Research has shown that children between 13 - 18 who are using drugs, have much lower performance level than their non- using peers. This trend, however, does not seem to follow once individuals attend college or university. Although achievements will be lower by drug, their IQ’s will be average of above average. Although low school performance does not itself lead to drug addiction, the factors leading to low/ poor school performance may be related to drug involvement. However, as already noted, antisocial behavior at an early age is a good predictor of later under achievement in school and adolescent drug use. Level of commitment to school work and self aspirations are very reliable predictors of drug abuse. Students with a low level of commitment to education, e.g. truancy and absence are far more likely to become involved in drug use.Level of importance given to their daily work and its relevance also related to drug use i.e. high level of importance to home work= less likelihood of further drug use.
Homeostasis
Posted by : anand
on 5:50 AM
The capacities developed during this stage take approximately 2 months. They will include self regulation, vision, hearing, touch, motion, vestibular functioning, interest in the word and comfortable in surroundings. Hyper or hyposensitivity to these capacities may indicate a problem e.g. Unable to focus, tenseness, or little response to caregiver.
The implications of poor formation of these capacities can be quite severe on growth into adolescence and adulthood. For instance the inability to process stimuli or organize stimuli without becoming hypo/ hyperactive may relate to predisposing risk factors of drug abuse such as poor impulse control, conduct disorders, hyperactivity and impaired self-regulatory mechanisms.
Adolescent development
Posted by : anand
on 11:28 AM
Adolescent usually means the onset of “deviant” behavior. However, some of the behavior, seen as risk taking, is actually characteristic of competent adolescents.
Apart from the physical changes experienced, adolescence implies the onset of identify formation. This is believed to be development by experimentation with different lifestyles, leading to crucial decision making skills, and emancipation from childhood dependency.
It is a period of development which involves transitions in major physical, intellectual, psychosocial, and moral processes. Since this period is transitional, it will be disruptive; resulting disequilibrium will thus lead to opportunities which can be used to enhance growth, or indulge in dangerous activities.
Due to such disequilibrium, a conflict ensures, between a secure, comfortable, well reasoned lifestyle, and a newer, uncertain view of life. Such a conflict is essential for growth. Due to such conflicts, the adolescent will question previously accepted values of parents and other adults, before arriving at his/ her own set of principles, which will be a reconciliation of values and morals of both his/ her generation and that of the parents.
During this period of transition, many adolescents will involve themselves in risk-talking or health endangering activities. Of these activities, drug experimentation is high on the list. However, as with other health comparing activities, this behavior does not escalate. The question therefore lies in why some adolescent persist in risk-taking activities such as drug abuse, whilst the vast majority who experiment desist on their own.
Adolescent, is a series of processes which leads to development of one’s identity, principles and character.
Self esteem
Posted by : anand
on 7:57 AM
Significant body changes occur during puberty, which often result in an individual being temporarily less attractive. These changes occur at the same time as awareness to self and others in developing. This often occurs when the child in changing schools, and therefore moving from a comfortable, known atmosphere, into an insecure, threatening environment. Because many adolescent are unable to perceive that these changes are only temporary and normal, this devaluation can be very painful for individual.
Although this stage of growth is a learning period, and some amount of stress is involved, many are motivated to escape from developmental disequilibrium, in favor of stasis and harmony, and may retreat into regressive patterns of behaviors, which may be life threatening. Other than this, many become phobic and therefore refuse to deal with stress, or take a decision of self medicate.
Selection of a Drug
Posted by : anand
on 7:49 AM
Most of these drugs in equal analgesic doses produce approximately the same degree of unwanted side effects. Nevertheless there are some patients who may have side effects with one agent and nor with another. Therefore, the surrogates are useful additions to the therapeutic armamentarium. When pain is not too severe, codeine of hydro condones will often give very satisfactory relief especially when combined with a non narcotic analgesic such as aspirin. When the pain is associated with bleary spasm meperidine may produce less aggravation of the spasm than with an equal analgesic dose of morphine. When the pain is likely to be of short duration a drug with short duration of action, such as meperidine or Alpha Prodins might be preferable to Morphine or methadone. For bronchoscope however one would select a drug that is a more effective ant jussive than mepridine.
Posted by : anand
on 9:44 AM
Analgesia:
The relief of pain by morphine is one of its outstanding effects. But, the relief of pain is relatively selective in those other sensory modalities. There is an altered reaction to the painful stimulus. Patients frequently report that the pain is still present but that they feel more comfortable. Continuous dull pain is relieved more effectively than sharp intermittent pain.
The effects of analgesics on both experimentally produced and pathologically pain has been carefully studied in man. The experimental measurements of the effects of morphine on pain threshold have not always been consistent. Some researchers ascertain that potent analgesics elevate the threshold while many others do not obtain consistent changes. By contrast, moderate doses of morphine are quite effective in relieving clinical pain with alarming consistency.
One alarming interpretation is that, when the sensation is devised of its capacity to evoke its usual responses, a patient’s ability to tolerate pain may be markedly increased even when the capacity to perceive the sensation may be somewhat unaltered.
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