Introducing Fang...

This is my little sister Fang.
She used to be a beautiful little girl.
But an overdose of cocaine and look at her now...
Thinks she is a monkey, poor thing.

What parts of the brain are affected?

Generally drugs work in the brain because they have a similar size and shape as natural neurotransmitters.

Brains communicate through electrical impulses between neurons.

However, drugs causes the neurons to release large amounts of unnatural electrical impulses, causing overflow of neurotransmitters in the brain.

These drugs affect the limbic system of people's brains (practically the whole peach part of the brain on the left), which is responsible for survival, such as creating appetite for the things needed for survival. Some examples of needs for survival are food and company (friends).

That is probably why drug abusers have problem with other, because their limbic systems have been affected.

Source: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_brain2.asp#someone_keeps_using_drugs

The drug that I researched about, Cocaine, had some postive and negative effects psychologically.

Some of the positive effects of Cocaine is that it increases alertness, elevates the mood, medium to high degree of happiness, decreases fatigue, increases concentration, and increases energy. The negative effects are increased irritability, insomnia, and restlessness. It seems as if Cocaine is a good drug if you look at the positive effects compared to the negative. However, an overdose of cocaine would cause pattern of mental disability, increased irritability, confused and disorganized behavior, hallucinations, and could become antisocial and aggresive.

Source: http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/cocaine/

Why do people abuse drugs?

There are many reasons why people abuse drugs and one of them is peer pressure. I have a website about past drug users and how they started drugs. There are two people who tell their story of how they started drugs and these former drug users confess that they started using drugs due to peer pressure, one of them couldn't refuse the offer of the drug from his friends because they were the only ones his got and didn't want to lose them. Another case where someone might start abusing drugs is when they just try drugs for fun or out of curiosity but get addicted to it. Others use it to feel pleasure, get high, and to get them out of misery. By abusing cocaine these depressed people become confident, more alert, and happy, that is why unhappy people abuse these drugs, to cheer themselves up.


Source: http://www.watchtower.org/e/20010708/article_02.htm

What is addiction?

Addiction is a craving for things such as drugs. When someone is addicted to something it means that the person is dependent on that thing to relieve stress, be happy, or maybe even to continue their lives. There are two types of addiction, psychological and physical addiction. Things such as computer games are psychological addictions, people who are addicted to games relieve stress and become happy when they play games. Drugs make people get addicted in both ways, physically and psychologically. Just like chocolates, drugs make people feel good psychologically and therefore people get addicted to it. Secondly, drugs contain an element that hooks people to it. One of the ways people get addicted to drugs is when they try drugs for the first time and they have this incredible high feeling. However, after this feeling's gone, drug users usually go way down in their mood scale until they crash. Therefore they use it again and again in order to feel high. However, to experience the same high feeling they must use more and more drugs because as their bodies get used to the drugs the body gains tolerence to the drugs.

Source: http://www.psychoactive.org.uk/cocaine/addiction.htm

Different Classes of Drugs

There are 7 different classes of drugs.

1) CNS Depressants
Indicators: Drowsiness, Droopy eyelids, Bloodshot eyes, Fumbling. Etc.

• Barbiturates
• Anti-anxiety tranquilizers (minor tranquilizers)
• Anti-psychotic tranquilizers (major tranquilizers)
• Alcohol
• Anti-depressants (mood elevators)

2) Inhalants

Indicators: Uncoordinated, Slurred speech, Disorientation, Confusion. Etc.

• Volatile solvents (explosive/unstable liquids)
• Paint
• Glues
• Aerosols
• Finger nail polish remover

3) PCP (Phencyclidines)

Indicators: Blank stare, Hallucinations, Incomplete verbal response, Repetitive speech. Etc.

• Phenylcyclohexyl piperidine (PCP)
• Ketalar(r)
• Sernyl(r)
• Sernylan(r)

4) Cannabis

Indicators: Odor of marijuana, Plant debris in the mouth, Body tremors. Etc.

• Marijuana
• sinsemilla
• hashish

5) CNS Stimulants

Indicators: Restlessness, Body tremors, Excited, Anxiety, Grinding teeth. Etc.

