caused by heroin.


Picture from: http://www.drug-rehabilitation.com/images/heroin_brain.gif


Why do people abuse drugs?

People often abuse drugs due to peer pressure, work struggles, personal problems and abuse the drugs to relieve the stress and forget about it. This is by far the worst choice, to deal with problems you need self-respect and self-confidence, with these qualities you don't NEED drugs, you just need mental strength to get along with everyday life.



What is an addiction?

An addiction is; "A physical, emotional or psychological craving and dependence on any substance that is harmful to your health, such as illegal drugs, alcohol ..." said by=



What does this mean?


This means that.. when someone has any sort of craving for something that they enjoy, but is very harmful to their health.


How do people become addicted?

People become addicted to drugs due to the things going on in their lives now or what has gone on in the past, or some unresolved issue’s and social influences; and they assume that by taking a drug it will temporarily put the issue out of their minds, which it does do, though it is not helpful since the problem re-occurs and therefore, they take more of the drug and become addicted.



How many different classes of drugs are there?


There are 10 different classes of drugs.

1. Antidepressants= used to treat major depression

2. Antiphychotics= tranquilizers

3. Anti manics= used to treat manic depressive disorders

4. Sedative- hypnotics= these drugs depress behavior, moderate excitement and add calmness. They are clinically used as muscle relaxants and anti-anxiety drugs.

5. Psycho stimulants= drugs that increase the arousal, and provokes wake-fullness

6. Psychedelics= drugs that produces a better change in perception

7. Opiates= pain responsiveness

8. Cannabinoids= the psychoactive substance in marijuana

9. Ethanol= the alcohol in beer, wine and hard liquor and is one of the most psychoactive drug

10. Nicotine= mild stimulant, that is in the leaves of tobacco plant

http://www.csusm.edu/DandB/drugclass.html

What drug am I researching?


HEROIN

What are the street names?

Some street names for heroin are;
  • A-bomb
  • Black Tar
  • China white
  • Caffeine H
  • Junk
  • Smack

How is the drug taken?

Heroin is injected, smoked or inhaled.


Is the drug physically addictive?


Yes Heroin is physically addictive. Regular use and larger doses will lead to addiction. Abusers often don't realize the strength of the drug and are at risk of overdose or death. There is also the added risk of the transmission of HIV and other diseases by sharing injection needles

Is heroin a stimulant or a depressant?

Since heroin is an opiate, it is a depressant.


History

Heroin is synthesized from morphine, and is used as a pain-killer and recreational drug. It is located in the opium poppy, which was cultivated in Mesopotamia as long ago as 3400 BC. The chemical analysis of opium was revealed in the 19th century and the activity is from the two ingredients, codeine and morphine.

Heroin was first synthesized in 1874 by C.R Alder Wright, an English chemist working at St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London. He was experimenting with combining morphine with various acids. And produced Heroin.

From 1898 to 1910 heroin was marketed as a non-addictive morphine substitute and cough suppressant. Bayer, marketed heroin as a cure for morphine addicts before it was discovered that heroin was rapidly metabolized into morphine, and therefore; heroin was basically only a quicker acting form of morphine. The Bayer company was very embarrassed and this became a historical blunder for Bayer.

The class that heroin fits in is; Opiates.

http://www.addictiontreatmentcenter.com/heroinaddiction.htm

Does heroin have a medical use?

Sometimes heroin is given to Cancer patients, though it is not suggested as Plan A.


Short term effects of Heroin

  • Warm flushed skin

  • Dry mouth

  • Drowsiness

  • Clouded mental functioning
http://www.heroin-withdrawal.com/

Long term effects of Heroin

  • Collapsed veins

  • Infections of the heart lining

  • cellulite
  • liver disease

  • Fatal infections through shared syringes
    http://www.heroin-withdrawal.com/

Withdrawal effects of Heroin

  • Anxiety

  • Watery eyes

  • Watery discharge from nose

  • Yawning
  • Enlarged pupils

  • Loss of appetite
  • Aching of the whole body

  • Diarrhea

  • Vomiting

  • Low blood pressure

  • Dehydration

  • Weight loss
http://www.heroin-withdrawal.com/

Price of Heroin in Indonesia

A pound (pack) of Heroin is approximately Rp. 600,000, and is available in Fatmawati.

