Types of Drugs and Their Effects on the Human Body

What are drugs?

Drugs are substances that impact the mind when introduced into the body. The use of legal drugs such as alcohol is called substance use whereas the misuse of legal or illegal drugs is called substance abuse. 

People use drugs for many reasons including experimental reasons, dealing with stress and anxiety, to control sleep, to deal with emotional pain or trauma and not all drugs lead to addiction.

Commonly used drugs

Most commonly used groups of drugs include:

• methamphetamine - including ice
• Cannabisecstasy: A type of psychoactive drug that can cause a person to think or behave differently. 
• Hallucinogens
• Cocaine
• Analgesics/pain killers: Pain killers are mostly used to relieve pain but they can also be abused if taken too frequently or overused. Paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen are some of the most common painkillers
• Inhalants: They are substances that flow into the bloodstream through the nose and cause an immediate high. Nitrites, volatile solvents and aerosol sprays are some of the examples of inhalants.  
• Sedatives/benzodiazepines
• Heroin and other opioids : They are a type of painkiller that can cause an immediate high and are made from the poppy plant or produced synthetically from fentanyl (used for medical purposes like codeine, pethidine and methadone).

Categories of Drugs

Drugs can be categorized by the way in which they affect the body

1. Depressants: They slow down the time it takes for the messages to get to the body. They can affect your concentration and your ability to coordinate and respond.
2. Hallucinogens: As the name suggests, hallucinogens cause the body to see and hear things that are not usually present. They create an alternate sense of reality and cause feelings of numbness and brain fog.
3. Stimulants: On the other hand work conversely as depressants work. They speed up the messages between the brain and body. They also cause the blood pressure to rise, the heart will start beating faster and a person feels more awake. 

Harmful effects of Drug Abuse

Drug addiction can start when a person uses the drug as an experiment or for recreational purposes. For prescription drugs like opioids, the patient becomes addicted if they overuse the medication.

Some drugs have a higher risk for addiction while others effect more slowly. As the time passes, the patient needs higher doses to have the same level of effect.

Short and Long Term changes:

Drugs have anywhere from a short term to long term effect on the body and mind. Drug users are often prone to having unprotected sex which may lead to complications and the spread of diseases. 

Psychological changes: 

may include changes in behavior, mood swings, and increase in violence. It also includes increase in stress or anxiety, developing dependance on drugs. If your child is missing school work, experiencing a drop in grades or showing disinterest in life's daily activities it may be time to have some in depth drug talks.

Physical changes: 

may include variation in appetite, change of sleeping habits and regular colds and flus.

Some of the worst long term effects are damage to the kidney, liver and heart. Drug addicts often feel lethargic and sluggish throughout the day. They cannot put their focus on even the easiest tasks of the day.

Once a person is drug addicted it is very hard to come back and chances of a relapse are rampant as well.

Financial problems:

Drug users are often prone to financial issues consecutively. Since drugs are pricey and more often than not a person becomes addicted to it, the drug user needs frequent doses of it. This leads a person to drain their money very fast in a short amount of time. If teens are addicted to drugs then they would ask for money from their parents, or start stealing items from home to buy drugs.

Rise in Crime: 

Financial problems often lead to a rise in crime, theft and burglary. If a drug addict has exhausted all of their resources then he or she will turn to stealing resources to fulfill their undying thirst for drugs. Drug abusers commit crimes to pay for their drugs and this inflicts damages to the society. Moreover, many criminals are under the influence of drugs while committing crimes. 

How to Test for drugs?

Drugs are tested using laboratory or at home drug testing kits. Over the counter drug testing kits are particularly useful to keep in the home to monitor, track and test for drug cycles. Drug testing kits offer a wide variety of testing methods from saliva, urine, blood to hair sample test kits. 

The most commonly used drug testing kits are urine drug test kits. These kits have certain compounds that react with the trace elements of drugs in urine and change color. Dr.Browns drug testing system is an at-home urine drug testing kit that tests for 8 of the most common types of drugs accurately. The drug tester remains completely anonymous throughout the testing phase and results are displayed through an online portal incognito.

Roles of Certain people in Drug Prevention and Cure

Role of a Doctor in Drug Prevention

If drug use reaches a point where it gets out of control or causes problems for the people around you then it's time to see a licensed professional. Mental health providers that specialize in addiction services would be beneficial for your treatment. Certain signs may tell you when to see a doctor which may include; you can't stop using the drug, you feel addicted to the drug despite its harm, you may have withdrawal symptoms. 

Role of a Family Member in Drug Prevention

Close family members or friends are always dear and near to the drug abuser. Understanding the drug user, studying their patterns and giving them comfort is the top priority of the immediate family members. Intervening at the right time is something that is not harmful but productive for the affected individual. Aiding the person in decision making and telling them about their withdrawal symptoms is a necessary part of being close to the person. Such methods, adopted by family participants, can avoid drug use and take care of the problem.

Conclusion

Although some drugs are used to prevent diseases, others are rampantly abused and create a negative effect on the body. Certain countermeasures and timely intervention can prevent further damage from drug abuse. Seek help from a licensed professional before things get out of control. Regularly studying about the latest drug trends and knowing their harmful effects is another way to avoid the problem.