• Cocaine
• Amphetamines
• methamphetamine

6) Hallucinogens

Indicators: Dazed appearance, Body tremors, Synesthesia, Hallucinations. Etc.

• Mescaline
• psilocybin
• jimson weed
• MDA (methylenedioxyamphetamine)

7) Narcotic Analgesics

Indicators: Droopy eyelids, Dry mouth, Facial itching, Arm area itching. Etc.

• hydrocodone
• methadone
• Heroin
• morphine

Source: http://www.dreglobal.org/7drugs.htm

What drugs am I researching?

I am researching about Cocaine.

Above is a picture of me holding Cocaine.

Oh no! My face is going to get revealed!

If you find out who that is... please keep it a secret.

What are the street names of the drug?

Street Names of Cocaine

• Coke



• Flake



• Snow



• Dust



• C



• Toot



• Blow



• Gold dust



• Happy dust



• All-American drug



• Aspirin



• Aunt

Source: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/streetterms/ByType.asp?intTypeID=3

How is the drug taken?

Cocaine can be eaten/chewed, snorted, smoked, or injected.

Eaten/Chewed: Effects are attained after approximately after 1 hour and it is sustained for about another hour. When cocaine is chewed/eaten only 1 third of the dose is absorbed, therefore the effect of the drug used through this method has a lesser impact/high feeling than other methods.



Snorted: When cocaine is snorted, the effects begin after a few minutes and lasts between 15 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the dose and the tolerence of the user.



Smoked: When cocaine is smoked the effects come on intensely and immediately, however, the effects wear of as quickly as they've come.



Injected: When cocaine is injected the effects are immediate and very intense. Injecting is probably the best method to feel the highest in the quickest time because none of the dose is lost during the process and this method allows the drug to directly reach the bloodstream. However, the immediacy and intensity of smoking and injecting cocaine makes them more dangerous because of the high possibility of addiction and overdose.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine#Effects_and_health_issues

Is the drug physically addictive?

Yes, the drug is physically addictive. "Cocaine dependence is physical and psychological dependency on the regular use of cocaine." (Wikipedia) Stop taking cocaine after addiction would cause excessive sleep, loss of sex drive, and insomnia. These are physical symptoms that cocaine users get if they stop for a while after they are addicted.

Is the drug a stimulant or depressant?

Cocaine is a stimulant. When cocaine is consumed, it elevates the mood, mild to high degree of happiness, increases athletic performance, decreases fatigue, and increses energy. According to the effects of cocaine, cocaine 'pumps up' the user. Therefore, cocaine is a stimulant.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine#Effects_and_health_issues

A History of Cocaine/Classification

Cocaine originally comes from coca plants. In Indian cultures, Mama Cocas were considered a 'kind goddess'. She was believed to give special powers to humans. Before harvesting the coca plants, the man would sleep with a woman to ensure Mama Coca would be in a favorable mood. The leaves of the coca plants were chewed for medical, spiritual, and social reasons. In the past these leaves were believed to cure all illnesses and maladies known to men. These people were obviously not aware of the consequences of chewing cocaine. They provided numbness to hunger, helping people through the winter where there was not much to eat. This comes to show that due to its stimulating effects these coca leaves or cocaine were considered a sacred plant, similar to those who consider cocaine a gift from god because they are addicted to it and can't live without it. Also this shows that in the past cocaine was used for medical purposes as well.

Classification of Cocaine: Cocaine falls under the category of CNS Stimulants.

Source: http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/coc01.htm

Source: http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/coc03.htm

Does the drug have a medical use? If so what is it?

In the past cocaine was used in quite a of medical cases such as tonics, toothache, hay fever, and depression cures, patent medicines, and chocolate cocaine tablets in the US. However, this cocaine use for medication purposes had been tempered by experience and now the medical use of cocaine has been largely restricted to only anesthesia: numbness to hunger, in Europe.

Source: http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/coc03.htm

Effects and Price of Cocaine

Effects:



Short-term Effects:

• Hyperactivity




• Restlessness




• Increased heart rate




• Increased blood pressure




• Europhic




• Excited



• Runny nose



• Hallucinations

Long-term Effects:

• Irritability



• Weight loss



• Insomnia



• Hole in the spectum (the soft structure separating the nostils)



• Anxiety



• Heart failure

Side Effects:

• Twitching


• Paranoia


• Impotence

Price of Cocaine:

Statistics

"1 out of 4 Americans between the age of 26 and 34 have used cocaine in their lifetime."