Primary source

Statistics

Some statistics about heroin, are that;


  • Children from the age of 13 have been found abusing Heroin

  • In 1999 heroin overdose caused more deaths than traffic accidents

  • The National Household Survey on drug abuse had estimated that there were 149,000 new heroin addicts in 1998, and 80% of them were under 26 years of age

  • In 2007 there were about 84,000 visits to the emergency rooms in America due to heroin

  • 80% of heroin users inject with a partner

  • The normal everyday heroin user, uses between 150-250 milligrams per day

  • Heroin addicts spend between $150 to $200 per day
http://www.heroinaddiction2.com/how-does-heroin-work.htm

Punishment for consuming or selling Heroin...

The Constitutional Court of Indonesia has imposed a death penalty for serious drug offense. And the same goes for Singapore, any consumption or trafficking of this drug can lead to a death penalty.
Primary source

Drug Abuser

Tom, an American 30 year old, currently a drummer, lives in an apartment full of trash. It is almost as though he is in such a state of Euphoria, he doesn’t even care of his surroundings. He lives like a pig and enjoys having random sex, enjoys an addiction to alcohol and enjoys binging on food. Though he shouldn’t be consuming alcohol along with drugs, since the withdrawal effects would be very severe and might cause much dysphoria. He hates to work, cannot make any commitments and has no responsibility; this is all due to his low tolerance to alcohol and drugs. He also enjoys foods such as bacon, burgers and liquor. His friends are of his kind; they too abuse drugs and sell drugs. At school, he is popular because he hangs out in the popular hut due to his “cool and chill” attitude. His self-esteem is anything but popular; since he has low self-esteem therefore resulted in the abuse of drugs. He was fairly wealthy when he started using drugs, but due to the drug abuse, his wealth waned. His parents are divorced and have never used drugs therefore they are extremely concerned about Tom. Due to his elevated drug doses, him and his band members are quiet the entertainers but not quiet the popular band.


Drug Misuser

Angus, a 42 year old social worker, lives in New York. Due to her daily stresses, she develops headaches, and to deal with them, she takes aspirin. However, she has been misusing this drug, as she consumes more of it than would be necessary to quell the headaches. Due to the elevated drug dose, her tolerance to the drugs has decreased and she now needs increasing amounts of aspirin to get rid of her headaches. The people she works with are her friends, thus they stay in a state of stress all the time but do not resort to the measures she has. They have noticed that Angus is in a constant state of dysphoria and has stopped doing her favorite activities, such as walks in central park, dinners with family and eating her favorite brownie. They have also noticed that she has resorted to such extremes that she often lashes out at her friends when she notices something she dislikes, like the color pink, lizards and when they give her roses for her birthday. At school she was never popular since she was always stressed out and studying. However, she had a close group of friends. At JIS, she would hang out in the library every break and even eat lunch outside of it. This was a result of her low self esteem, as she was always embarrassed of presenting herself in front of her peers. Another contributing factor to this low self esteem is that she belonged to a middle class family amongst very wealthy kids. However, her teachers and peers always admired her work. Times have changed, though. Now, she forgets important details of the visits she makes to foster-homes.

Recreational drug user

Mary, a 16 year old, Turkish student at JIS, snorts heroin on weekends. This is due to BACK TO BACK projects given on short notice that results in the accumulation of stress that she cannot handle, it is also a result of peer pressure. She likes to go out with her friends, play sports and sing. Though after a few weekends of snorting heroin, her hobby of singing soon changed into one of her dislikes. She enjoys eating turkish delights and hummus. At school she has a big group of friends who know her recreational usage of heroin and encourage it. Mary's self-esteem is high during the week, but low during the weekends as she tries to fit in and doesn't feel comfortable in her own skin, though after the snort she goes in a state of euphoria. On sunday she experiences the withdrawal effects of the high dose of heroin she snorted the day before and therefore experiences depression and dysphoria. She is not wealthy though can afford heroin. Her parents are also recreational drug users, thus she thinks it is ok for her to use them too.

Psychologically and physically attractive?

I do think that Heroin is phychologically and physically attractive. Psychologically, due to the fact that the mind is in need of the feeling of euphoria. Physically, because the body is so used to the fact of consuming this drug, that if withdrawal occurs, the withdrawal effects start to occur.

If a family member started abusing drugs...


