Drugs: Mind Alternating Substances
Drug abuse is on the rise and many people throughout the world have some sort of addiction to some illicit drug. Some people can use recreational drugs in moderation and continue use without affecting their daily activities, but there are some people who cannot and will develop disorders like tolerance, dependence and addiction from continued use. Drugs are “any substance, solid liquid or gas that changes the function or structures of the body in some way. This excludes food and water, which are required to maintain normal body functioning.”(Fitzroy Legal Service, 2013). Many of the recreational drugs are mind altering and cause changes in your feeling, thinking and doing. The three divisions of psychoactive drugs are depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. While some of these psychoactive drugs can be beneficial and therapeutic to your health, they can also affect you long term and can cause more harm to your body then good. Also the cost for using these illicit drugs has not only an effect on the persons using, but to society as a whole. “Abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs is costly to our Nation, exacting over $600 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work, productivity, and healthcare.”(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2012).
The purpose of depressants is to slow everything down including your neural functioning and body functioning. The depressants are: barbiturates, alcohol, and opiates. Barbiturates which are also known as tranquilizers are used to depress the central nervous system. Barbiturates are prescribed drugs that are used for numerous psychological disorders. Some of these disorders include anxiety, depression, epilepsy, and inso...
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...’s real and what isn’t can become fatal. Some of the psychedelics include: Acid (LSD), Ecstasy, Psilocybin mushrooms, Marijuana, and Peyote. Mushrooms contain Psilocybin which is the chemical that allows you to “trip”. Many people will eat them raw and this “trip” can last for up to four to six hours. During the high feelings intensify and pleasurable things increase. Mushrooms make colors more intense provide feelings of intense happiness, and it makes imagery more intense and can alter perception so deep that it can make normal wall look like its melting. Like other drugs taking Mushrooms affect the overall health of serotonin neurotransmitters, and the brain. People can also get sick on mushrooms having diarrhea and nausea which are just some of the side effects. People can also get have a reaction and can get poisoned from consuming mushrooms
During a visit to Mexico, Gordon Wasson, a mycologist, discovered the use of psilocybin mushroom in spiritual ceremonies by Indian tribes. Upon experiencing the spiritual and hallucinatory effects of the mushroom, Wasson returned to the area accompanied by an experienced mycologist, Roger Heim, who managed to cultivate the mushroom once in France and send samples of it to the scientist who had discovered lysergic acid, Albert Hoffman. From the mushrooms, Hoffman successfully isolated two compounds which he further named psilocybin and psilocin. Analogs of these compounds were further synthesized and were employed mainly for psychotherapeutic uses. Many tests on psilocybin were made at Harvard University in the early 1960’s. However, along with LSD, psilocybin became a scheduled substance in 1970, making it illegal. During this time, psilocybin mushrooms became a part of the psychedelic and hippy movement and were used for recreational and spiritual purposes. Research on psilocybin ended in the late 1980’s because of strict rules imposed by the government but recently scientist have started researching on this chemical once more.
Since the discovery of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and tricyclic antidepressants in the 1950s and its affect on depressives, Schildkraut first proposed the Monoamine Theory. The theory states that depression is caused by an imbalance of monoamine transmitters (neurotransmitters) in certain areas of the brain, such as noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine (Schildkraut, 1965). This led to the introduction of antidepressant medication in the treatment of depression, known as pharmacotherapy. However, ongoing research suggests that the theory is “inadequate, as it does not provide a complete explanation for the actions of antidepressants, and the pathophysiology of depression itself remains unknown.”(Hirschfeld, 2000) A few of the main reasons for this inadequacy are because it is difficult to measure the level of neurotransmitters in an individual’s brain (P. L. Delgado, 2000) and that evidence is indirect on whether monoamine function is impaired in individuals with depression as the causes of depression appear to be more complex than simply a reduction in levels of monoamine or diminished function in these systems. (P. Delgado & Moreno, 1999)
The war on drugs in our culture is a continuous action that is swiftly lessening our society. This has been going on for roughly 10-15 years and has yet to slow down in any way. Drugs continue to be a problem for the obvious reason that certain people abuse them in a way that can lead to ultimate harm on such a person. These drugs do not just consist of street drugs (marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy), but prescription medications as well. Although there are some instances where drugs are being used by subjects excessively, there has been medical research to prove that some of these drugs have made a successful impact on certain disorders and diseases.
What is a depressant? It is defined as substances that slow down the normal function of the central nervous system. The drugs that are considered as depressants are alchol and barbiturates. Their are many resons as to why people tend to take depressants some do it to reduce tensions, to forget their problems or troubles or to relieve feelings of lonliness or boredome (Morris&Maistro). As I was doing my research their was one depressant that continued to pop up and is the most common one of all of them ALCOHOL.
