Drugs often come in various forms. There are those drugs that are illegal while others are legal. Research has shown that substance abuse and misuse might cause ranges of health problems or even death (Shinar Schechtman & Compton, 2000). Drugs generally will fall into the following distinct group, narcotics, depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens. Each of the drugs tends to affect the user’s body in a different way and create different side-effect and symptoms. The essay will discuss these groups of drugs and then identify specific drugs from each group for analysis.
Depressants entail substances that tend to slow down the individual’s central nervous system. One of the commonly depressant drugs that are often abused is alcohol. Despite the fact that alcohol is legal in most states, it is a hazardous substance when it is misused. Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the UK inform of under-age drinking, excessive drinking or even drinking in an inappropriate situation. According to Shinar Schechtman & Compton, (2000), alcohol availability and its tolerability in the society has worsened its effect among the users. It is considered one of the perceived pleasant social drug but most people become either physically or even psychologically dependent on it. Studies have linked alcohol abuse to many deaths from accidents and illness. Alcohol suppresses or even slows the user’s brain activity and acts directly on the person’s nervous system creating a sedating or even calming effect. The effect of the drug includes calming down anxious individuals and promotes sleep. When taken in large amount alcohol can result in loss of consciousness and even loss of life. A systematic abuse of alcohol for long will cause tolerance where a person will have to take large doses to achieve the same effect (McAllister, 2004). When a regular user of alcohol stops suddenly, there are chances of developing the physical withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, insomnia anxiety and death. Alcohol has been linked closely with the use of other drugs such as nicotine, cocaine, and marijuana. When under the influence of alcohol, an individual can be tempted to use other drugs to gain the same feeling of alcohol.
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Hallucinogens are drugs that often affect an individual’s perception of sight, sound, smell and even touch. There are some hallucinogenic that have the potential to cause a substantial impact on the user’s reasoning and awareness. It is important to note that hallucinogen does not have legal medical use hence all fall under the abused drugs. The commonly abused drug is the LSD. LSD effects have been shown to vary significantly on dosage. According to Shinar Schechtman & Compton, (2000), LSD is considered the most potent among all the hallucinogens with about 100 times stronger. The effects of LSD include very vivid visual and audible hallucinations. This feeling is often literally an out of body experience. The individual will also experience distortion of time, distance, and personal integrity. Studies have established that this is terrifying because the user might not be able to control his or her thought process particular after one has become addicted to it. The drug's addiction and dependence are risky since an individual might not be able to control his mind resulting in increased fear and psychosis (Bellenir, 2000). The drug has the potential to produce perpetual and the temporal distortion to heavy users. They commonly affect perception and thinking through producing significant distortion. The released distortion might either be pleasurable, frightening or even upset. Occasionally, this drug has been reported to cause an adverse psychological effect in addition to anti-social behavior. Research has established that the users of LSD often make use of other types of drugs such as heroin and cocaine particularly when they could not get these substances. Further, when under the influence of the drugs, they often mix LSD with other drugs to get the intended feeling immediately.
Stimulants are types of drugs capable of stimulating the central nervous system. In most instances, they raise an individual’s level of alertness and physical activities. The most commonly abused stimulant drug is cocaine. Cocaine has been reported to have a limited commercial use, and its possession and usage are strictly prohibited. When utilized for a long time, cocaine often interferes with the normal level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Cocaine often will result in increased heartbeat and causes blood pressure and breathing to elevate. A long-term usage of cocaine can cause paranoia and hostility (McAllister, 2004). Cocaine can further change the normal functioning of the brain hence affecting the way nerve cells communicate with one another. There are instances when the drug makes an individual angry and paranoid. The long-term use of this drug has been established to result in addiction and a cycle of arousal then followed by depressions when the effects of the drugs begin to wear off. In other instances, the user develops an increased dependence on the drug hence making larger and larger dosage or intake as necessary. The addiction of cocaine has been reported to be dangerous because the user will have to use the large quantity of the drug to feel satisfied. Cocaine is used with other forms of drugs like nicotine for a long time. The users of cocaine often smoke nicotine.
Narcotics refer to psychoactive drugs that often changes the users’ mood and perception. Narcotics can be swallowed, smoked, sniffed or even injected. It significantly affects the user’s mind. The best example of the commonly used narcotic is heroin. It has further been used medically to reduce tension, anxiety and even aggression. Heroin has, however, been shown to come with increased unwanted effects such as apathy, drowsiness and even inability to concentrate (Bellenir, 2000). It has the power to result in a psychological drug addiction. At the end of the physical urge for the drug the heavy user will go on thinking and talking about this substance and at a certain time, they might experience an overwhelmed feeling to cope with their normal lives. Studies have established that physical dependence of heroine is one of the consequences of the drug use and withdrawal might be felt when a person stop using it. Just like the rest of the drugs discussed above, the user of heroine uses other types of drugs. These drugs are often abused together with nicotine or even cocaine (Emboden, 1972).
All of these groups of drugs have been confirmed to be highly psychoactive. It implies that they can influence either the user’s mental system such as changes in moods, reasoning, feelings, perceptions or even cognition (Bellenir, 2000). In addition to this, the use of these groups of drugs is linked to various health complications such as liver cirrhosis, psychosis, stigma and even financial challenges. Further, based on a study by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, all the drugs identified in this essay from drugs groups might result in chemical dependence of either psychological or physical dependence. Physical dependence implies that the body of the users has become used to the drugs habituated and cannot function effectively without it. Psychological drug addiction is manifested in the form of craving for these drugs. An individual with psychological dependence in most occasions has uncontrollable and unavoidable urge to use these substances.
References
Bellenir, K. (Ed.). (2000). Drug Abuse Sourcebook: Basic Consumer Health Information about Illicit Substances of Abuse and the Diversion of Prescription Medications, Including Depressants, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, Marijuana, Narcotics, Stimulants, and Anabolic Steroids; Along with Facts about Related Health Risks, Treatment Issues, and Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, a Glossary of Terms, Statistical Data, and Directories of Hotline Services, Self-help Groups, and Organizations Able to Provide Further Information . Omnigraphics.
McAllister, W. B. (2004). The global political economy of scheduling: the international– historical context of the Controlled Substances Act. Drug and alcohol dependence , 76 (1), 3-8.
Emboden, W. (1972). Narcotic plants, hallucinogens, stimulants, inebriants and hypnotics-their origins and uses .
Shinar, D., Schechtman, E., & Compton, R. P. (2000, May). Signs and symptoms predictive of drug impairment. In the Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs, & Traffic Safety, Stockholm, Sweden .
