Research Paper on Psychoactive Drugs
Drugs are a part of almost everyone's life. Most people take, or at one time has taken, vitamins, aspirin, or cold relief medicine. These drugs, however, rarely produce an altered state and aren't considered psychoactive.
Psychoactive drugs are those that influence a person's emotions, behavior, and perceptions. If you've ever had a cup of coffee or a beer, you've taken a psychoactive drug. However, most psychoactive drugs are more harmful. Psychoactive drugs can be broken down into four classes.
__________________________________________________________Psychoactive drugs are those that influence a person's emotions, behavior, and perceptions. If you've ever had a cup of coffee or a beer, you've taken a psychoactive drug. However, most psychoactive drugs are more harmful. Psychoactive drugs can be broken down into four classes.
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Stimulates are drugs that cause a rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and muscular tension. Caffeine is the most common stimulate. The major effects of caffeine are an increase in attentiveness and a decrease in reaction time. People can even build up a biological dependence on caffeine.
Other, more harmful, stimulates include cocaine and amphetamines. These drugs produce increased confidence, mood enhancement, and a sense of energy and alertness.
A person under the influence of these drugs may also have a decreased appetite, experience anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. With either of these drugs if taken in too large a quantity death can occur.
Depressants, on the other hand, have an adverse effect. Depressants reduce anxiety, create dramatic mood swings, slow mental and physical functioning, and sometimes produce bizarre thoughts of suicide. Alcohol is the most common depressant, and the drug used by more people than any other drug. According to those who use alcohol it releases tension and stress and gives them feelings of happiness. However, as doses increase people may feel emotionally and physically unstable. They also show poor judgment, speech impairment, and may act aggressively. If enough alcohol is consumed in a short time, a person can die of alcohol poisoning.
Other depressants can be classified as barbiturates. These are frequently prescribed be physicians to induce sleep or to reduce stress. These drugs produce a sense of relaxation. They are also addictive, and when paired with alcohol can be deadly.
A third group, narcotics are drugs that increase relaxation and relieve pain and anxiety.
Narcotics can also produce a difficulty in concentration, slow speech, and decrease physical activity. Morphine, which is used in many hospitals as a painkiller, is considered to be a legal narcotic. Another narcotic, heroin, is illegal in the US.
The last group of psychoactive drugs is classified as hallucinogens. A hallucinogenic drug is capable of producing hallucinations, or perceptional changes.
The most common hallucinogen today is marijuana. The effects of marijuana vary from person to person, but typically consist of a feeling of general well being. On the other hand, individuals who feel depressed can end up even more depressed because the drug magnifies both good and bad feelings. Heavy use of marijuana can temporarily decrease male sperm count and lower the ability of the immune system to fight germs. One long-term lasting effect of marijuana is the damage it does to a person's lungs. In addition marijuana has several medical uses; it can prevent nausea from chemotherapy, treat some AIDS symptoms, and relieve muscle spasms for people with spinal cord injuries.
Other hallucinogens include ecstasy and LSD. Ecstasy gives a person a heightened sense of oneself and feelings of peace, empathy, and energy. LSD produces vivid hallucinations and time distortion. These drugs can produce flashbacks.
If you ever think about using one of these drugs stop first, and think of the effects it will have on your body.
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Stimulates are drugs that cause a rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and muscular tension. Caffeine is the most common stimulate. The major effects of caffeine are an increase in attentiveness and a decrease in reaction time. People can even build up a biological dependence on caffeine.
Other, more harmful, stimulates include cocaine and amphetamines. These drugs produce increased confidence, mood enhancement, and a sense of energy and alertness.
A person under the influence of these drugs may also have a decreased appetite, experience anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. With either of these drugs if taken in too large a quantity death can occur.
Depressants, on the other hand, have an adverse effect. Depressants reduce anxiety, create dramatic mood swings, slow mental and physical functioning, and sometimes produce bizarre thoughts of suicide. Alcohol is the most common depressant, and the drug used by more people than any other drug. According to those who use alcohol it releases tension and stress and gives them feelings of happiness. However, as doses increase people may feel emotionally and physically unstable. They also show poor judgment, speech impairment, and may act aggressively. If enough alcohol is consumed in a short time, a person can die of alcohol poisoning.
Other depressants can be classified as barbiturates. These are frequently prescribed be physicians to induce sleep or to reduce stress. These drugs produce a sense of relaxation. They are also addictive, and when paired with alcohol can be deadly.
A third group, narcotics are drugs that increase relaxation and relieve pain and anxiety.
Narcotics can also produce a difficulty in concentration, slow speech, and decrease physical activity. Morphine, which is used in many hospitals as a painkiller, is considered to be a legal narcotic. Another narcotic, heroin, is illegal in the US.
The last group of psychoactive drugs is classified as hallucinogens. A hallucinogenic drug is capable of producing hallucinations, or perceptional changes.
The most common hallucinogen today is marijuana. The effects of marijuana vary from person to person, but typically consist of a feeling of general well being. On the other hand, individuals who feel depressed can end up even more depressed because the drug magnifies both good and bad feelings. Heavy use of marijuana can temporarily decrease male sperm count and lower the ability of the immune system to fight germs. One long-term lasting effect of marijuana is the damage it does to a person's lungs. In addition marijuana has several medical uses; it can prevent nausea from chemotherapy, treat some AIDS symptoms, and relieve muscle spasms for people with spinal cord injuries.
Other hallucinogens include ecstasy and LSD. Ecstasy gives a person a heightened sense of oneself and feelings of peace, empathy, and energy. LSD produces vivid hallucinations and time distortion. These drugs can produce flashbacks.
If you ever think about using one of these drugs stop first, and think of the effects it will have on your body.
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___________________________________________________________If you need a custom research paper, research proposal, essay, dissertation, thesis paper or term paper on your topic, EffectivePapers.com will write your research papers from scratch. Starting at $12/page you can order custom written papers online. We work with experienced PhD. and Master's freelance writers to help you with writing any academic papers in any subject! High quality and 100% non-plagiarized papers guaranteed!
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