In this essay presents the issue of drug use by addicts and how we are powerless to help them get out of this situation

1. The man from the gutter-Essay
Antonio Fernando Navarro[1]
The text deals with the question of man, put it in a place that usually represents
something unpleasant, because there follows the garbage from the sidewalks, sewage from
houses, and, finally, things that are not at all pleasant, the gutter. According to
dicionarioinformal.com.br, the gutter can mean: "decadence, humiliation, no morals, bad".
The human person can find himself in this situation for a number of reasons, which
are: a heartbreak; an emotional problem distressing and unresolved; psychiatric problems and
family abandonment, or the use of illicit drugs. When instead the television newscasts feature the
"invasion of cracudos", as came to be called the crack users, who break into avenues and provoke
conflict situations, after leaving the State of lethargy as they get during most of the day. At the
end, arise and follow to new search journey of easy money and drugs available at the corner. How
long that will last? No one knows for sure, but there are those who die hit, those who "go out" by
drug abuse, those who are murdered for not foreclose on their debts, finally, die when they are
meant to die. First, however, hurt a lot to those who want them well. A mother once heard: "I
might as well mourn the dead son than mourn son alive". It's not like she was right? It certainly is
an arduous task to make the one like something joyously, will ignore it. Tell a drug addict is not a
good thing would be lying to him. He is happy to use it and all that, if you say unlike will surely be
rejected by the user. Therefore, the user gathering treatments for a "pair" of days not inhibits
returning where it came from. Inaccurate statistics report that of every 100 people who are taken
to a site to be kept there for a period of 15 days, 90 return to addiction, often in the next two
weeks. The reasons are many: lack of meaning of life; lack of prospects for a future that is better
than the present; lack of hope into something good; confidence about the future and all; lack of
opportunities, including job, among so many other faults. What's worse is that the drugs will
slowly "sequelando" the individual. One of the first parts of the brain affected is the frontal lobe,
which is where our "brake", the control of our emotions and reason.
Crack absorption is greater than the intravenous drug-Drug reaches the brain in about
10 seconds. Region responsible for the control of pleasure is achieved. [2]
Absorption and effect faster, and lower price. The combination makes the crack one of
the drugs with the highest potential for dependence and of destruction. Compared with
cocaine, she comes more easily to the central nervous system and its use can be repeated
many times.

2. As well as the drug reaches the brain within 10 seconds, the results appear in a short
time: loss of brain capacity. "The crack causes a level of significant brain injury," says
psychiatrist Ronaldo Laranjeiras, Coordinator of the unit of alcohol addiction and drug
(UNIAD), Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP).
"The more it's smoked, more drugs corrupts this pleasure Center"
He explains that the contact surface of the lungs with the smoked drug is much larger
when compared to cocaine snorted, which facilitates the absorption of the crack. "The
surface of the lung tissue can be the size of a tennis court," he says. "And after smelling a few
times, there is a constriction in the vessels of the nasal septum, which hinders the absorption
of cocaine."
Since it is inhaled, the smoke of crack is absorbed by the lungs and goes straight into
the bloodstream. In seconds, the drug reaches the central nervous system.
"The crack reaches the region of the frontal cortex, a region responsible for the control
of pleasure," says psychiatrist. "The more it's smoked, more drugs corrupts this pleasure
Center."
This explains the behavior popularly called "crazing". In the absence of the drug, the
body of the crack addict passes the "ask" for more activation of the pleasure Center, which
after a short time is only achieved by consuming drugs again. "Any drug that is absorbed by
via have pulmonary absorption much more efficient, more even than if it was injected".
Orange tree explains that in a few days, or at most a few weeks, the user becomes
addicted. "Even people who use cocaine for years can become addicted to crack in very little
time," he says.
Consequence
The consequences of addiction were measured by team psychiatrist. A survey
conducted on a sample of user accompany Unifesp for twelve years. For 30% of them to
death in violent situations reached within a maximum period of five years. "Crack's life is a
life in the midst of violence, then death is common in these conditions," says the doctor. Even
people who use cocaine for years can become addicted to crack in very little time.
According to the survey of Unifesp, 40% of users have stopped using the drug, 10%
were arrested and 20% have become chronic users. "These are people with very limited
lifestyle and you can continue using for 10, 12 years," he says.

