Effects and Consequences of Drugs

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Effects and Consequences of Drugs West Georgia Technical College Consequences and effects of drugs can be very fatal to everyone. There are a ton of people that abuse drugs in the United States. Drug abuse occurs when a drug user takes so many drugs that it causes emotional or physical harm. Drug users consume drugs very frequently and intensely, which leads to addiction. Addition is when an individual feels compelled to use a specific drug. Drug researchers now use psychological and physical dependence because of the different effects in drugs. Psychological dependence is when one desires to reach a drugs high. Physical dependence is when someone needs the drugs to do basic daily tasks; they can’t live without it. When someone builds up a physical dependence on a drug and then go for a period of time without the drug they have withdrawals. Withdrawals are physical pains and intense cravings. (Huffman-2012) When an individual repeats the use of a drug, physiological processes of the body adjust to higher and higher levels of the drug. (Huffman-2012) This is what you would call tolerance. Tolerance leads many drug users to escalate their drug use and to experiment with other drugs. Psychological and physical dependence are both very dangerous. Drug users are damaging their brain, heart, liver, and other body organs. Psychoactive drugs are broken down into three different categories; Depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens. Depressants are drugs that act on the brain and nervous system to decrease bodily processes and overall responsiveness. (Huffman-2012) Depressants cause relaxation, sedation, loss of consciousness, and even death. Depressants consist of alcohol, barbiturates, antianxiety drugs or tranquilizers, Xanax, roofies, and Special K. Stimulants are drugs that act on the brain and other parts of the nervous system to increase overall activity and general

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