NAV-JIWAN-PUBLIC SCHOOL

FARIDABAD
PROJECT ON BIOLOGY
TOPIC: - ADDICTION: DRUG ABUSE

Name: KARTIK SHARMA

Roll no.: 03
Class: XII
Section: Medical
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This is to acknowledge that this investigatory

project would not have been successful without
the help of the source that are mention below.
It was a great opportunity making this
investigatory project so at the onset a very great
thanks to our respected subject teacher Mrs nidhi
(ma’am) without her guidance this investigatory
project would not have been possible. Lastly I
would like to thank our parents who really helped
us in each and every movement, friends and
everyone who is directly or indirectly associated
with the completion of this investigatory project
of biology.

-by Kartik Sharma.

 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that KARTIK SHARMA, a

student of class XII (science) NJPS has
successfully completed the biology project on the
selected topic “A case study on ADDICTION:
DRUG ABUSE” assigned by the biology subject
teacher of NJPS (Mrs NIDHI Ma’am) as a part of
the (practical section) class XII Annual Exam for
the year 2019-20.

Signature of Teacher
(Mrs NIDHI)
Dated:- PGT BIOLOGY
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. WHAT IS ADDICTION
3. TYPES OF DRUG ABUSE
4. CAUSES OF ADDICTION
5. EFFECTS OF ADDICTION
6. HISTORY OF ADDICTION: DRUG ABUSE
7. DIAGONISIS OF ADDICTION
8. TREATMENT OF ADDICTION
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION

Addiction is the one of the biggest disease of the

world. More than millions of the individual are
struggling against addiction. It takes away the
happiness of the people by avoiding them to get
what they want and many of the people were also
not able to take correct decision. According to the
recent studies it has been found that adolescent
are more vulnerable to addiction. Addiction is
that type of diseases whose rehabilitation is very
difficult. As we know prevention is better than
cure so we can prevent our self from getting
addicted by not living under peer pressure. If we
also get addicted, we should immediately take the
help of specialist for rehab.

.
WHAT IS ADDICTION?

Addiction is the habitual, physiological, psychological

dependence on a substance or practice which is beyond
voluntary control. A person who is habituated to a substance
or a practice, especially a harmful one, is called an addict.
Addiction is a chronic, progressive and sometimes fatal
disorder with both genetic and environmental roots. It
manifests as a compulsion that derives an individual to
continue to behave in a way that is harmful to self and loved
ones, despite an intense desire to halt that behaviour. It is a
disease of “more”- an active addict needs an increasing
amount of substance to get high and is unable to cease usage
without painful withdrawal symptoms. This is true whether
the addictive substance is a drug or tobacco or alcohol or a
behaviour. Medically, addiction is of three types : Tobacco
Addiction, Alcohol Addiction, Drug Addiction
 TYPES OF DRUG ABUSE

1. Heroin

As a destructive opioid, heroin can lead to seizures, psychosis,

and hallucinations when it is abused. Heroin injections can
also spread diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus
and hepatitis. This drug is known to cause serious health
issues when it is abused because it interferes with the brain’s
receptors. Individuals who take heroin always require
professional rehabilitation because the symptoms of
withdrawal may be life-threatening.
2. Cocaine
Cocaine is a very dangerous stimulant even when taken in
small amounts. It induces euphoria, increases blood pressure,
and accelerates the heart rate. The drug may lead to fatal
strokes or heart attacks for some users. Due to the severe
consequences of using cocaine, users require immediate
professional treatment.
3. Crack
A potent form of cocaine, crack is often smoked and suddenly
creates an intense euphoric sensation for a short while. Crack
has turned into a problem because it is cheap and easy to buy
and use. Abusing the substance, however, can lead to
immediate addiction. Abusers are also at risk of suffering
heart attacks and strokes with every use. Long-term use can
cause liver, kidney, and lung damage.
4. Hallucinogens

PCP (phencyclidine) and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)

are hallucinogens, which means that they make users feel, see,
and hear things that are not real. While they experience
hallucinations with these drugs, users lose touch with reality
and enter mental states of disconnection. Withdrawing from
hallucinogens is not easy, and abusers will need professional
treatment in a rehab facility.
5. Marijuana / Cannabis
Marijuana is the most common illegal drug that is abused, and
many people begin using it as a recreational drug in social
situations. Continued abuse of marijuana can lead to
addiction, and the substance can affect the physical
coordination, memory, and mental functions of users over
time. While it is easy to abuse marijuana, it is not easy to stop
using it.
7. Alcohol

Abusing alcohol can cause psychological, physical, and social

problems, and it can lead to the destruction of relationships,
friendships, and marriages. A lot of alcohol abusers drink so
much that their bodies are unable to handle it. Sometimes this
requires that they are hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.
Furthermore, alcohol abuse can lead to injury or death to the
people around them while they are under the influence.
Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal because of delirium tremens,
which is a symptom with the potential to trigger heart failure
or stroke. Refraining from drinking also is not easy when it
becomes a habit because of mental and physical issues.
Professional assistance is often necessary for abusers of
alcohol.
CAUSES OF ADDICTION
Some of the causes of addiction are :-

