ARMY

PUBLIC
SCHOOL, BASISTHA
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT ON
BIOLOGY
TOPIC: -

ADDICTION: DRUG ABUSE

Name: Shahmeenas Ara Akhtar

Roll no.: 36
Class: XII
Section: B

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 Namita Deka
(maam) 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
Shahmeenas Ara Akhtar

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Shahmeenas Ara
Akhtar, a student of class XII (science)
APSB has successfully completed the
biology investigatory project on the
selected topic A case study on
ADDICTION: DRUG ABUSE assigned by
the biology subject teacher of APSB (Mrs
Namita Deka Maam) as a part of the
(practical section) class XII Annual Exam
for the year 2016-17.

Signature of Teacher
(Mrs Namita Deka)
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. STUDY (QUESTIONARY)
9. THE PROFILE OF FIVE PATIENTS
10.TREATMENT OF ADDICTION
11.SCENARIO OF ADDICTION
12.CONCLUSION
13.BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTI
ON
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 brains
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.

2.
3.
4.
5.

Peer pressure
Stress and depression
Lack of education
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
ADDICTION

OF

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?

STUDY (QUESTIONARY)
QUESTIONAIRE
1.What was the age when you started having
addiction?
2.What makes you want to take drug?
3. Was there anyone in your family who is also
addicted?
4.Did you start the treatment as soon as you
started having the addiction?
5.Do you think addiction has affected your
normal life?
6.Which was the first problem you started to
have at the onset of addiction?
7.Are you satisfied with the available treatment
of this disease?
8.Do you think the treatment of this disease is
an expensive process?
9.Is Guwahati an appropriate place for the
treatment of this disease?

THE PROFILE OF
PATIENTS

Case no: 1
Patient name: Sofia Akhtar
Age:
65
Type: T2DM
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 22/12/15
Comments: After I am started having T2DM, my life has
totally changed. I am the first person to have diabetes
in my family. At the onset of this disease I felt very
much weakness and hunger.
Case no: 2
Patient name: Mrs Neha Das
Age:
40
Type: T1DM
Gender: Female
Date of admission: 22/12/15
Comments: I am middle aged house wife and I have
lots of difficulties to tackle this disease due to
weakness. I cannot meet the common need of my
family, and some time I become unconsciousness and
my family gets worried. Recently my husband spends
lots of money for this disease but I didnt get any such
good result.
Case no: 3
Age:
Type: T1DM
Gender: Male

Patient name: Shubankar Deka

45
Date of admission:06/01/16

Comments: I started having this disease at the age of

35, I didnt take much attention to it due to very busy
job. I din took medicine regularly or neither did any
physical exercise and now Im suffering from this
dangerous disease I have to lose my job, during
urination I feel burning sensation. Now I am unable to
take care of my family,

Case no:4
Patient name: Karan Barman
Age:
54
Type: T2DM
Gender: Male
Date of admission:06/01/16
Comments: I am poor worker who earn few just to stay
alive and to take care of family. I dont have much savings
that I would go in a big hospital for better cure or for
medicine. Nowadays I also cannot go to work site as I
remain weak and my hand and leg shakes if I try to do
any hard work. Due to this I cannot send my children to
school.
Case no:5
Patient name: Miss Rupali Nath
Age:
33
Type: T2DM
Gender: Female
Date of
admission:15/01/16

Comments: I am both working women and house wife I

have no time to care of my health I always remain busy
taking care of my family and doing stressful work at my
office and due to this I had gained my weight rapidly,
presently my weight is about 93 kg and my recent
diagnosis says that I am suffering from diabetes.

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.
Drugs for cravings -

SCENARIO
ADDICTION

OF

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Special thanks to the following
source: Internet (Wikipedia)
NCERT biology class XI
Some diabetic patients
Online library
151 base hospital
Dr . P Kalita