3. Despite being a stimulant drug, crack cocaine decreases the amount of blood in the
frontal cortex. This can cause other mental problems like schizophrenia, depression and
anxiety. "The person can develop paranoid frames or more severe," says orange blossom.
When thinking about the theme of man we join him under the angle of those who
every night, or even during the day, they get together at the doors of banks, supermarkets,
bakeries, asking for money to buy bread, or with children in her lap, often borrowed from other
families. Points are in a strategic, often with money in your pocket for a stroll or an immediate
purchase, in the other case, we leave with shopping bags to fuel our pantry at home, in these
moments, we see each other, somehow superior to those who, in one way or another are in a
condition quite inferior to ours, and there the heart gives orders coming often to the case we
deliver something you bought, or deliver any change.
Once, left home early in the morning on Sunday to go to a bakery and buy some bread.
Almost at the door of the bakery we were approached by a boy of 12 to 15 years or so, very thin
and pale, asking for money to buy a loaf of bread. I told you accompany me to the bakery. The boy
stood outside. I asked the Clerk to get a fresh bread, open, spend lots of butter, put cheese and
ham. Next, I cut the bread into two pieces and involved in a bakery paper. Once this is done,
delivered the package to the boy, in the expectation that the boy took the package and eat with
pleasure the sandwich. Instead, the boy walked to the corner and threw the parcel into a
dumpster. That was a disgrace to me. It was a Sunday so bad, because I didn't want you to know
that I had done something good or not. Wish that you asked for bread received, however, did not
eat. Reproach me for not having noticed the boy's intent. But, I think many like me would have
done the same and repeated the gesture sometimes because we were educated to aid the next.
On the other hand, on the evening news saw bunch of kids in downtown Rio de
Janeiro, taking people bracelets, watches and necklaces and fleeing, then trade it for drugs. This
side Bandit makes us to have their anger, because many of our friends have been through this. If
one of us would go through that embarrassment would, at the same time, the will to arrest them
and leaves them there, because at that time, these people have no way. The interesting thing is
that they are the same ones that live wandering in the "cracolândias" of life.
Why we address this issue? Because oftentimes, not to say most of the time, that money or
shopping ends up being exchanged for drugs traffickers to dump torrents in our cities. In others,
not frequent, people thank you and make good use of what we deliver. As most of the time our
perception is that people take advantage of a momentary weakness our and use what demos for

4. the purchase of drugs, finished by generalizing the issue. Without arguing the merits of how they
can proceed.
Why would a person uses drugs?
Now, a person is using drugs claiming large amount of reasons. Sometimes it was not
strong enough to face a physical suffering or familiar. Another is made, may have been addicted
since childhood by bad people. One can also imagine that the use of a person's relationships came
with other drug addicts who use as argument: experience what is good; see how that will ease
your head; What a good thing, the day will dawn and you won't even notice. Others use drugs, not
to be expelled from their groups and thus make use, at first, almost by imposition. To make sense
to them, forget for a moment the life you lead, since many have nowhere to go, because they
have no families or have been expelled from home. So, sleep on the benches of the square. Under
the marquees of the buildings, or in abandoned houses.
One thing is certain. Anxiety is the mainspring for the beginning of the use of drugs,
but also for frustration. After that comes the anger or anything that might represent a "reason" to
go out and get drugs. Certainly the addict feels better when using the drug for a reason or motive.
And the reason is if I feel less guilty.
This question is difficult to deal with on a day-to-day basis, in the accounts, in family
and social environments. In residential condominiums it is not uncommon to hear the screams in
people's apartments reaching their homes wasted and creating the biggest problems for their
families. For the neighbors, everyone pretend they didn't hear the cries of parents and son or
daughter. For these families remains the shame to have a son, or husband who uses drugs and
comes home at dawn by creating problems.
In the so-called Detox clinics (you can't detoxify who doesn't want to be detoxified),
what you realize is that most that there are family and this has the leaves. In some times it is
noticed that the addict had his own family and children. But these are not how to live with a
person who takes everything from House to exchange for drugs on street corners of life. In many
cases the coexistence becomes violent with the addict knocking on wife and or children.
Once we were stunned when we watch on TV an interview with a delegate telling police that
traffickers existed because there were people who used drugs.
We saw these detoxification clinics relatives hoping their kids out of that. Well, will
hope that never left the hearts of those relatives arrived to awaken any remorse in your children?
We think not. Do these people not blamed all the time trying to get an apology for the errors of
their children? We think so.

5. At a time, watching a meeting of families and saw a crack user of sixteen years
alongside his psychologist thanking everyone and saying goodbye for ever being released from the
clinic. On the way out, looked for friends of the clinic and smiled. Well, he's back to there six times
until then. In one of those spent 45 days in isolation of other companions, such was the fury he
felt inside himself for not being using the drug.
For those who never experienced these issues enough to be startling to see a person
"taken" for something unknown, furious, creating all sorts of problems because the drug needs to
satisfy, or calm down. To obtain this "pleasure" momentary is capable of anything. In a meeting of
in we saw a boy who came to exchange an apartment received on inheritance by drugs. Passed 15
years later he gave his statement reporting the incident.
In meetings and AA all call themselves Addicts. This word is Latin and means "slave". Junkies
understand that are and will always be slaves to an addiction. So, they say, ... I've been clean for ...
years, months and days, just for today. Now, what makes a person feel slave of an addiction? As a
matter of fact these people don't have the will to change?
Our experience, limited, in this area stems from the fact provide volunteer services in
psychiatric clinics for a few years. We never smoke or drink. Thus, it is difficult to understand why
the cycle: smoke > marijuana > alcohol > cocaine > crack > heroin, and other, not necessarily in
that sequence, occurs. A psychiatrist, in a lecture once said: people seeking drugs for more
experimentation. If, to try and if it doesn't do well, when you pass the drug they use it, or you
know what to do when you feel bad. How much faster is the cycle of use, wellness/pleasure,
maintenance in the body and, more people seek drugs.
To get the drugs they seek that utters them. Can be the attendant of the post, the
Paperboy, walking the classmate, the guard of the College, anyway, can be anyone, even a pizza
deliveryman or the taxi driver. The next step that ends crippling the social conviviality is that when
families realise the problem, will not give more money to the family. At the beginning the addict
exchanges a pair of sneakers for drugs, then the clothes, finally, radio, television and anything else
that may have a value of "on track". A watch for $ 500 can be exchanged for twenty and addicted
to leave satisfied, because I bought what I wanted. We heard of cases of children who called police
in their homes so that his parents let him hang out with "your stuff" to exchange for drugs.
What you can do to change? How long a person does it take to detoxify? What you can
do to change lies within the person. If this has no strong religious beliefs and has no expectations
hardly leave this life.