"According to the Minnesota Institute for Public Health and drug prevention resource center, 5,000 adults in the United States try cocaine for the first time each day. (1985)"

"Today it is estimated that 22 to 25 million people have tried cocaine at least once. Conservative estimates indicate that there are over two million cocaine addicts in the United States today."

"Near half of all drug related emergency room visits are due to cocaine abuse."

"In 1988, about 300,000 infants were born addicted to cocaine."

The graph above shows the number of people who died due to cocaine year by year. As you can see the number people dieng seemed to decrease until 1992, however, the trend started to go upwards since 1992 and in 1996 the total number of people dead due to cocaine exceeds the highest point in 1987.

Source: http://www.drug-statistics.com/cocaine.htm

Punishment for having or selling the drug in Indonesia and your own country of origin or Singapore

In Indonesia, as you probably saw in the airports, the worst punishement that drug sellers and buyers can get is execution. There are some less harsh punishments as well and the least harsh punishment is imprisonment for 10 years.
In Korea, death-sentences are considered not right for the perpetrators, therefore they give punishments such as life long imprisonment. Some less harsh punishments are 5 years of imprisonment.

Description of a drug abuser

Drug Abuser: Let's start from top to bottom. His hair is all scruffy and full of lice and dandruff. It looks as if he hasn't taken a bath in months. His teeth are yellow. His eyes doesn't have life, it is always half closed. There is no white space to be seen on his eyes, it is all red, blood-shot eyes. His cheeks are drooping as well as the bottom of his eyes. His whole face doesn't have the springy, elastic feel. His mouth is half open. It's as if looking at a zombie. His nails and toe-nails are filled with dirt and jagged. He has a yellow skin and when I poke his skin it doesn't pop right back up. And when I poke him he reacts aggresively and doesn't want to be around me. When he is has a shortage of cocaine he panics have searches for it. When he finally get his cocaine and use it, it's as if he is in another world. He has no life.



Drug Misuser: A drug misuser is someone who didn't follow the directions correctly. She looks fine on the outside. Tidy hair, clean white teeth, good, elastic skin, clean nails. However, she gets irritated easily, she is aggresive, and has trouble socializing with others. She is taking sleeping pills because she can't get to sleep easily everynight. However, due to too much stress from work and the boss, she takes two sleeping pills to get a goodnight sleep. It might be ok for the first time, however, if this habit continued, she might get unwanted side effects and addictions. This type of addiction is no cause by physical means but psychologically. She feels as if she could never get to sleep with out sleeping pills and as she keeps on taking these sleeping pills her body would tolerate the pill better, which leads to overdose of these sleeping pills and cause other side effects.

Recreational drug users: A recreational drug user is some who enjoys using drugs occasionally and doesn't depend on it to relieve stress, go to sleep, or continue their lives. I imagine a recreational drug user to be a normal person who enjoys drugs only on special occasions. They do not have problems that abusers or misusers have and has a pretty good life.

