Drug Abuse And Its Effects

Drug abuse is an addiction to a drug that can lead to harmful effects for the user and the people around him or her. Drug abuse has been around long before most of us were alive. Almost everyone that has a drug problem does not think they will get addicted when they try the selected drug for the first time. Drugs do things to people without them realizing it and hurt them in the long run

Stimulants can be used to speed up the central nervous system making a person fell more alert and aware of their surroundings. Depressants are the opposites and reduce the activity of the nervous system and produce a feeling of calm and/or “taking the edge off”. Hallucinogenics can be used to make an individual have hallucinations and have distortions in space and

Drugs abuse is a social issue that affects a considerable portion of the population within the United States. Drug issues, in general, is broad and complex given there are many different kinds of drugs with abuse potential and the people who use drugs can come from different social backgrounds.

Psychoactive drugs act on the brain and can change the way a person thinks, feels or behaves. Of course, most people use some kind of legal drugs such as alcohol, prescribed medication and caffeine. Unfortunately illegal drugs are part of life for some people too.

“Prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, or for the experience or feelings elicited.” Prescription Drugs are ranked number two in drugs abused (Volkow 7).

According to Doctor Parish, hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that cause an alteration in perception, thought, or mood. A rather heterogeneous group, these compounds have different chemical structures, different mechanisms of action, and different adverse effects. Despite their name, most hallucinogens do not consistently cause hallucinations, which are defined as false sensations that have no basis in reality. Often, they are more likely to cause changes in mood or in thought than actual hallucinations. (Parish, 2011) Hallucinogens have very specific symptoms that pose a particular physical risk. These include increased heart rate, high blood pressure, tremors, seizures, and even coma. In regards to withdrawal from the use of hallucinogens, these drugs do not seem to be physically addictive but may pose a psychological threat to users because they

Drug abuse: an increasingly popular activity people are using as an escape from reality. Little do they know, after long-term substance abuse, they may never be in touch with reality again. Nearly 22 million Americans 12 years and older use drugs illegally. All drugs, prescription or recreational, can be divided into four classes; depressants, opioids, hallucinogens, and stimulants which all have long lasting effects when they are abused. Depending on which class and more specifically which drug a person abuses, the effects can vary.

According to the Urban dictionary, a stimulant can refer to any drug the affect the activity in the central nervous system (CNS) or sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The most common recreational stimulants are called ?uppers? and include ADHD medications (Adderall, Ritalin, etc.), amphetamines, cocaine, and ecstasy. The more addictive stimulants can give you a sense of euphoria and an overall sense of well-being.?(D., 2004)

These chemicals can interfere with the process of brain cells communicating with each other. According to Dr. Marissa Merandez (2006), “Psychoactive drugs alter communications between brain cells. Individual brain cells (neurons) communicate with one another through a series of biological messengers called neurotransmitters.” The altered communications of these neurotransmitters is determined by the chemical in use. Psychoactive chemicals can tinker with these communications in many ways. “[Psychoactive chemicals] interfere with normal brain function by blocking it [neurotransmitter communication], or by altering the way neurotransmitters are stored, released, and removed...” (Marissa Merandez, 2006). Interfering with neurotransmitter communications and the distribution of neurotransmitters is what gives a psychoactive chemical its intended effects. The general groupings of these substances fall into either depressants, stimulants, opioids, and hallucinogens. Depressants diminish the activity of the central nervous system. Also, possible long term effects could result in changed brain function and structure, reduced mental capacity, and decreased brain volume. Stimulants increase the activity of the central nervous system, but risk abnormalities in specific regions of the brain, loss of some mental capacity,

Illegal stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine cause the brain to release excessive amounts of dopamine; thus causing the user to experience a high. However, the high accompanying the drugs come with detrimental side effects such as dangerously high fevers, insomnia, and irregular heartbeat (Elements Behavioral Health) .

The most common hallucinogens are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (mushrooms), and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Hallucinogens also tend to increase a person’s heart rate, pulse, and body temperature which is why you often times find users of hallucinogens without clothes on. Other signs of a person under the influence of a hallucinogen are dilated pupils, regardless the time of day, and a person under the influence of LSD often times have piloerection which is goose bumps and a person’s hair standing straight up on their

Stimulants are a type of medication prescribed to treat various medical conditions. A stimulant is a drug that excites any bodily function, more specifically those that increase brain and central nervous system activity (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica). When stimulant medications are taken, dopamine and norepinephrine levels are increased which helps transmit signals between nerves in the brain which increase brain activity. This medication promotes the brain to be alert, increase motor activity and, wakefulness which why it is prescribed to treat many medical conditions.

Drugs are substances that have physical and psychological effects on the body. Once an individual has taken drugs multiple times they start to build a tolerance. When tolerance is built an individual will up the dosage of the drug. Now the individual will be addicted to the drug. People are addicted to drugs to compliment physical and psychological dependence. There are many different types of drugs such as psychoactive drugs, stimulants, and hallucinogens.

There are three different types of drugs sedative, stimulant and Hallucinogenic. Sedative drugs for example alcohol and heroin have an effect that slows the body and brain function down and may cause a person to feel very drowsy if a sufficient amount is taken. This can also lead to fatal overdose if too much is taken. Drugs such as amphetamine, cocaine, crack and ecstasy have a stimulant effect that can produce anxiety or panic attacks, especially when taken in large amounts. They are also highly dangerous for people with blood

Drug abuse is definable mainly in terms of societal disapproval. It may involve experimental and recreational use of drugs, which is usually illegal with risk of arrest; unsanctioned use of psychoactive drugs to relieve problems or symptoms; or use of drugs first for the previous two reasons but later because of dependence and