If a family member started abusing drugs, I would try my hardest to get them into a rehab facilitation. The emotions running through my head would be, curiosity, disappointment and sorrow. I would want to know WHY he/she was taking it and what had happened to lead them to abusing drugs. I would also be disappointed in them, because if he/she had a problem he/she could have told someone in the family about it and we could have helped. And I would feel sorrow for them because, what his/her body has gone through is irreversible and how much he/she had to suffer in order to take this drug. Money would NOT be a problem. What is spent is now spent and you cannot get the money back from the drug dealer. Why would money EVEN BE A PROBLEM?!





I have chosen this picture, because I think it symbolizes the loneliness, depression and darkness of someone who has taken drugs. I say that the person is lonely because they resolve their issue's by trying to take drugs rather than talking to somebody about it. I also feel that depression plays a part in the addiction of drugs, because drugs are often anti-depressants or pain relievers, which means that the person is possibly depressed. And that the person lives in darkness, lives in a life of no meaning and lives an empty life. This is way I personally think that this picture represents somebody who is abusing alcohol.


Empathy

Empathy; the ability to relate with other people's emotions.
http://www.cliving.org/PHOTOS/NEEDLE2.GIF
I feel as though that this picture represents and symbolizes empathy, because the ability to relate with someones emotions only comes when you put yourself in their skin. The picture above represents this because to empathize with someone; you go in their skin and therefore the needle piercing through someones skin represents going inside someones skin. Although this is not the best picture to represent Empathy, it represents the basic meaning of empathy. Therefore I feel as though that this picture, for me at least, represents the true meaning of empathy.


Qualities of a good listener

Interest in the topic
Concentration
Engaged in the topic
Respect for whom may be talking


School Policy

Jakarta International School's policy about Drugs; " and student found to be in the possession of, taking, being under the influence of, buying or selling, giving or trafficking, or in any way directly or indirectly... is subjected to expulsion from school," JIS handbook.


How are they found?

The drug users are found by either someone confessing or by the annual drug testing that is done to each student that determines whether the student is in the influence of drug use. The students that test positive are then expelled from JIS.


Article

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/263607/heroin



Song

Velvet Underground:
HEROIN

" I don't know just where I'm going
But I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can
'Cos it makes me feel like I'm a man
When I put a spike into my vein
And I'll tell ya, things aren't quite the same
When I'm rushing on my run
And I feel just like Jesus' son
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know

I have made the big decision
I'm gonna try to nullify my life
'Cos when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the dropper's neck
When I'm closing in on death
And you can't help me now, you guys
And all you sweet girls with all your sweet talk
You can all go take a walk
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know

I wish that I was born a thousand years ago
I wish that I'd sail the darkened seas
On a great big clipper ship
Going from this land here to that
In a sailor's suit and cap
Away from the big city
Where a man can not be free
Of all of the evils of this town
And of himself, and those around
Oh, and I guess that I just don't know
Oh, and I guess that I just don't know

Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, it's my wife and it's my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then I'm better off and dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really don't care anymore
About all the Jim-Jim's in this town
And all the politicians makin' crazy sounds
And everybody puttin' everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds

'Cos when the smack begins to flow
Then I really don't care anymore
Ah, when the heroin is in my blood
And that blood is in my head
Then thank God that I'm as good as dead
Then thank your God that I'm not aware
And thank God that I just don't care
And I guess I just don't know
And I guess I just don't know "

Lyrics & source from: http://opioids.com/images/velvet-underground.html


Videos

Effect of Heroin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SflDQw-46j8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_efSUJ5UQOY&feature=related


Stress Relievers

  • Sports; basketball, tennis, badminton
  • Listen to music; rock or mellow & slow
  • Ask for help; ask other people to help you with what ever gives you stress

Helping out

If a family member of mine was in need of help, I would convince him/ her to go to a rehabilitation center and tell him/her the importance of life, importance of a healthy life and keep their mind off drugs by keeping them busy doing other activities. And most of all, provide them a positive motivation and make them look at the brighter side of life. The steps we would take to help him/her kick off the addiction would be; 1. Convince to give up the habit. 2. Give examples of successful stories of drug withdrawal. 3. Motivate them to live a clean life.