Imaginary Charater:
There is a Korean factory worker who has one daughter but no wife because his wife passed away. He used to have a happy life with his family but when his wife got sick he had to spend all his money on her to cure. He didn't go wrong when his wife got sick because he had hope that she would be cured and lead a happy family with him. However, when he heard from the doctor that she could not be cured and that she has not much time left here, he started smoking and started searching for drugs that would make him happy. When he used cocaine he had a high sense of euphoria, however, as the effect of the drug wore off he felt a high sense of dysphoria, he 'crashed and burned'. As the days went by, his body was now tolerant to cocaine and he need an elevated drug doses to feel the same euphoria as last time. The indicators of using cocaine didn't wait long to appear on him. He started sweating a lot, his handsome face started to lose its 'light'. When he had no cocaine he would start to tremble and panic. However, he still loved his wife and went to the hospital everyday to visti his wife. Everytime he met his wife in the hospital, he wanted to show that everything was ok, thus not allowing him to reveal to her that he is a cocaine addict. However, due to the shortage of cocaine when visitng his wife, his body started to shake and when he grabbed her hand his hand would tremble and with the strongest will power, he would try not to shake and tremble. While his wife lied on the bed he went to fetch some Udon for the two of them, the food that both of them liked. After buying two bowls of Udon and on the way back to his wife's room his symptoms worsened and started to tremble. He dropped the two bowls of Udon on the floor. He walked into the room and told his wife that they were out of Udon so he couldn't buy them. He felt sorry for his wife. Days have passed and his wife's illness worsened and there were maybe a few hours before she left this world. As always, he was holding his wife's hand, then suddenly the wife started crying and said she is sorry. She said sorry she is sick and caused her husband to go wrong because of her, she said sorry she caused him to try he is not used to because none of his family, his parents and siblings never tried either, drugs. She said she felt him tremble when holding her hand and saw him drop the Udon bowls. Then she begged him not to take anymore drugs when she's gone. Then he and his wife started crying and hugged each other. However, just as expected his wife had left this world. It was the wife's funeral and several of the man's friends came to the funeral and stayed by his side until the very end. Now the man was broke, he spent all his money on the hospital and cocaine. He thought of suicide, however he could not leave his daughter alone in this world. He promised to his wife that he would not use cocaine anymore and he successfully got rid of the cocaine addiction, although he had some withdrawal symptoms in the first few weeks.

How drugs could affect families, communities, the world.

First of all, I think if I am taking a drug, the factor that would be most affected would be the economic factor. Since these drugs are very expensive and their prices never seem to settle, I think I would be spending a tremendous amount of money to buy my drugs. Secondly, I think this habit of taking drugs would have a big impact on my family. I think there will be a breakdown of the family. Parents will be angry, disappointed, yet still worried about the child's health. Although siblings always seem to fight all the time, at this moment of time even a little brothers or sisters would be worried about their big brother's or sister's health. Then this fact that someone is taking drugs would spread among people and the whole community, if the community is a good one, worry about the drug user. However, as always there will be those who fear the druger and keep away from them and isolate the drug users. Then it would cause the law to imprison or even execute the drug user. Just like this scenario, even if there is only one person who uses drugs, it would influence their family, then grow to a community, and then the country.

Is the character physically or psychologically addicted to the drug and explain why?

The character was both physically and psychologically addicted to the drug because first of all he showed withdrawal symptoms when he didn't consume cocaine but relaxed when he injected cocaine into his body. Secondly, he was psychologically addicted too because he could not become happy without the help of cocaine.

What would happen if one of my family members used drugs?

Just for example, if my big brother started using drugs, all of my family members, even I will be worried about my brother's behavior. At first I think my dad and my mom would deny the fact that my brother is on drugs but when they come to realize that it is true they would get really mad. I cannot imagine how mad they are going to be because I don't think they will ever be as mad as this in their entire lives. Maybe I'm going a bit extreme here but I think one of the possibilities is my dad quitting his job and going into the woods to live and disowning my brother. Also if my brother really was on drugs I think he would become a theif since he doesn't have any money because my dad will surely not support my brother with money. I may have gone to far when I said that he would disown my brother. I think he will first get mad then persuade my brother not to take drugs because he is a caring and a loving father. In this scenario I think my role here is to keep my family together. I'm sure things will fall a apart and it is my job to keep them together. If my father wants to disown my brother I should persuade him not to disown him. Then I should persuade my brother not to take drugs.

Visual /photograph/picture/ to help my peers understand what this would mean

To make my statement more clear I included the picture of The Leaning Tower of Pisa. As I said, Yes, there will be ups and downs if my brother's on drugs, maybe only downs, but anyways, pieces will fall apart. Just like The Leaning Tower of Pisa our family will lose balance and lean sideways but we will not fall over. We will stick together and endure these hardships just like The Leaning Tower of Pisa has done over the years until now. We will gather the scattered pieces and rearrange them back to their places one by one.

