The use of most drugs causes, at first, very positive effects such as a feeling of well-being, happiness and courage. Nevertheless, its long-lasting impacts can be extremely dangerous, especially when used for a long time. The use of medicines can create major changes in the performance of the heart, liver, lungs and also even the brain, being really hazardous to wellness.
In addition, a good part of the drugs causes habituation and, therefore, the body needs an increasing dose to obtain the same positive results, which greatly increases the risk of death from overdose. Learn about types of drugs and which symptoms may indicate an overdose situation.
Main types of drugs
There are licit drugs and illicit drugs. Legal drugs are those that can be marketed such as cigarettes, alcoholic beverages and medicines. Illicit drugs are those that are prohibited from being sold, such as marijuana, crack, cocaine, ecstasy.
The main types of drugs are:
Natural drugs: like the marijuana that is made from the Cannabis Sativa plant, and the opium that comes from the poppy flowers;
Synthetic drugs: which are produced artificially in laboratories, such as ecstasy and LSD;
Semi-synthetic drugs: such as heroin, cocaine and crack, for example.
In addition, drugs can still be classified as depressing, stimulating or disturbing the nervous system.
Regardless of the type of drug, the most important thing is to try to stop using it. For that, there are several types of programs, of several months, that try to help the person to resist the urge to consume the drug. Understand how the treatment is done rehab clinic in Islamabad to stop using drugs.
Effects of drugs
The effects of drugs can be noticed in a few minutes, right after their use, but they tend to last a few minutes, requiring a new dose to prolong its effect on the body. So it is very common for a person to get hooked quickly.
The following are the effects immediately after using any illicit drug:
1. Immediate effects of depressant drugs
Depressant drugs, such as heroin, cause effects on the body such as:
- Less ability to reason and concentrate
- Exaggerated feeling of calm and tranquility
- Exaggerated relaxation and well-being
- Increased drowsiness
- Decreased reflexes
- Greater resistance to pain
- Greater difficulty in making delicate movements
- Decreased ability to drive
- Decreased learning capacity at school and profitability at work
2. Immediate effects of stimulant drugs
Stimulant drugs, such as cocaine and crack, cause:
- Intense euphoria and feeling of power
- Excitation state
- Lots of activity and energy
- Decreased sleep and loss of appetite
- Speaks very fast
- Increased pressure and heart rate
- Emotional control Loss of reality
3. Immediate effects of disruptive drugs
Disruptive drugs, also known as hallucinogens or psychodysleptics, such as marijuana, LSD and ecstasy cause:
- Hallucinations, mainly visuals such as changing colors, shapes and contours of objects,
- Altered sensation of time and space, with minutes looking like hours or meters looking like Km
- Feeling of enormous pleasure or intense fear
- Ease of panic and exaltation
- Exaggerated notion of grandeur
- Delusions related to theft and persecution.
One of the most recent examples of this type of drug is Flakka, also known as “zombie drug”, which is a cheap drug initially produced in China, which causes aggressive behavior and hallucinations, and there are even reports of cases in which users of this drug started activities, cannibals, during the period they were under the influence of it.
Effects of drugs on pregnancy
The effects of drugs on pregnancy can be seen in women and babies and can lead to miscarriage, premature birth, growth restriction, low weight for gestational age and congenital malformation.
After the baby is birthed, he might experience drug withdrawal issues as his body will already be addicted. In this case, the baby may present symptoms such as crying a lot, being very irritated and having difficulty feeding, sleeping and breathing, requiring hospitalization.
Long-term effects
The long-term consequences of any type of drug include:
- Destruction of neurons, which decrease the ability to think and perform activities
- Development of psychiatric illnesses, such as psychosis, depression or schizophrenia
- Liver damage, such as liver cancer
- Malfunction of kidneys and nerves
- Development of contagious diseases, such as AIDS or Hepatitis
- Heart problems, such as heart attack
- Early death
- Isolation from family and society
- What can happen when using drugs
The consumption of a large amount of drugs can cause an overdose, which seriously alters the functioning of organs such as the lungs and heart, and can cause death.
Some of the first symptoms of overdose include agitation, convulsions, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, bleeding, loss of consciousness and, when there is no medical help, it can be fatal.
Symptoms of overdose and the risk of death can also happen when an individual carries drugs inside the body e.g stomach because a small amount of narcotic substance in the bloodstream is enough for changes to occur throughout the body, and can even lead to death.