1. Peer pressure
2. Stress and depression
3. Lack of education
4. Religious rituals
EFFECTS OF ADDICTION
 Fatigue - the patient is tired most of the time.
 Memory loss - especially the patient's short-term memory.
 Eye muscles - the eye muscles can become significantly weaker.
 Liver diseases - the patient has a considerably higher chance of
developing hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of the liver is an
irreversible and progressive condition
 Heart problems - regular heaving drinking can lead to
cardiomyopathy (damaged heart muscle), heart failure, and
stroke.
 Menstruation - alcoholism will usually stop menstruation or
disrupt it
 Cancer - alcoholics have a much higher risk of developing
several cancers, including cancer of the mouth, oesophagus,
liver, colon, rectum, breast, prostate and pharynx.
 Suicide - suicide rates among people who are alcohol-
dependent or who abuse alcohol are much higher than among
other people.
 PREVENTION AND CONTROL
“Prevention is better than cure” is also true here. Tobacco,
drug/alcohol abuse are more during young age and
adolescence. The remedial measure should be taken in time.
The following measures would be particularly useful for
prevention and control of alcohol and addiction during
adolescents.

1.Avoid undue Peer pressure.

2.Education and counselling.

3.Seeking help from parents and peers.

4.Looking for Danger Signs.

5.Seeking Professional and Medical helps.

HISTORY OF ADDICTION
Beer

Since the dawn of history, mankind has found ways to relieve the daily grind of life. In
ancient Mesopotamia (the area now known as Iraq), agriculture slowly began to flourish, and
a large network of city states started to gain prominence. With the cultivation of wheat and
barley came another product: beer. After all, the water wasn't particularly healthy, and the
weak alcohol content in beer killed off a lot of harmful organisms in the water.

While the beer wasn't particularly strong, it also wasn't particularly nice, as the concept of
sterility was unknown in 3,000 BCE. However, beer was consumed in bulk. Consequently,
addiction to alcohol was rampant in the so-called cradle of civilization, and people during
that time generally lived much shorter lives thanks to disease and, presumably, drunkenness.

Opium

Throughout the time that beer was gaining popularity, the Indians, Assyrians and Egyptians
were cultivating and preparing opium from the opium poppy. Indeed, the upper classes of
many civilizations would use this to relax and pass time, although some uses are much less
benign. One Egyptian scroll recommends using opium to soothe a crying baby.

Hallucinogens and Natural Highs

Moving on 15 centuries, the ancient Greece used a special form of mead (fermented honey)
or beer to induce visions known as mysteries. Naturally, there is something very mystical in
seeing hallucinations, and plants containing entheogens (natural chemicals that induce
hallucinations) have been widely cultivated throughout the world; these include the
peyote cactus, fly agaric, and cannabis. Clearly, this is a form of drug abuse, although it was a
socially acceptable one at the time.

Cocaine

During the second millennium, world trade started to be more prominent. Ships started
sailing from China to Europe-Marco Polo rediscovered major trade routes to India and China,
and in 1492, cocaine came to be major product of trade.

After that, the American continent became ripe for development. Various conquistadors
discovered the drugs that kept the locals going, especially cocaine, which was touted as a
wonder cure for all ailments.

Tobacco

One of the major drugs that came out of the New World was tobacco. Sir Walter Raleigh
famously introduced dried tobacco leaves to England, where they were controlled and taxed
heavily. Again, abuse of tobacco led to very expensive addictions, as it was a risky but
incredibly profitable voyage for those who made it over the Atlant
DIAGNOSIS OF ADDICTION
Blood test or imaging scan can determine whether somebody is addicted to
drug or alcohol or smoking, and to what degree.
Blood test - this may be ordered to determine whether the substance is still in
the blood (whether the substance has been taken recently). It is not used to
diagnose addiction.
A GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) can help the patient
determine their degree of dependence by asking pertinent questions, or using a
specific questionnaire. The following questions may help determine how
dependent a patient is:

 How many cigarettes do you smoke per day?

 Do you find it hard not to smoke in places where it is not allowed, such as in a
church, school, movie theatre, library, public transport, hospital, etc.?
 If you had to give up, which cigarette would you miss the most (e.g. the first
one in the morning)?
 Do you smoke more cigarettes during the first few hours after waking up,
than during the rest of the day?
 If you are ill, with a bad cold or the flu, do you still take drug or alcohol?
 Have you ever smoked more than you intended to?
 Have you ever neglected a duty because you were smoking, or so that you
could have a cigarette?
TREATMENT OF ADDICTION
Do-it-yourself - experts say about 30% of people with an alcohol problem manage to
reduce their drinking or abstain without seeking professional help. There is a great deal
of material in books and the internet that may help the self-helper.

Counselling - a qualified counsellor can help the alcoholic talk through his/her problems
and then devise a plan to tackle the drinking. CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is
commonly used to treat alcohol dependency.

Detoxification - the patient takes some medication to prevent withdrawal symptoms

(delirium tremens) which many alcoholics experience when they give up drinking.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Special thanks to the following source: -
 Internet (Wikipedia)
 NCERT biology class XI
 Online library