Empathy

I think empathy could be represented as a roller coaster. Empathy is the ability to know how the other person feels and really connect with that person about their worries and share a deep conversation about the worries. And you don't fully understand unless you have have the same worries or have been in the same situations. For example, you don't fully know how scary, heart-pounding, and nauseaus a roller coaster ride makes you feel after you have gone through the never-ending tracks. You don't understand why some people throw up after a roller coaster ride, you must hop on to the roller coaster with the other person and endure the never-ending tracks until the end together with the other person side by side in order to empathize with the person who rode beside you and really care for and know how it feels for those who vomit.

What qualities does a good listener have?

A good listening skill is always an important skill you need in anywhere we go. We stereotype that drug users are crazy and out of their minds and thus we try to avoid them. However, what if that is why they relieve stress using drugs instead of socializing with others, because we, the ignorant people are neglecting and disregarding the drug users' desires to engage in a deep conversation about their addiction and how to solve them. I think the most important skill needed to be a good listener is simply to listen to what others have got to say. Being prepared to listen to others is an essential quality that any good listeners have. And after listening to what the other person had to say giving a good constructive criticism or a feedback is always a good factor when engaging in a deep conversation. These are the qualities that a good listener must have.

School Policies

JIS School Policy about Drugs
According to the drug tests we do in school:

-Positive Drug Test

First offence:

• Four or more days suspension
• Six counseling sessions with outside counselor
• Name notified in report to Indonesian authorities
• Regular drug testing for the rest of the year

Second offence:

• Recommended Expulsion

-Possession of, taking, being under the influence of, buying, selling, giving, trafficking, aiding or abetting the propagation of narcotics, stimulants, barbiturates, suppressants, hallucinogens, inhalants or marijuana.

First offence:

• Recommended Expulsion

How are students caught abusing and selling drugs and what are the consequences to this?

One of the ways students get caught using drugs is during the drug test. In JIS we have drug tests on student to check if we use drugs... Another way a student could get caught is actually being seen with drugs or selling them.
The consequences of getting caught using, selling, or buying drugs is recommended expulsion in JIS so... don't get caught ^^.

Article about Cocaine and Korea

This website, The Statesman, claims that the 30 kg of cocaine on board the MV Benjamin, gone missing on April 25 and 27 were likely the work of the Koreans... What? No way...

http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?newsid=282&section=10

Songs about Cocaine

Artist: Tori Amos

Title: She's Your Cocaine

"She's Your Cocaine"

She's your Cocaine

She's got you shaving your legs

You can suck anything

But you know you wanna be me

Put on your make-up boy

You're your favourite stranger

And we all like to watch

So shimmy once and do it again

Bring you sister

Bring you sister if you can't handle it

She says control it

Then she says don't control it

Then she says you're controlling

The way she makes you crawl

She's your cocaine your

Exodus laughing

And she knows

What you are

So shimmy once and do it again

Bring you sister

Bring you siter if you can't handle it

If you want me to

Boy I could lie to you

You don't need on of these to let me inside of you

And is it true

That devils end up like you

Something safe for the picture frame

And is it true

That devils end up like you

So tied up you don't know how she came

She's you Cocaine

She's go you shaving your legs

She got you liking mine back

Go me takin it in

Getting mine back

Lasting mine evil

I'm taking me easel

And I"m writing good checks

You sign Price of Darkness

Try squire of dimness

Please don't help me with this

Please don't help me with this

Please don't help me with this

Cut it again

Ads used to advertise Cocaine

Here are some funny and some serious cocaine ads.

This ad is a funny ad that would help people not use cocaine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8dOnq-l5CE

Here is a serious ad that would help people not use cocaine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agT2GVNQjao&feature=related

This ad is a parody of the second one that would make you want to use cocaine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en1i14U-pXY&feature=related

Endorphin releasing activities

Here are some activities I do to release endorphin:

1. Sports: Swimming, soccer, basketball
2. Video Games: Winning Eleven
3. Meditate while listening to calming music

• When I play sports I relieve stress because it makes me forget about the worries I had and makes me enjoy my life.
• Video games relieve my stress because they are fun and engaging.
• If I meditate I feel calm and happy and forget about my worries and stress.

How will you help a person/friend/family member if he or she admitted a drug problem to you and asked for your help?

My problem solving skill!

