Drug Use
The hallways and bathrooms of my high school consistently smelled like weed. The lack of toilet paper squares and short breaks between periods weren't the only reason many of us tried not to use the bathroom. I remember feeling slightly terrified that my teacher would smell weed on me, even though it was only due to 3 minutes spent using the bathroom, not hotboxing a joint in the stall.
I write about my high school experience light-heartedly, but drugs are something to take seriously. They can impact every aspect of our mental and physical state. I’ll talk about that, but first, let’s talk about categories of drugs. There are 3 categories based on their effect: stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens (Types of drugs, 2021).
Stimulants quicken the messages between the body and the brain. You tend to feel more alert, energetic, etc., but larger doses can cause anxiety, panic, seizures, and paranoia. Examples of stimulants include amphetamines (speed and ice/meth), cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), and nicotine.
Depressants have the opposite effect - they slow down the communication between the brain and body (not necessarily making you feel depressed). You may feel more relaxed and calm, but large doses can cause sleepiness, unconsciousness (to the point of death), and vomiting. Examples include alcohol, marijuana, benzodiazepines (minor tranquilizers), GHB, ketamine, and opioids (heroin, morphine, and codeine).
Hallucinogens cause hallucinations - they change your sense of reality. The way you hear, see, smell, etc. feels different. They may cause numbness or confusion, a floating feeling, or dizziness, but larger doses can cause memory loss, anxiety, increased heart rate, panic, and aggression. Examples include ketamine, marijuana, LSD, psilocybin (shrooms), and PCP.
Regardless of the category, all addictive drugs are going to impact our brain’s reward pathway, our dopamine system. Drugs stimulate the brain much more than natural rewards like a good dessert or hanging out with a friend, and the brain has to adapt to this and bring it to a more manageable level. The brain compensates, which results in a decreased response to natural rewards and increased drug tolerance (University of Utah).
Furthermore, as drug use continues, more than just the dopamine system is affected - judgment, memory, decision-making, and learning regions all start to physically change. Some neurons are pruned and others are forming more connections. Now, the individual becomes an addict. Stopping drug use doesn’t cause the brain to just return to its normal state - some drugs are so toxic that they kill neurons, and those won’t be replaced. The changes make it extremely hard to maintain sobriety - many addicts experience intense cravings, which can lead to relapse (University of Utah).
Even trying a drug just once can have serious repercussions, besides the illegality of most of these. There are many other, natural ways to trigger dopamine instead. If you are struggling with drug use, please reach out to our team at 494949 or talk to a family member or friend. There are several organizations dedicated to recovering from drug addiction, including NA, AA, Support Groups Central, SAMHSA, and many apps. Doctors are also a great source to provide support and resources as you regain a healthy lifestyle. Take care of yourself, friend.
References:
Types of drugs. (2021). Australian Government Department of Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/drugs/about-drugs/types-of-drugs.
Drug use changes the brain over time. (n.d.). Learn. Genetics at University of Utah. Retrieved from https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/brainchange/.
Challenges/Points:
There are three types of drugs: stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens, and each has a very different effect on the body and brain.
Drugs impact our reward system much more than what is natural. Over time, our neuronic pathways can be rewired, making it extremely difficult to stop using.
If you are struggling with drug use, please reach out to our team, a friend, or a doctor. Recovery is not impossible.
Questions:
Have you ever tried any of the drugs listed in this post?
Do you know someone who has struggled with drug use at some point in their life?
What was most surprising about this post regarding how drugs affect our bodies?
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