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4 Categories of Psychoactive Drugs
Based on their effects on the mind and body, psychoactive drugs are classified into 4 major categories
1. Stimulants
2. Depressants
3. Narcotics
4. Hallucinogens
Some Other Drugs
There are also 3 other types of drugs that have effects similar to the 4 major ones
5. Cannabis
6. Inhalants
7. Designer Drugs
Lastly, we will also be discussing steroids, which is not a psychoactive drug, but is often abused
1. Stimulants Drugs (nickname)
– Legal - nicotine and caffeine– Illegal
• amphetamine (speed, uppers)• methamphetamine (ice, glass, crystal meth)• cocaine (coke, snow, crack)
Physical Effects – stimulate or speed up nerve activity (increased energy and heart rate, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping)
Stimulants continued…
Psychological Effects – euphoria, increased alertness, depression, paranoia, hallucinations
Effects of Overdose – extreme nervousness, hallucinations, paranoia, heart and lung failure, coma death
Withdrawal Symptoms – lack of interest in normal activities, fatigue, irritability, depression, mental confusion
Amphetamines
Makes users feel more energetic and alert, and euphoric (state of happiness)
One side effect is a loss of appetite, so doctors used to prescribe this drug for short periods of time to help people lose weight
In large amounts, amphetamines can make people feel paranoid
Methamphetamine
Produces euphoria that lasts 12 to 24 hours (during this time, user cannot sleep and has no appetite)
Was also used legally for weight loss
Users become paranoid, aggressive, and violent
Can cause permanent damage to the brain and body
Cocaine
White powder made from leaves of the South American coca plant
Sometimes used as anesthesia in nose and throat surgery
Highly addictive and causes serious physical and psychological problems
Cocaine’s effects are felt quickly, but do not last very long
2. Depressants Drugs (nicknames)
– Legal – alcohol– Illegal
• barbiturates (downers)• tranquilizers• methaqualone (ludes, sopers)
Physical Effects – depresses or slow down nerve activity (decreased heart rate and breathing, sleepiness, poor coordination, blurred vision, slow reaction)
Depressants continued…
Psychological Effects – calmness, reduced anxiety, low alertness, mood changes, impaired reasoning
Effects of Overdose – shallow breathing, cold skin, weak, weak heartbeat, coma, death
Withdrawal Symptoms – restlessness, nausea, blurred vision, difficulty sleeping, trembling, convulsions
Barbiturates
Strong depressants that are prescribed to relax people or help them sleep
After addicted, people cannot fall asleep without the use of barbiturates
Barbiturates cause mental confusion, so users take accidental overdose
When combined with alcohol, it can cause the user to stop breathing
Tranquilizers
People who suffer from anxiety may be treated medically with tranquilizers
Also dangerous when combined with alcohol and causes hundreds of fatal drug overdoses every year
Methaqualone
Produces sudden rush of euphoria
Physical and psychological dependence develops very quickly
Side effects include headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, and diarrhea
High risk of fatal overdose when combined with alcohol
3. Narcotics Drugs (nickname)
– codeine (school boy)– opium (blue velvet, back stuff)– morphine (white stuff, morf)– heroin (horse, smack, junk)
Physical Effects – strong painkiller that produces a relaxed state (pain relief, decreased heart rate and breathing, nausea, vomiting, constipation, slurred speech, poor coordination)
Narcotics continued…
Psychological Effects – euphoria, relaxation, inability to concentrate, lack of interest and response, hunger
Effects of Overdose – constricted pupils, slow breathing, coma, death
Withdrawal Symptoms – flu-like symptoms, runny nose, chills, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, muscle twitching, irritability
Codeine
Least potent narcotic prescribed for mild pain and used in some cough medicine
Codeine can be abused because it produces a state of euphoria
Codeine is not as addictive as other narcotics, but sill causes physical and psychological dependence
Opium
Stronger narcotic that may be prescribed to relieve pain or control diarrhea
Produces an initial rush of euphoria followed by a prolonged dreamy state
Highly addictive and causes severe withdrawal symptoms
Morphine
One of the strongest known painkillers
Extremely addictive, so it is strictly limited for medical use (post-surgery or cancer patients)
Abused for its euphoric effects with severed withdrawal symptoms
Heroin White powder made from morphine, but
is more potent because it acts quicker Prohibited from medical use in US
because it is extremely addictive Most widely abused narcotic in the US Heroin dulls the senses for hours, but
addicts must take several doses each day to avoid withdrawal symptoms
High risk of hepatitis and AIDS
4. Hallucinogens Drugs (nickname)
– LSD (acid)– mescaline (DOM, STP, TMA, MMDA)– PCP (angel dust)