1. First I would ask them why they started using drugs.
2. Then now that I know the root of the problem, the reason why my friend started drugs, I would try to solve or lessen the problem by engaging in deep conversations as well as...
3. Tell her to cut down on the drugs each day. If she used 3 pills today, tell her to use 2 tomorrow.
4. Then I would visit her everyday to chech if she's following her goal.
5. If she is suffering from the symptoms of withdrawal, I would hold her hands and overcome the symptoms with her together.
6. Then hopefully she would be thinking no more of taking drugs.

Some websites to help stop addiction: http://www.ehow.com/how_2080458_combat-psychological-drug-addiction.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

Script:

Girl: Dave... I've got some problems...

Dave: What is it?

Girl: I am on drugs...

Dave: Oh... what drug are you using?

Girl: Cocaine.

Dave: How long have you been using it?

Girl: Months... Maybe 6 months now... Dave i wanna change... i wanna stop using drugs.

Dave: Ok.. why did you take it in the first place?

Girl: Well... You know, I'm a bit of a loner so i had no one to talk to, to socialize with, so i was so depressed that i used drugs.

Dave:Oh... ok.. are you willing to change?

Girl: Yes

Dave: Promise you will do as i say?

Girl: Yes.

Dave: Ok. How many doses do you take in a day?

Girl: 4 to 5.

Dave: Ok. Tomorrow why don't you try only taking 3 doses, and see if there's any withdrawal symptoms tell me. I'll come visit tomorrow. Bye

Girl: Ok... bye

The next day.

Dave enters the Girl's house.

Dave: How you feeling?

Girl: I'm ok i guess... but I'm not as happy as before...

Dave: Anything else?

Girl: No.

Dave: Good.

Days went by like this and everything seemed to go all right.

2 weeks later Dave visits the Girl.

Dave: What did you do today? Anything fun?

Girl: Nothing much, but Dave I've got a problem... I started using none of the cocaine doses and I can't stand it. I need some. Can I have one?

Dave:Hmm... No let's wait. Try to fight it.

Girl: ok...

5 minutes later...

Girl: I need it... I want it.. aa!! Where is it.

Dave holds her hand tight.

Dave: look me in the eyes. Look at me. Its ok... just wait. Let's try to fight it... I'll fight with you... Let's eat something. Anything in the fridge?

Girl: Some fruits... That's it..

Dave:That's it? ... I think we need to go shopping!

Girl: I don't want to. I'm scared

Dave: It's ok, you can stick right beside me and I'll protect you. This will get you mind off of cocaine for a while.

Dave and the Girl goes to a grocery store.

Girl: It's been long since i last came here.

Dave: Wow, lots of stuff in here. Oh! look at that that apple, it's bigger than my head! haha

Girl: Yeah, hehe, kind of funny.

Before it gets too long... The Girl was able to fight a drug addiction with a strong will power and a help from a friend. The Girls couldn't have fought off the addiction if it wasn't for her strong will power but more importantly an assitant at her side, Dave.

Movies related to Cocaine

Cocaine Cowboys(2006)



Runtime: 1hr 58 minutes



Genre: Education/General Interest



Director: Billy Corben



















Cocaine Angel




Runtime: 1hr 51 minutes




Genre: Dramas




Director: Michael Tully

A drug abuser who does not want to quit or even acknowledge that there is a problem.

The most important factor in this scenario is to make the abuse admit that they've got problems. One of the ways that I thought of to make the abuser admit he has problems is to test him physically and psychologically. It might be cruel but in order to test the abuser physically, I think I should stop him from taking drugs for a while and see the reactions. Then I record the reaction and show it to the abuser when the abuser is in a good psychological state because sometimes the abuser could be out of their minds and don't know what I am talking about. Then maybe the abuser will realize that he has problems both psychologically and physically because he will be able to see him craving for more drugs and see himself tremble and shake when he is not given doses of drugs. Another way might be doing a drug test on him but I don't think that would give the same impact as seeing himself suffer, craving for drugs. Then when the abuser realizes that he's got problems, the next most important thing is the commitment of the abuser to stop taking drugs. Of course there should be a companian besibe to help and guide him through hardships and eventaully to freedom.

My Addictions and the Long Road...

