In small doses they can cause a person to feel more relaxed and less inhibited. Usage depends on the specific type of depressant, for example, alcohol is drunk but benzodiazepines are usually swallowed and can also be injected. Generally, depressants can be swallowed, drunk as a beverage, injected, snorted or inhaled.
There is no safe level of drug use. Use of any drug always carries some risk. The onset and effects of depressants vary according to the type and specific chemical. Some depressants may work instantly, with effects only lasting for a short time such as inhalants , while other depressants may take longer for the effects to start and may last longer. In general, when small to low doses of depressants are taken, the following effects may be experienced:. The effects of taking depressants with other drugs — including over-the-counter or prescribed medications — can be unpredictable and dangerous, and could cause:.
Use of any drug always carries some risk, however, if you choose to take it, always try a small test amount first. Unfortunately, many people miss out on these opportunities because of a problem with substance use. If substance abuse has become a problem in your life, decide to get help today. Learning more can make a big difference in your life and the lives of those you love.
Call now. Get help now. Call Us Text Us. We know this is hard, you are not alone. Chat with a specialist Or call us, it's free and private Why Is Alcohol Called a Depressant? Is Alcohol a Depressant?
Common side effects of alcohol and other depressants include the following: Impaired motor skills and coordination Mental cloudiness and confusion Slurred speech Cognitive and memory impairment Lowered blood pressure Slowed or stopped heart rate. Drugs go by a variety of different names including their generic name, brand name, and street names. These two slang terms encompass a wide number of different substances, some legal, some not.
As their contrasting names imply, uppers and downers have opposing effects on the body. Mixing them can be catastrophic, but so can doubling up on multiple drugs that have the same effect i. Something that both types of drugs have in common? Uppers and downers can be addictive and highly dangerous. Uppers is a slang term used to refer to stimulants , a group of drugs that increase energy, alertness, and mood, and can also heighten feelings of self-confidence or sexual prowress.
Stimulants work by speed up the messages that are sent and recieved between the brain and the central nervous system CNS.
The high that uppers produce is invigorating, but the result of a process that puts tremendous strain on the body.
Uppers increased cardiovascular and respiratory functions to dangerous degrees that can overwhelm the body. This is similar to what stimulant drug users epxerience once a stiumlant wears off. Legal stimulants, like coffee or ADHD medications, can be helpful for improving focus and concentration.
However, take too much, and the side effect of overstimulation is likely to result in cardiac distress such as high blood pressure, irregular hearbeats, heart failure, or a stroke.
Such an occurrence is even more likely with the use of illict stimulants, which are extremely powerful and have no safe levels of use. One of the key ways to know what you or a loved one is taking is by knowing the nicknames of various uppers. Amphetamines like Adderall and Ritalin may go by nicknames such as speed, jelly beans, or addys.
Meth often goes by crank, ice, or bump. Cocaine may go by coke, dust, snow, blow, or white. On the opposite end of the drug side effect spectrum are downers.
This slang term refers to CNS depressants, the types of drug that produce a sedative effect by slowing down the messages sent and recieved between the central nervous system and brain. They make the individual feel relaxed or drowsy and are often highly effective at minimizing feelings of pain.
The natural opposites of uppers, downers decrease alertness and focus. Legal s edatives are helpful in managing anxiety, epilepsy, and insomnia, but are dangerous when abused. Illegal sedatives such as narcotics, are never safe to abuse in any amount, and are notorious for being highly addictive. Depressants slow central nervous system functions, such as breathing and heart rate. This can cause dangerously low oxygen levels in the body and result in a coma.
Lack of oxygen is the biggest risk of abusing downers. Schoolchildren and students who use these drugs find it hard to study or complete assignments, and relationships inevitably suffer. Too much of a powerful downer like heroin, causes the systems of the body to shut down, eventually leading to death. You cannot predict whether the dream will be enjoyable or be a hideous nightmare. A Abad trip can haunt you for the rest of your life, with flashbacks occurring at any time.
Never persuade someone else to take a drug based on your own experience of using it. The first time you take a drug, you will probably experience an exhilarating high. As your body becomes used to the drug, you will need more and more of it to experience the same intense reaction. This increasing tolerance to a drug is actually a growing addiction. Addiction comes with a big price tag. The more drugs you want, the more money you need to feed the habit. Drugs are expensive and their effect on you makes it unlikely that you will be able to earn enough money to afford them.
Some drug addicts turn to crime and other high-risk behaviour. Many are arrested and go to prison. Others turn to prostitution and live tragic and tainted lives, and almost inevitably die young. Some people take drugs for a while and then manage to escape before they become addicts or before irreparable harm is done.
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