Taking any type of illegal drug is a risky game. Not only are you breaking the law, but you’re playing with your health. Over 100 people die everyday from drug overdoses. And don’t be fooled into thinking that trying drugs one time is harmless. Nearly 25% of people who try heroin become addicted and abuse it. Learn more about long term heroin abuse here. If these statistics aren’t enough to stop you from experimenting with drugs, keep reading. This article details exactly what drugs do to your brain and body, even with minimal use.
Cocaine
Cocaine falls into the category of a stimulant drug, which means users take it for an energetic high. It comes in thin, white, power form and is most commonly snorted through the nose. Some users rub it onto their gums, while others dissolve the powder and inject it into their veins using a syringe. If you’ve ever heard of people smoking cocaine (or crack), they do so by converting the cocaine to a rock crystal before heating it and inhaling the vapors.
When users first take cocaine, they feel happiness, a boost of energy, and mental alertness. But these feelings quickly turn to paranoia, irritability, and a hypersensitivity to sight, sound, and touch. The most notable long-term effect of cocaine use is the toll it takes on the brain’s reward system. Cocaine triggers the brain to release dopamine, but doesn’t signal the body to recycle these chemicals.
This causes a build-up of dopamine, which reinforces the drug abuser’s cravings for more cocaine. When users aren’t taking the drug, they’re more apt to feel extreme stress, irritability, and mood swings because of how the drug interacts with the brain and nervous system.
Heroin
Heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs on the streets right now. Not only is the most dangerous, but it’s also the most addictive. Like cocaine, heroin affects the brain’s release of feel good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins. When the brain depends on a drug for the release of these chemicals, people no longer find pleasure in simpler things like food, sex, and exercise. This is what creates the addiction.
So what makes heroin so dangerous?
Heroin elicits feelings of complete relaxation, contentment, and reduced anxiety. The high lasts for several hours and the initial rush to the brain is described similarly to a sexual orgasm, lasting for several minutes. In time, users need more of the drug to achieve this same high. They also become incapable of feeling a normal level of happiness without the drug. This quickly leads to an increase in use and the risk of overdose.
Prescription Drugs
These are one of the most unassuming drugs that cause addiction, which is what makes them so dangerous. More people are addicted to prescription drugs than any other substance. What’s makes prescription drugs so risky is that they’re often taken for the right reasons by normal, healthy individuals.
Prescription drugs are given to patients suffering from pain. The problem is that in time, patients fear they can’t live a pain-free life without them. Their body and brain become dependent on these drugs for normal, daily functions. Different types of prescription drugs offer different reactions in the body.
Opioids
These drugs are prescribed for pain and have the same effect on the body as heroin. They trigger the “feel good’ chemicals in the brain, making it far too easy for users to become addicted and dependent. In fact, recreational drug users often buy illegal opioids to experience the high they offer.
Depressants
There are countless mental and emotional disorders that require medication and intervention to treat. Depressant drugs help relieve anxiety. Depressed individuals often become dependent on drugs to pull them from their negative mental state.
Stimulants
These drugs fall into the same category as cocaine and act by stimulating the brain and body. Stimulants help treat individuals suffering from ADHD by eliciting feelings of alertness and energy. Sometimes, perfectly healthy students turn to stimulants to help them study and keep up with the high demands of school work. The interaction of stimulants and the brain is what (over time) creates an addiction.
Taking prescription drugs, while seemingly safe, puts normal, healthy people at risk of developing an addiction. Be sure to discuss alternative options and all the risks you face before taking the above mentioned prescriptions.
To sum up
Drug abuse and addiction doesn’t just impact your physical health, but your mental, social, and emotional as well. Becoming an addict can completely transform your life and who you are. Don’t take the risk by experimenting with drugs. Don’t be fooled into thinking just trying one drug, one time isn’t dangerous. All narcotics are dangerous and carry the risk of addiction and overdose. Understanding the risks and being proactive can help save your life and keep you sober.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
