Know Your feelings

Characteristics associated with substance abuse:

	Sudden changes in work or school attendance, quality of work.
	Abnormal flare-ups or outbreaks of temper.
	Withdrawal from responsibility.
	General changes in overall attitude.
	Deterioration of physical appearance and grooming.
	Wearing of sunglasses at unsuitable times.
	Recurrent wearing of long-sleeved garments particularly in hot weather or reluctance to wear short sleeved clothing when appropriate.
	Association with known substance abusers.
	Odd borrowing of money from friends, co-workers or parents.
	Stealing small items from employer, home or school.
	Secretive behaviour concerning actions and possessions; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion such as recurrent trips to storage rooms, restroom, basement, etc.

Signs, Characteristics and Information on use of Specific Substances

Symptoms of Alcohol Abuse:

	Odour on the breath.
	Intoxication.
	Difficulty focusing: glazed appearance of the eyes.
	Uncharacteristically passive behaviour; or combative and argumentative behaviour.
	Gradual (or sudden in adolescents) deterioration in personal appearance and hygiene.
	Gradual development of dysfunction, especially in occupation performance or school work.
	Absenteeism (particularly on Monday).
	Inexplicable bruises and accidents.
	Irritability.
	Flushed skin.
	Loss of memory (blackouts).
	Availability and consumption of alcohol becomes the focus of social or professional activities.
	Changes in peer-group associations and friendships.
	Impaired interpersonal relationships (troubled marriage, unexplainable termination of deep relationships, and estrangement from close family members).

Signs of Marijuana Abuse:

	Fast, loud talking and bursts of laughter in early stages of intoxication.
	Sleepy or stupor us in the later stages.
	Forgetfulness in conversation.
	Inflammation in whites of eyes; pupils unlikely to be dilated.
	Odour similar to burnt rope on clothing or breath.
	Inclination to drive slowly - below speed limit.
	Distorted sense of time passage - tendency to miscalculate time intervals.
	Use or possession of paraphernalia including roach clip, packs of rolling papers, pipes or bongs.

Marijuana users are hard to recognize unless they are under the influence of the drug at the time of observation.  Casual users may show none of the general symptoms. Marijuana does have a distinct odour and may be the same color or a bit greener than tobacco.

Signs of Stimulant Abuse:
COCAINE, CRACK, CRANK, SPEED, AMPHETAMINES

	Dilated pupils (when large amounts are taken).
	Dry mouth and nose, bad breath, frequent lip licking.
	Excessive activity, difficulty sitting still, lack of interest in food or sleep.
	Irritable, argumentative, nervous.
	Talkative, but conversation often lacks continuity; changes subjects rapidly.
	Runny nose, cold or chronic sinus/nasal problems, nose bleeds.
	Use or possession of paraphernalia including small spoons, razor blades, mirror, little bottles of white powder and plastic, glass or metal straws.

Signs of Depressant Abuse:
BARBITURATES, TRANQUILIZERS

	Symptoms of alcohol intoxication with no alcohol odor on breath (remember that depressants are frequently used with alcohol).
	Lack of facial expression or animation.
	Flat affect.
	Flaccid appearance.
	Slurred speech.

Note: There are few readily apparent symptoms. Abuse may be indicated by activities such as frequent visits to different physicians for prescriptions to treat "nervousness", "anxiety", "stress", etc.

Depressants

As the name implies, depressants interact to depress the activities of the central nervous system. Depressants have three categories; hypnotics which provoke sleep; sedatives which do not induce sleep but produce a relaxing effect to help one fall asleep, and tranquilizers, such as Valium and Xanax, which are used to ease anxiety, tension, and relax muscles. Depressants can be synthesized, or occur naturally in the plants such as belladonna and curare.

Synthetic depressants are derived from barbituric acid. Barbiturates were first is covered by German chemist Adolph Von Bayer. This 1864 discovery was named "barbiturate" by Bayer, after the patron saint of artillery officers, Saint Barbara. The first barbiturate "Veronal" was marketed in 1903. Phenobarbital was later introduced in 1912. Of the 2500 varieties of barbiturates known, roughly fifty of these are marketed for a variety of medicinal applications. Of these fifty, only a little over a dozen are predominately used.

There are also non-barbiturate based depressants such as Methaqualone, Noludar, and Doriden. These have multi-properties such as sedative, anti convulsing, local anaesthetics, and cough suppressant.

The effects of barbiturates are comparable to alcohol, and range from very short to very long acting. The abuser can develop a high tolerance which creates the need for increasing dosages to maintain the desired high. Barbiturates also have a elevated potential for dependency.

Another danger of barbiturates is the potential for automatism. Automatism is the phenomenon where the abuser takes a barbiturate, forgets they have taken it, then takes another. This cycle can be repeated until the abuser overdoses.

Barbiturates also can have the effects of potentiation and synergism. This is where the effects of a mixture between two or more depressants are greater than their proportionate amount. An example would be an abuser takes together depressant "A", which has effects that normally last one hour, and depressant "B", which has effects normally lasting 3 hours. When taken together, the combined effects of "A" & "B" has the potential to last much longer than the anticipated 4 hours. Additionally, barbiturate "A"'s and barbiturate "B"'s normal effect on the user may be greatly enhanced as a result of the two drugs being taken together.

