Drug use in Turkey has dropped to as young as 10 years old

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Ebru Öztepe Yavaşçı, a psychiatrist at VM Medical Park Bursa Hospital, noted that drug use in Turkey has dropped to as young as 10 years old and said that families play the most important role in protecting children from drugs.

    Experts, noting that throughout history people have struggled with health issues that threaten their lives, said that people with substance use disorders generally do not want to recover from their condition. Mental Health Specialist Ebru Öztepe Yavaşçı, noting that only a very small percentage of people with substance use disorders seek treatment—regardless of how low their quality of life and living standards may be—said, “In fact, addiction is a craving to use something excessively. Substance addiction is the same. The individual struggles to control their substance use and experiences an intense craving to use the substance excessively. They use more of the substance to achieve the same effect. One of the key criteria for substance dependence is that if a patient has been using a substance for 12 months, they can be considered a substance-dependent individual. “We cannot label everyone who has tried a substance as a substance-dependent individual. There is no single cause of addiction. The causes of addiction are as numerous as the number of people who use substances,” he said.

    Yavaşcı, noting that the belief that addiction is incurable and the claim that “trying it just once won’t lead to addiction” are both very wrong, said, “Even trying it just once is significant in terms of addiction. Because anyone can become addicted. There is no rule that says only people lacking willpower will become addicted. No one sets out thinking, ‘I’m going to become addicted.’ In addiction, taking a break—not quitting—is very important. The longer the break, the higher the success rate of treatment. Drug testing can be performed using hair or urine samples taken from the individual. Drugs can remain detectable in hair for 4 to 6 months and in urine for about 4 days. In addition, certain withdrawal symptoms such as general behavioral changes, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and irritability may appear,” he said.

    Highlighting that the lifetime prevalence of substance use in Turkey is 2.7 percent according to the latest study, Yavaşçı said, “The youngest age at first substance use was 10, and the oldest was 67. Children and adolescents are the age group in which substance use is most common. “For this reason, families need to be very vigilant. Families play a major role in keeping their children away from bad habits. Setting a good example as a society is also important. Parents should guide their children by explaining what is right, without overpunishing or judging their behavior.” Children must be taught about harmful substances as early as preschool. During adolescence, however, children begin to separate from their families. The behavioral characteristics typical of adolescence run parallel to those exhibited by people with addictions. Therefore, it is not a given that every adolescent will become addicted. However, close supervision is necessary. We must teach children and adolescents to say “no” to harmful substances. It is also very important to ensure that children have access to sports activities where they can burn off their energy. We also need to monitor their peer groups and the relationships they form, even from a distance. We must teach them what addiction is. They need to know how to protect themselves. Because substance use often begins through a close friend. Curiosity or a desire to fit in with a peer group can lead to first exposure to substances,” he said.

    Abdullah Çibir
    BURSA

    Inhibitory Implants and Injections for Alcohol and Heroin Addiction

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    Alcohol and heroin addiction are considered among the most significant health problems today. Beyond the problems faced by people who use alcohol and drugs due to the effects of these substances, there is also a risk of death from complications associated with alcohol and heroin use—such as alcoholic hepatitis, hepatitis B, cirrhosis, hepatitis C, and AIDS, as well as stomach diseases, esophageal tears, and respiratory arrest—all of which can result from the use of alcohol and heroin—making it a significant public health issue due to the associated risk of death.

    As we have noted on many previous occasions, these addictions can only be treated through long-term psychotherapy, appropriate medication, and the full support and cooperation of the individual and their family in the treatment process.

    Alcohol and heroin addiction are types of addiction for which medication-based treatments can be quite effective compared to other forms of addiction. In recent years, many new treatment options and alternatives have emerged for both alcohol and heroin addiction. In addition to the psychotherapy patients receive to help them overcome their addiction, there is a growing number of medications designed to reduce cravings for the substance of choice and eliminate the pleasure derived from it. These include medications such as acamprosate, naltrexone, naloxone, and buprenorphine.

    It is also important to mention disulfiram, which is used specifically in the treatment of alcohol dependence. When taken with alcohol, disulfiram produces a substance called acetaldehyde, which causes unwanted symptoms of intoxication such as fainting, facial flushing, a drop in blood pressure, and vomiting. When patients are informed of these effects before taking the medication, it can help treat alcohol dependence by acting as a deterrent for a certain group of patients. Now, let’s discuss naltrexone and disulfiram—which are widely used, particularly in Turkey—in a bit more detail.

    Naltrexone (tablet, injection, and pellet forms) For any substance to have an effect on the human brain, it must bind to a specific site; this binding site is called a “receptor.” For example, heroin exerts its effects by binding to a specific binding site in the brain called an opioid receptor. Naltrexone is a medication that binds to the same site where heroin binds, completely blocking heroin’s effects. In other words, if we compare heroin to a key, naltrexone prevents the key from fitting into the lock, so the person cannot experience the effects of heroin. Naltrexone completely eliminates the effects of heroin; when used against alcohol, it works by significantly reducing the urge to drink. It is the only medication in the world used to treat both alcohol and heroin addiction. Although naltrexone is such an effective medication, addicts often hesitate to continue this treatment. For this reason, alternative methods have been developed in addition to the oral tablet form. For example, a long-acting, one-month injection form has begun to be sold worldwide. Forms that are implanted under the skin through a minor procedure and dissolve into the bloodstream in small amounts each day are called “pellets.” Pellets can last for 2, 3, or 6 months. During this period, the individual is unable to use heroin, or even if they do, they experience no sense of pleasure. If the pellet (naltrexone) is administered due to heavy alcohol use, it reduces the individual’s craving for alcohol and decreases the number of episodes of uncontrolled drinking caused by a loss of control over alcohol consumption.

    Disulfiram (available in tablet, injection, and pellet forms) is a medication that, as previously mentioned, when taken with alcohol or when alcohol is present in the body at the same time, causes the release of a substance called acetaldehyde, which leads to unwanted side effects. In Turkey, it is also known as Antabuse. Severe side effects include nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, a feeling of faintness, dizziness, and a drop in blood pressure. For this reason, it forces the individual to abstain from alcohol. As with naltrexone, there may be difficulties and hesitations regarding continuing treatment with disulfiram. For this reason, in addition to the oral tablet form, there is also an injectable form that remains effective for about 4–6 weeks. There is also a pellet form that is implanted under the skin through a minor procedure; it dissolves over two months, releasing small amounts into the bloodstream daily. These alternatives provide protection for 4–8 weeks even if the person stops taking the medication or wishes to discontinue treatment, thereby creating new opportunities.

    Source:

    http://www.ipe.com.tr/tr/icerik/49/alkol-ve-eroin-bagimliliginda-engelleyici-implant-ve-enjeksiyonlar

    We invite you to become a UMUDDER volunteer

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    The International Association for the Fight Against Substance Abuse (UMUDDER) is a civil society organization established to prevent substance abuse—a biological, psychological, and sociological problem—within both national and international frameworks.

    We believe in the necessity of expanding the fight against “substance abuse”—which has become one of our country’s top priorities—across all segments of society, and in the synergy that young people, in particular, can create. As UMUDDER, we are seeking “volunteers” to participate in the research, initiatives, and projects we will undertake at both the national and international levels.

    We invite young people with an entrepreneurial spirit—who are self-confident, sensitive to the issues around them, and capable of finding solutions—to become “UMUDDER Volunteers.”

    Those interested in becoming volunteer candidates can apply by filling out the form on the “http://umudder.org/uyelik/” page.