Factsheet 30a: Alcohol and drugs - what parents need to know:
for parents and teachers
About this leaflet
This is one in a series of leaflets for parents, teachers and
young people entitled Mental Health and Growing Up. The
aims of these leaflets are to provide practical, up-to-date
information about mental health problems (emotional, behavioural
and psychiatric disorders) that can affect children and young
people. This leaflet offers practical advice for parents and
teachers who are worried that a young person is misusing drugs or
alcohol.
Introduction
Who uses alcohol and
drugs?
Many young people smoke, drink alcohol and may try drugs. They
may do it for fun, because they are curious, or to be like their
friends. Some are experimenting with the feeling of
intoxication.
Alcohol generally gives you a feeling of
relaxation and confidence, although some people feel flat and
miserable with it. It is addictive if used regularly. There are
serious physical health effects if you drink regularly or binge
drink. It can affect the liver, nervous system and brain. There are
no known safe limits for children and teenagers. Young people can
get themselves into dangerous situations if they are drunk, e.g.
fighting, having unprotected sex, or getting into a car with
someone who has been drinking.
Cigarettes are highly addictive and cause
diseases such as cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure. It
can be hard to expect your child not to smoke if you smoke
yourself. Fortunately, a lot of support is available now (see list
of
sources of further
information).
Cannabis (grass, dope, weed, skunk) is the
most commonly used illegal drug among 11-24 year olds. Cannabis
resin looks like a gravy browning cube, or cannabis can look like
dried herbs or seeds. It is usually rolled into a `joint' and
smoked like a cigarette or through a special pipe. It can also be
baked in cakes. Most people find it makes them feel relaxed, and
they may feel they want to talk or laugh a lot. It can also make
you feel panicky and nervous, confused, tired and hungry. It can
cause lung diseases, just like cigarettes do. For some people,
cannabis use can trigger schizophrenia, a serious mental illness
(see
leaflet 21 on schizophrenia).
Solvents such as glue, butane gas, and
aerosols can be sniffed, sprayed into the mouth/nose, or the fumes
breathed in using a gas filled bag. It makes people feel `high'.
These substances can make people do things that they wouldn't
normally have the courage to do, and they may hallucinate (see
things that aren't there). Solvents can make you feel sick or
sleepy, and it is possible to suffocate if a bag is put over your
head. The heart can stop and this can lead to death, even when
tried for the first time.
Ecstasy (E, pills, brownies, burgers, disco
biscuits, hug drug, Mitsubishis, Doves, Rolex's, Dolphins, XTC)
comes in tablets in lots of different colours and shapes. They make
people feel happy, lively and very friendly. But some people feel
anxious and scared. If you take it while dancing a lot, it is easy
to become dehydrated and this can be fatal.
Amphetamines (speed, uppers, whizz, amph,
sulphate) comes as a powder (orangey yellow or a dirty white) or as
tablets. Amphetamines can be swallowed, sniffed, smoked or
injected. Sometimes they are made into a liquid to drink. People
feel as if they have lots of energy, `buzzy' and often talk a lot.
But, again, you can also feel very scared and anxious or grumpy and
some people hallucinate. Amphetamines are stimulants, and so can
have effects on the heart that can lead to death.
LSD (`acid', trips, tabs, microdots, stamps)
comes on small pieces of paper impregnated with the drug. The
little squares have pictures on them. LSD is eaten or sucked. The
effect is to hallucinate (`trip') and see odd shapes or colours or
hear noises. Trips can be pleasant or terrifying and can last for
several hours. You can also have `flashbacks' several months later,
when you have similar experiences to the trip, even though you
haven't taken LSD for weeks.
Cocaine (coke, snow, Charlie, C,) and
crack cocaine (rock, wash, stone) make people feel
confident and lively. Cocaine is a white powder that is sniffed up
the nose, and can be dissolved and injected. Crack cocaine comes as
crystals (rocks) the size of a baked bean. It is smoked and has
similar effects to cocaine powder, but these effects are more rapid
and intense, and wear off quickly. Cocaine can cause chest pains
and difficultly breathing. Both cocaine and crack cocaine are
highly addictive.
Heroin (H, smack, skag, horse, junk, brown)
is a browny - whitish powder. It is smoked, sniffed or injected and
makes people feel very relaxed and content and cut off from the
world `gouching out'. It is highly addictive, even if not injected.
Heroin can be fatal as it can stop your breathing.
Tranquillisers (valium, ativan, mogadon,
temazepam, moggies, mazzies, tranx, jellies) come as capsules and
tablets of differing colours and shapes. They are eaten or
injected. People feel relaxed and may fall asleep. It can be fatal
to inject them. They are addictive.
Anabolic steroids (Deca-Durabolin, Dianabol,
and Stanozolol) are tablets or liquids that are swallowed or an
oily liquid which is injected into the muscle. They increase muscle
bulk and can improve sporting strength and ability if taken over
time. However, they cause many serious health problems, including
breast development in boys, body hair growth in girls, depression
and hormonal problems.
References
- Carr, A. (ed.) (2000) 'What Works with Children and
Adolescents?' - A Critical Review of Psychological Interventions
with Children, Adolescents and their Families. London:
Brunner-Routledge.
- Rutter, M. & Taylor, E. (eds) (2002) 'Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry' (4th edn). London: Blackwell.
- Scott, A., Shaw, M. & Joughin, C. (2001) 'Finding the
Evidence' - A Gateway to the Literature in Child and Adolescent
Mental Health (2nd edn). London: Gaskell.
Sources of further information
© [2004] Royal College of
Psychiatrists. This leaflet may be downloaded, printed out,
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