Drug and alcohol use and abuse are preventable
* Get educated. Know the facts. Once you do, you will realize that it is not worth endangering your career, your health, your relationships, and your future.
* Avoid peer pressure. Think ahead about how to say “NO.”
* Avoid situations where people will be drinking and using drugs. Get involved in non-
drinking activities.
* Confront your problem, if you have one.
* Get help for the underlying problems of family, relationships, anxiety or depression.
Educateothers.
* Increased frequency of use.
* Loss of control over frequency, duration and/or amount of use.
* Drinking or using when you don’t intend to.
* Substance use interferes with life activities (i.e. school, relationships with family and friends).
* Increased spending money on substance of choice.
* Personality changes noted by self and others.
* Getting into risky/dangerous behaviors.
* Other people express concern about your use/ your behavior.
* Missing appointments.
* Legal trouble (i.e., DUI)
When drug and alcohol use becomes severe you may experience
* loss of friends (except perhaps other alcohol and drug users).
* negative changes in appetite with possible weight loss.
* possible reduction or loss of libido (sex drive) …and/or only able to perform when using.
* extreme mood swings, including anger and depression.
* obsessions about using or procuring drug when not under the influence.
* lying about drug to use to friends and loved ones.
* loss of memory for times when under the influence.
* uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when not using.
* involvement in crime to support habit.
* loss of energy and general health.
* you are increasingly unable to believe your own denial and excuses.
How can we get help for treatment?
* Help clarify your pattern of abuse.
* Help identify how your life has been affected.
* Help create strategies to decrease your use.
* Help identify related issues that may contribute to your abuse.
At times you may wonder if you have a problem with alcohol and or drugs. The following questions are intended to help you determine whether your use pattern should be of concern.
The only way to be 100% sure you won’t get HIV/AIDS is to abstain from sex and intravenous drug use. If you’re sexually active, using condoms correctly each and every time you have anal or vaginal sex provides the best protection against HIV transmission. While there is not enough scientific evidence available yet to be certain, there are many individuals who also state that they have gotten HIV from participating in oral sex (as givers to infected men). It is advisable to consider using condoms for oral sex as well, especially because other STDs like syphilis and gonorrhea, which can increase your risk of getting HIV, can be transmitted via oral sex.
Organization Name: Manav Paropkari Sanstha (PRERNA Deaddiction and Counselling Centre)
Address: L 290 Mahipalpur, Street # 7, New Delhi
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