Some links that might help are:
http://www.howtoquitheroin.com/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080302010646AATe2vK
http://www.trap17.com/index.php/how-get-quit-heroin_t55481.html


Helping someone who doesn't want help

To help someone who doesn't know what is wrong with them is very hard. This can be done only by taking some serious actions. Personally I would steal all the drugs away from them and force them into a rehab. I would then go there regularly and motivate them to quit by telling them stories of fatal drug use. After the person gets out of rehab I would then live with them for about 2 months before letting go. And then when I feel as though the person has truly been motivated to quit I would leave them to live a healthy clean life.



Movies

These are 2 movies that I recommend that you watch, although I cannot give any personal views about them since I have not seen them myself.
  1. Basketball Diares= "As a member of a seemingly unbeatable high school basketball squad, Jim's life centers around the basketball court and the court becomes a metaphor for the world in his mind. A best friend who is dying of leukemia, a coach ("Swifty") who takes unacceptable liberties with the boys on his team, teenage sexual angst, and an unhealthy appetite for heroin -- all of these begin to encroach on young Jim's dream of becoming a basketball star. Soon, the dark streets of New York become a refuge from his mother's mounting concern for her son. He can't go home and his only escape from the reality of the streets is heroin for which he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. Only with the help of Reggie, an older neighborhood friend with whom Jim "picked up a game" now and then, is he able to begin the long journey back to sanity."
http://helpingaddicts.net/film/film.htm


2. Drugstore Cowboy=

A realistic road movie about a drug addict, his 'family', and their inevitable decline into crime. A group of drug users in the 1970's help finance their habit by robbing drug stores. Matt Dillon's character is very superstitious and eventually his luck runs out.


http://helpingaddicts.net/film/film.htm


My addiction and understanding


My addiction would probably be, the laptop with wireless internet. I don't think someone could make me stop using the laptop, but it could be done if i had other activities to do. For example, sports or going to the mall with my friends. Though now I have a better understanding of how hard it is to quit drugs, since drug users are psychologically and physically attracted to the drugs. And I now also understand that the process of quitting the drug can be a very LONG and stressful process for the drug user.


My mistake

The last time I had done something wrong, was when I toke 200,000 instead of taking 100,000thou that I was allowed to. I did it because I just wanted back up money just in case I ran out, since I am not allowed to borrow or lend money. But I did put it back after I didn't use it. I don't have any horrible mistakes that I have made in the past therefore this is very common, but for me, it was a very guilty feeling lying to my parents. Maybe this shows how loyal and honest I am to my parents, and if I were to be taking drugs.


Local organizations

World Health Organization, Indonesia
Contact Number: 021-520 4349

Quiz

  1. What is one way that Heroin is taken?
  2. True or false, Big H is a street name for heroin
  3. True or false, heroin is a stimulant
  4. List 2 long and short term effects of heroin
  5. A student from JIS is found using drugs. Would he/she get a warning before he/she is expelled?
  6. How is heroin psychologically addictive?
  7. Can heroin be fatal?
  8. How does heroin harm your brain?
  9. What is one reason someone may choose to resort to taking drugs?
  10. Explain how someone addicted to drugs can quit?
BOOKS

Heroin- Humberto Fernandez
The little book of Heroin- Francis Moreas


Opinion about the assignment

I personally think that this assignment was VERY stressful. Firstly because, the video assignment and this assignment are BACK TO BACK! :D. And that puts a lot of pressure on the students to finish one really quickly and therefore by rushing both assignments won't turn out as well as they should have. :D. Although this assignment did make me realized and acknowledge how much of a visual- linguistic learner I am. Positives about this assignment is that, this is good for a individual learner and that during this assignment no one was doing NOTHING everyone was eager to finish the project. Negatives is that it was at a very stressful time ( :D) and that since I never used blogger.com before it took me quiet a while to get used to it.


Bibliography

http://www.addictionintervention.com/addiction/heroin.asp
http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/drugs/know_about_drugs.html
http://www.brainsource.com/brain_on_drugs.htm
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_brain1.asp
http://www.drugabuse.gov/DrugPages/Heroin.html
http://www.heroinaddiction2.com/how-does-heroin-work.htm
http://maryblackchurch.heroindiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/meth-user7_fix.jpg
http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0310171/whypeople.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070911074117AAlcVXE
http://www.csusm.edu/DandB/drugclass.html
http://www.addictiontreatmentcenter.com/heroinaddiction.htm
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/debate/myths/myths8.htm
http://www.heroin-withdrawal.com/