6. The drug stays in the body for a period of time. On average, a person can say it's
detoxed after fifteen days. But the problem is not that time. What's worse for the addict's
addiction ends up being more than organic. Becomes part of your life. In the groups of Alcoholics
Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous is noticed that, on average, 15% of people manage to get
rid of the addiction. The remainder is in that comes and goes from the streets to the clinics and
into the streets.
We are witnessing on a daily basis of television newspapers discussions on the topic
and the social issues involved in this matter. On the assumption that if you treat people addicted,
with 4, 5, 15 or 70 years, the first and most important issue is the change of life. An addict who
gets out of rehab and returns to the same environment where she lived before there's no way out
of addiction. On the other hand, how a family can change? Change your city? Change your life?
Change your habits? Conflicts arise when only one person is "make" the lives of three, four, five or
more families. We heard of families who moved to town five or more times in hopes that his son
to drop the addiction.
We have seen families that barely have enough to eat, have little or almost no culture
or knowledge and don't know what to do. Suddenly, comes the news of his son taking part in the
Group of traffickers, dealing drugs, and finally, a stray bullet ...
Once, giving a talk to a group of workers, this activity daily and always prior to the
commencement of activities, he said that the human being is similar to a tripod, where each leg
represents anything: body, mind and spirit. If we want to change we need to work these three
issues. Firstly, Body means the casing. An addict is detrimental to your body as a whole. He has to
realize that. The second issue is the mind. An addict must have adequate guidance. He shall be
offered opportunities for study and work, so that he can feel useful, i.e. out of Gutter, no longer
be the "garbage" of society and will be part of that. The third issue involves the spirit. Here the
issue becomes more complex for many. We are saying that he should have religious precepts,
whatever, and to believe and have faith that with his courage and willpower he will exit the world
of drugs, that is, it must have religious beliefs. If you don't have your family can assist you, leading
to places where religion is present. Family and true friends can contribute to occurring changes. At
the beginning the addict rejects everything that pushes him away from drugs. But with persistence
and seriousness can be thrust upon him understanding religiosity and beliefs. There are multiple
locations held by religious institutions. All locations are open, i.e. the addict has come out anytime
you want. However, most stands. At these sites the chance to return to addiction happens to be of
the order of 30%, i.e. the addict reacts much better in a long-term treatment in an open place,

7. where is obliged to work like everyone else, because everyone has their daily obligations, than
staying cooped up in a clinic that the release after 15 days, without any therapeutic effect, since in
practice the body is detoxified and don't mind.
The results of the work that many town halls have been doing and that the
Government is now embracing is to get the addict on the street and driving it to a sheltered
location. If the addict does not have the necessary follow-up, has no means to sustain themselves,
through learning and work environment can change, the chances of success will be minimal.
Shame we have families who have an addict in their midst. Are bitter people, suffered,
sad and meaningless life. In the same way that the addict needs treatment, their families also
need, otherwise, the climate inside the residences will continue the same and the addict, by anger,
ends leaving home for drugs. Looking more deeply the question realizes that it is very difficult for
parents to accept the fact that they have a son or daughter drugged. Imagine who never drank
can't find normal son drink. Similarly, those who never got addicted can't understand that a son if
he is addicted.
The meetings are always terminated with a prayer, known as the serenity prayer. So, is
repeated by all:
Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
Courage to change those of can, and
Wisdom to distinguish from each other.
At the end, there comes an inevitable conclusion. We have to deal with one thing at a
time and at the right time for this. When we worry about something we keep us busy before their
time with something that we still can't solve. Thus, "we fill our heads with future problems, or
which should be treated in the future, forgetting that we are in the present tense. This is the ideal
vision. Every day without an addict make use of drugs is already an achievement. The
achievements should be encouraged. That's why they say: just for today.
Is that ...
[1]
Mathematician, Physicist, engineer, Civil Engineer, MSC in occupational safety health and
environment and Professor of actuarial science course at UFF – Fluminense Federal University.
[2]
http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Ciencia/0,,MUL1357227-5603,00ABSORCAO+DO+CRACK+E+MAIOR+DO+QUE+A+DE+DROGAS+INJETAVEIS.html