From thinking about what I am addicted to, things such as video games, now I realize what a long road the drug addicts have to walk in order to reach freedom. People say all you need is commitment and will power to stop addcition but they don't understand how addictive these addictions are. It is easy to say all you need is commitment but it is actually really hard to put into action. When you are addicted to something that commitment just doesn't appear. From my experience of being addicted to video games I know how hard, how heart-breaking it is to not be able to do the things you enjoy most. When I was in 6th grade I had to STOP playing video games, not even on weekends, because of my low grades in school. Although I knew that school was more important, I didn't have the bravery to stop playing games. In the end, my video games were forcefully taken away from me. I cried that night at the thought of not playing video games for a year or maybe even forever. I think it would be the same for drug abusers. Taking drugs is their most enjoyable activity and trying to stop it... Some people will try with a tremendous amount of bravery but have side effects, just like I cried. I think abusers need another source of entertainment to occupy them so that they have no time to think about taking drugs. That is why you need people to engage with them, to help distract them from thinking of drugs. We should not avoid and isolate the drug users but help them become normal again and have a second chance in life.

I'm sorry I won't do it again...

I have a confession to make. I... I played video games when I was supposed to study for my ninth grade final exam! Ah! I said it, yes, I did not study for the exams. Instead I enjoyed my evening playing Winning Eleven. I knew it wasn't the right thing to do but I had... The joystick was calling my name and I just couldn't ignore it. I should've! I should've ignored it! Dang, this small brain of my could not withstand the power of my hypnotic joystick. The joystick was luring me in. I couldn't help it but to grab my joystick, turn on my ps2 and the T.V, and just start playing. Even though I knew I had to study I couldn't help it. I cannot describe with words my helplessness I experienced. I just did it and it made me feel good and happy. I was stress-free when I was playing. I cannot fully empathize with drug users but I think they would get similar feelings. Happiness, no stress, helplessness against protecting themselves from taking drugs, joy.

Need some help?

Yayasan Harapan Permata Hati Kita is a non profit organization that works in the area of addiction and recovery, and have programs provide education in those areas. This organization was founded in 1999 and is open to Indonesians as well as foreigners. They have international expertise in counseling, addiction, HIV/AIDS, Sexually transmitted Diseases, Reproductive Health, and related areas as well. Composed of both Indonesian and English speakers, this recovery center is the most comprehensive addiction treatment and recovery program available in the country.

Address:
Yayasan Harapan Permata Hati Kita
Addiction Treatment & Recovery Community Center
Villa Pandawa YAKITA
Jl. Ciasin No 21 - RT 01 / RW10
Desa Bendungan, Ciawi, Bogor
Jawa Barat - Indonesia
Tel. (0251) 243 077 – (0251) 243 069
Fax (0251) 243 005

Quiz!

1. Which part of the brain is affected by drugs?


2. What is addiction?


3. What are the 7 different classes of drugs?


4. Name 3 street names for Cocaine.


5. How many methods are there to consume Cocaine and what are they?


6. Is Cocaine psychologically addictive?


7. What is Cocaine, a stimulant or a depressant?


8. From what plant is Cocaine originally made from?


9. Are there any medical use for Cocaine?


10. How many out of out of 4 Americans between the age of 26 and 34 have used cocaine in their lifetime?

Bonus...

What is my code name?

Who am I? (if you get this, for those of you who I didn't reveal my identity to..., I will give you a treat... If i can.)

Books to read about Cocaine

Here are some books if you want to know more about cocaine, they are in the JIS High School Library.

1. Cocaine and crack by Barter, James, 2002
2. Cocaine by Connolly, Sean, 2001
3. Cocaine: white gold rush in Peru by Morales, Edmundo, 1990

Bibliography

1. http://bric.postech.ac.kr/trend/retrend/2003/0309/030925-7.html
2. http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/Cocaine.html
3. http://www.aboutcocaine.us/index.html
4. http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/cocaine/
5. http://www.intheknowzone.com/cocaine/what.htm
6. http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0310171/whypeople.htm
7. http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_brain1.asp
8. http://www.watchtower.org/e/20010708/article_02.htm
9. http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_29_93.html
10. http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?newsid=282&section=10
11. http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/c/cocaine/stats.htm
12. http://www.dreglobal.org/7drugs.htm