If the effects of barbiturates seem harsh, the withdrawal aspects are even worse. The withdrawal from depressants, and especially barbiturates, is very hazardous and potentially lethal, sometimes taking from five to eight days. These withdrawal effects include delirium, hallucinations, anxiety, tremors, weakness, abdominal cramps, nausea, delirium, spatial and time disorientation, seizures, respiratory failure, heart failure, and finally death.

Signs of Narcotic Abuse:
HEROIN, METHADONE, OPIUM, DILAUDID, CODEINE, MORPHINE

	Laziness, drowsiness.
	Constricted pupils fail to respond to light.
	Redness and raw nostrils from inhaling heroin in power form.
	Scars (tracks) on inner arms or other parts of body, from needle injections.
	Use or possession of paraphernalia, including syringes, bent spoons, bottle caps, eye droppers, rubber tubing, cotton and needles.
	Slurred speech.

While there may be no readily apparent symptoms of analgesic abuse, it may be indicated by frequent visits to different physicians or dentists for prescriptions to treat pain of non-specific origin.

In cases where patient has chronic pain and abuse of medication is suspected, it may be indicated by amounts and frequency taken.

Signs of Inhalant Abuse:
GLUE, VAPOR PRODUCING SOLVENTS, PROPELLANTS

	Substance odor on breath and clothes.
	Runny nose.
	Watering eyes.
	Drowsiness or unconsciousness.
	Poor muscle control.
	Prefers group activity to being alone.
	Presence of bags or rags containing dry plastic cement or other solvent at home, in locker at school or at work.
	Discarded whipped cream, spray paint or similar chargers (users of nitrous oxide).
	Small bottles labelled "license" (users of butyl nitrite).

Inhalants

Inhalants are a widespread substance of abuse among teenagers. Their popularity is largely a matter of availability. Inhalants, which include certain glues, aerosols, and solvents, are easily and cheaply obtained at a local hardware store. But the most common source of inhalants, are the abuser's own residence. Though it is illegal to breathe inhalants, it is not illegal to possess or purchase them. The abuse of inhalants can have severe health consequences to the abuser.
Commonly abused inhalants include a few types of model cement, cooking sprays, hair spray, deodorant, liquid paper, aerosol sprays, paint, paint thinner, gasoline and solvents. Inhalants are used by spraying, or pouring the inhalant onto a rag, which is placed into a bag or sack. The abuser then places the bag or sack over their face and breaths in the vapors emitted by the inhalant. This induces a short-lived light headed euphoric state in the abuser.

The effects of inhalant abuse can include severe headaches, nausea, fainting, accelerated heart beat, and vomiting. Side effects can include damage to lungs, liver, kidneys, bone marrow, and can cause suffocation, choking, anemia, and stroke.

Signs of Hallucinogen Abuse:
LSD, MESCALINE

	Extremely dilated pupils.
	Warm skin, excessive perspiration and body odor.
	Distorted sense of sight, hearing, touch; distorted image of self and time perception.
	Mood and behaviour changes, the extent depending on emotional state of the user and environmental conditions.
	Unpredictable flashback episodes even long after withdrawal (although these are rare).

Hallucinogenic drugs, which occur both naturally and in synthetic form, distort or disturb sensory input, sometimes to a great degree. Hallucinogens occur naturally in primarily two forms, peyote cactus and psilocybin mushrooms. Several chemical varieties have been synthesized, most notably LSD, MDA, STP, and PCP.

Hallucinogen usage reached a peak in the United States in the late 1960's, but declined shortly afterwards due to a broader awareness of the detrimental effects of usage. However, a disturbing trend indicating resurgence in hallucinogen usage by high-school and college age persons nationwide has been acknowledged by law enforcement.

With the exception of PCP, all hallucinogens seem to share common effects of use. Any portion of sensory perceptions may be altered to varying degrees. Synesthesia, or the "seeing" of sounds, and the "hearing" of colors, is a common side effect of hallucinogen use. Depersonalization, acute anxiety, and acute depression resulting in suicide have also been noted as a result of hallucinogen use.

No firm evidence has come to light indicating possible physical addiction as a result of using this type of drug, though some psychological dependency cases have been noted.

Signs of PCP Abuse:
ANGEL DUST

	Erratic behavior; mood may swing from passiveness to violence for no apparent reason.
	Symptoms of intoxication.
	Disorientation; agitation and violence if exposed to excessive sensory stimulation.
	Fear, terror.
	Rigid muscles.
	Strange gait.
	Deadened sensory perception (may experience severe injuries while appearing not to notice).
	Pupils may appear dilated.
	Mask like facial appearance.
	Floating pupils, appear to follow a moving object.
	Comatose (unresponsive) if large amount consumed. Eyes may be open or closed.

Note: PCP has stimulant, depressant, hallucinogenic and analgesic effects. Which of these will be most pronounced is unpredictable and depends on user’s personality, psychological state and the setting at time of use.

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	Adultery		Dissatisfaction
	Anorexia Nervosa		Divorce / Separation
	Anxiety		Gambling Addiction
	Being worried		Loneliness
	Bulimia Nervosa		Phobias
	Chronic Pain		Rejection
	Conflict		Stress
	Death and Loss		Suicidal Thoughts
	Depression		Violence
	Despair
Warning: if you have moderate depression or suicidal tendencies please seek the advice of a doctor/ therapist or dial 9-1-1.