Types of psychoactive drugs and their effects

For example, some illegal drug makers mix drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA, with a powerful synthetic opioid called fentanyl. Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that alter a person’s perception of reality. They work by disrupting brain activity, affecting does alcohol cause gallstones mood, sensory perception and muscle control. The active ingredient in tobacco is nicotine, a chemical that acts as both a stimulant and a depressant.

Derived from the poppy plant, opioids are often prescribed to patients who are suffering from intense pain. They are extremely habit-forming, and it may only take a couple of weeks to become physically addicted to these types of drugs. In some rare instances, studies have demonstrated that it is possible to become addicted after just one dose of an opioid. Like other addictive drugs, they can bring on euphoric feelings. Stimulants also increase blood pressure and heart rate, constrict blood vessels, increase blood glucose, and open up breathing passages.

Risk factors for drug-related harm

A powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. Doctors primarily prescribe stimulants for ADHD and narcolepsy. The drugs can also help aid fun group activities for substance abuse treatment weight loss, as they can decrease appetite. Stimulant abuse can occur in school or college when students wish to enhance performance in school or sports.

Your healthcare provider will be able to refer you to a drug counselor and any other counseling services that deal with substance use disorder. Made from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, the primary chemical that alters the brain is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. When marijuana is smoked, THC and other chemicals pass from the lungs into the bloodstream and travel to the brain, resulting in a sense of relaxation. Large doses of marijuana may cause temporary acute psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, and loss of personal identity). Mood regulation drugs are psychiatric drugs that are used to treat bipolar disorder, mania and hypomania, depression (recurrent and severe), and schizoaffective disorder.

1. Treatment approaches tailored to each patient’s drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, mental, and social problems can lead to continued recovery.
2. There are seven different types of drugs, and pharmacologists categorize them based on how they affect the body.
3. Smoking increases the risk of many cancers including lung, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney, and bladder.
4. Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.

Risks of Inhalant Abuse

No matter the type, all drugs have the potential to be dangerous. It is important to talk to your loved ones about drugs and how these substances can negatively impact their lives. We offer a number of free resources to help facilitate discussion, including our comprehensive Drug Index A-Z.

A hallucinogen manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in ergot, a fungus that grows substance use group activities on rye and other grains. LSD is an abbreviation of the scientific name lysergic acid diethylamide. Medications that slow brain activity, which makes them useful for treating anxiety and sleep problems.

Types of Addictive Drugs

For example, caffeine is found in many beverages, and cocaine is a snorted powder.

For more information, see Steroids and Other Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs (APEDs). A synthetic, psychoactive drug that has similarities to both the stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. MDMA is an abbreviation of the scientific name 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine. A tropical deciduous tree (Mitragyna speciosa) native to Southeast Asia, with leaves that contain many compounds, including mitragynine, a psychotropic (mind-altering) opioid. Kratom is consumed for mood-lifting effects and pain relief and as an aphrodisiac.

Inhalants are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and reach the brain quickly, resulting in an intoxicated state similar to consuming alcohol. According to the American Psychiatric Association, substance use disorder (SUD) is a condition in which there is uncontrolled use of a substance with a detrimental outcome. Individuals with SUD experience changes to the brain’s structure and function that cause cravings, personality and behavioral changes, and more. Smoking drugs such as nicotine or cannabis can also cause damage to a person’s lungs and increase the risk of several types of cancer. However, these drugs can still have adverse consequences with excessive or improper use.

This article reviews the different types of psychoactive drugs and provides some examples. Depending on the situation, the effects of psychoactive drugs may be beneficial or harmful. A benzodiazepine chemically similar to prescription sedatives such as Valium® and Xanax® that may be misused for its psychotropic effects. Rohypnol has been used to commit sexual assaults because of its strong sedation effects. In these cases, offenders may dissolve the drug in a person’s drink without their knowledge.