Physical Effects – distort users perceptions of their surroundings and their own bodies (dilated pupils, increased or decreased heart rate and body temperature, perspiration, muscle twitching, aggression, insensitive to pain)
Hallucinogens continued…
Psychological Effects – euphoria, extreme fear, hallucinations, distorted senses, mental confusion, flashbacks
Effects of Overdose – panic, mental confusion, severe mental illness, violent behavior, convulsion, coma, death
Withdrawal Symptoms – none known
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide is extremely powerful and causes vivid and strange visions called “trips” that can last hours
During a “trip,” users may become terrified and believe they are in danger
Weeks or months after a use, users may experience flashbacks
Mescaline
Psychoactive substance found in peyote (type of cactus grown in southwestern US and northern Mexico)
Used in religious ceremonies and spiritual practices of the Native American Church of North America
When eaten, it produces nausea and vomiting, then visions
Highly toxic in even small amounts
PCP
Phencyclidine was originally developed for human surgical anesthesia, but now is restricted to anesthesia for animals
PCP’s effects can last for 3-4 days
Can make users feel tipsy, confused, aggressive and violent
Users seem awake, but do not talk and have little sense of pain
5. Cannabis (Indian hemp plant)
Drugs (nickname)– Marijuana (pot, grass, dope, weed, mary
jane)– hashish (hash)
Physical Effects – increased heart rate and appetite, red eyes, dry mouth and throat, lung damage (similar effects as stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens)
Cannabis continued…
Psychological Effects – mild euphoria, relaxed inhibition, difficulty concentrating, impaired memory
Effects of Overdose – fatigue, paranoia, panic, mental confusion, distorted perceptions resembling mental illness
Withdrawal Symptoms – irritability, restlessness, difficulty sleeping
Marijuana
Most widely used illegal drug in the US because many users think it is harmless
Made from dried and shredded leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant
Usually smoked and its effects felt within minutes and may last for hours
Similar health effects of tobacco, but worse because it contains more dangerous chemicals
Marijuana continued… Marijuana interferes with the mental
development of teenagers and young adults (impairs memory and concentration with difficulty learning)
THC is the active ingredient in marijuana and has been legal since 1986 for chemotherapy patients
Some people have been working to convince the government to reclassify marijuana as Category 2 instead of 1 so that it can be used for medical purposes
Hashish
Oily liquid taken from the cannabis plant that has more intense effects than marijuana because its more concentrated
More expensive than marijuana, so it is less widely used in the US
6. Inhalants
Drugs (nicknames)– amyl nitrite (locker room, rush, poppers)– nitrous oxide (laughing gas)– household products (glue, paint thinner,
lighter fluid)
Physical Effects – produce euphoria when inhaled (dizziness, headaches, slurred speech, slowed reaction time, poor coordination, similar to depressants)
Inhalants continued…
Psychological Effects – giddiness, euphoria, mental confusion, impaired judgment, aggression, hallucinations
Effects of Overdose – heart or lung failure, suffocation, unconscious, coma
Withdrawal Symptoms – not known
Prescription Drugs
At one time, amyl nitrite were commonly prescribed for heart patients to relieve chest pain, while nitrous oxide was used by dentists as a painkiller
These drugs make people feel relaxed and giddy, but can cause dizziness, nausea, and severe headaches
Household Products
Many household products give off fumes with psychoactive effects
These inhalants attract teenagers because they are cheap and produce a rapid, intense high
Long-term use of these products can cause permanent damage to your body
7. Designer Drug
Designer drugs are new chemical combinations that are created to imitate the effects of controlled drugs
The most common types of designer drugs imitate stimulants, narcotics, and hallucinogens
For example, ecstasy imitates the effects of amphetamines and LSD
Can cause more damage for they are more powerful and less predictable
8. Steroids
Steroids are laboratory-made drugs that function like the male hormone testosterone to increase muscle mass
Steroids may be prescribed for young people who are not growing normally
Steroids are not considered psychoactive drugs, but have stimulant-like effects for some users because it makes them feel good about building muscle
Steroids continued
Physical Effects – increased muscle mass and calcium in bones
Psychological Effects – stimulant-like high, increased energy and aggressiveness, possibly violent
Long-term Risks – mental disorders, liver damage, infertility, acne, baldness, reduced sperm production for men, increased facial hair for women