Drugs have very harmful effects on the user and the people with whom the user interacts.
A psychedelic drug is one that alters the brains perception and cognition. Drugs of this sort can cause visual hallucinations. People have said it feels as though everything is alive, breathing, dancing. Of course, like any drug, there is the possibility of having a “bad trip.” This is where things seemingly go wrong. The person tripping feels trapped, frightened, and extremely uncomfortable. The
The current situation of drug control in the United States is imperfect and inadequate. Millions of men and women, both young and old, are affected by illicit drug use. It costs the United States about $6,123 every second because of drug use and its consequences (Office). Moreover, 90 percent of all adults with a substance use disorder started using under the age of 18 and half under the age of 15. Children who first smoke marijuana under the age of 14 are five times more likely to abuse drugs as adults than those who first use marijuana at age 18. Finally, the children of alcoholics are four times more likely to develop problems with alcohol (Prevent). Current legislation that has to do with the United States’ drug control policy is the Controlled Substances Act, which regulates the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances (Shannon). In 1966, Congress passed the Narcotic Addict Rehabilitation Act also known as the NARA. This legislati...
Drug abuse and addiction are issues that affect people everywhere. However, these issues are usually treated as criminal activity rather than issues of public health. There is a conflict over whether addiction related to drug abuse is a disease or a choice. Addiction as a choice suggests that drug abusers are completely responsible for their actions, while addiction as a disease suggests that drug abusers need help in order to break their cycle of addiction. There is a lot of evidence that suggests that addiction is a disease, and should be treated rather than punished. Drug addiction is a disease because: some people are more likely to suffer from addiction due to their genes, drug abuse brought on by addictive behavior changes the brain and worsens the addiction, and the environment a person lives in can cause the person to relapse because addiction can so strongly affect a person.
Treatment for depression includes medicine, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy. If someone is thinking about suicide or is very depressed and cannot function, they need to be admitted into a hospital. Antidepressants are medicines used to treat depression. They help bring the chemicals in the brain to the normal level and relieve syndromes. If the patient feels as though the medication isn’t working, their doctor should be called. However, if you feel so, you shouldn’t change them on your own without the permission of the doctor. Psychotherapy is to help you understand why you’re feeling the way you are.
Drug abuse has been a hot topic for our society due to how stimulants interfere with health, prosperity, and the lives of others in all nations. All drugs have the potential to be misapplied, whether obtained by prescription, over the counter, or illegally. Drug abuse is a despicable disease that affects many helpless people. Majority of those who are beset with this disease go untreated due to health insurance companies who neglect and discriminate this issue. As an outcome of missed opportunities of treatments, abusers become homeless, very ill, or even worst, death.
Perhaps most substance abuse starts in the teen years when young people are susceptible to pressure from their peers. One of the main concerns when dealing with substance abuse is the long term problems with substance such as addiction, dependency and tolerance. The physical state of an individual, who is addicted to a substance, will deteriorate over a long period of time. This is due to the chemicals that are being put into an individual body. One of the most important aspects of the effect of substance abuse on society includes ill health, disease, sickness, and in many cases death. The impact of substance abuse not only affects individuals who abuse substances but it affects our economy. Our government resources are negatively impacted by individual who abuse substances. According to (Lagliaro 2004) the implication of drug users extend far beyond the user, often damaging their relationships with their family, community, and health workers, volunteer and wider
Drug addiction is a very big problem in today’s society. Many people have had their lives ruined due to drug addiction. The people that use the drugs don’t even realize that they have an addiction. They continue to use the drug not even realizing that their whole world is crashing down around them. Drug addicts normally lose their family and friends due to drug addiction.
The use of illegal drugs in the United States and other countries around the world is one of the biggest problems in today community. Illegal drugs are drugs that are restricted by the government. Moreover, some medical drugs have chemicals that can help people with pain and stress. But when people are under the influence of illicit drugs, they can experience many side effects such as: liver cancer, heart, and brain disease. Illegal drugs are being used by many types of people around the world; they cost a large amount of money and negatively affect people both psychologically and physically.
The use of drugs is a controversial topic in society today. In general, addicts show a direct link between taking drugs and suffering from their effects. People abuse drugs for a wide variety of reasons. In most cases, the use of drugs will serve a type of purpose or will give some kind of reward. These reasons for use will differ with different kinds of drugs. Various reasons for using the substance can be pain relief, depression, anxiety and weariness, acceptance into a peer group, religion, and much more. Although reasons for using may vary for each individual, it is known by all that consequences of the abuse do exist. It is only further down the line when the effects of using can be seen.
Drugs are chemicals that change the way a person's body or mind works. Drugs are not good for health as they have many side effects and damage our brain, heart and other important organs. Drug is a depressant that slows down the functions of the central nervous system and makes us less aware of the events around us. I...