What are the physiological effects of drugs?
Drug abuse can affect several aspects of a person’s physical and psychological health. Certain drugs can lead to drowsiness and slow breathing, while others may cause insomnia, paranoia, or hallucinations. Chronic drug use is associated with cardiovascular, kidney, and liver disease.
How do drugs affect the central nervous system?
Drug action Like neurotransmitters, drugs can speed up (CNS stimulants) or slow down (CNS depressants) the transfer of electro-chemical messages between neurons in the brain. Messages between neurons can also be distorted when hallucinogenic drugs are taken.
How does substance use affect mental health?
Substance abuse may sharply increase symptoms of mental illness or even trigger new symptoms. Abuse of alcohol or drugs can also interact with medications such as antidepressants, anxiety medications, and mood stabilizers, making them less effective at managing symptoms and delaying your recovery.
Why are drugs like depressants described as the opposite of?
They are also known as stimulants because they increase feelings of energy, well-being, and alertness. A drug like depressants are described as opposites of an amphetamine because stimulants increase breathing and heart rate while depressants slow these functions in the brain.
How do depressants affect the central nervous system?
How do CNS depressants affect the brain? Most CNS depressants act on the brain by increasing activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical that inhibits brain activity. This action causes the drowsy and calming effects that make the medicine effective for anxiety and sleep disorders.
How do depressants affect the nervous system?
Depressant substances reduce arousal and stimulation. They do not necessarily make a person feel depressed. They affect the central nervous system, slowing down the messages between the brain and the body. They can affect concentration and coordination.
How does drugs and alcohol affect your physical health?
Drug and alcohol use is associated with many different health problems, like stroke, heart attack, and even some cancers. Examples include: Heart problems: Alcohol and most drugs are linked to heart and blood vessel problems. This can lead to irregular heartbeat, heart attack, stroke, and death.
How does alcohol and drugs affect your mental health?
Relationship between substances and anxiety and depression There is a direct correlation between substance addiction and these mental illnesses, which means substance abuse can be what triggers anxiety and depression, but having anxiety and depression can lead to becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol.
What are the effects of drug abuse on the community?
Drug abuse is often accompanied by a devastating social impact upon community life. The present article focuses on the adverse effect of drug abuse on industry, education and training and the family, as well as on its contribution to violence, crime, financial problems, housing problems, homelessness and vagrancy.