What is a Drug?
Any substance, other than food, that affects the way our brain processes information, and/or the way our body normally works. It can affect the way we think, feel, and act.
The effects depend on several different factors:
- the type of drug
- the amount taken
- how the drug is taken (smoked, swallowed, injected, inhaled)
- the user's past drug experience
- the circumstances (emotions, peer pressure, a combination)
There are 3 main groups of drugs:
- Depressants - slow down the central nervous system. They make people feel relaxed, less stressed, less aware of events around them. Examples: Alcohol, heroin, solvents/inhalents, tranquilizers and sleeping pills.
- Stimulants - speed up the central nervous system. They help people feel more alert and they increase the user's energy. They are taken to make people feel happy and to decrease appetite. Examples: Tobacco, cocaine and crack, amphetamines (including speed and ice).
- Hallucinogens - sometimes called mind-altering or mind-expanding drugs. They can increase people's awareness of their senses. Objects may take on differents shapes and sizes. They alter a person's mood. Examples: marijuana (cannabis or weed), ecstasy, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), PCP (Angel Dust), and Magic Mushrooms.
Other drugs: Examples: Steroids, over-the-counter drugs, "club" drugs and other synthetic drugs.
We are seeing more abuse nowadays in the range of synthetic drugs, such as crystal meth, and in the misuse of oxycontin, a powerful painkiller.
No one plans to have a drug problem when they start using drugs. Some people are just curious, or simply want to "fit in" with friends. Others may find that using drugs helps them cope with feelings of anxiety, anger, or lack of confidence, or they want to block out physical or emotional pain.
Problems may develop slowly, or quickly, depending on how much is being used and when. It is often the family members or friends who see a problem developing before the user does.
Prescription drugs may also pose problems. They must be taken as directed. Some people feel that "If one is good, then 2 will be better", not realizing that drugs such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills are addictive.
If you are concerned about your own use or that of a family member, or simply want more information, please contact me. As a Certified addictions counselor, I will try to provide answers to your questions.
