SUBSTANCE ABUSE: How Drugs Affect the Body Ms. Mai Lawndale High School

How Drugs Affect the Body Your body’s nervous system plays a key role in being able to feel, hear, think, speak, and move Some disorders of the nervous system are the result of natural deterioration, while others are the cause of substances that enter your body A wrong combination of chemicals in your body can cause a bad reaction within your body

Drugs A drug is a chemical that causes a change in your body, your brain, or both Medicines are drugs used to treat or prevent illnesses Caffeine and nicotine are some other commonly used drugs

The Nature of Drugs The chemicals that make up drugs come from plants, animals, or minerals Many drugs can also be artificially created in a science lab (synthetic) All drugs are identified as legal or illegal

Legal Drugs The FDA regulates the use of legal drugs Except for caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, most legal drugs contain chemicals to treat medical problems Legal drugs may be purchased over the counter (pain relievers and cough syrup), or with a doctor’s prescription

Illegal Drugs Illegal drugs are those that are forbidden by law due to their harmful side effects Illegal drugs are also dangerous because there is no control over the manufacture or sale, so there is no guarantee of exactly what is in the drug

How Drugs Enter the Body Drugs may be chewed, swallowed, injected, inhaled, sniffed, or applied to the skin Some drugs are taken orally and absorbed through the stomach Other drugs are inhaled or injected so that it can be absorbed quicker

Drug Action Psychoactive drugs are ones that enter the brain and affect the mind and behavior These include alcohol, nicotine, and most illegal drugs These drugs react with your nervous system to speed up, slow down, or stop certain brain activities

7 Types of Psychoactive Drugs 1. Stimulants – speed up nerve activity 2. Depressants – slow down nerve activity 3. Narcotics – strong painkillers that produce a relaxed feeling 4. Hallucinogens – distort a person’s perception 5. Cannabis –plant that creates euphoria 6. Inhalants – gases that create euphoria 7. Designer Drug – new chemical combos

Drug’s Affect Drugs usually affect both the physical and mental state of your body A side effect is an undesired reaction to a drug Every body reacts to drugs differently, so prescribed drugs will often have an appropriate dosage for different people

Synergistic Effect When two or more drugs react in your body, the combined drugs may produce a synergistic effect Synergistic effects are often unpredictable, and differ from person to person depending upon amounts and types of drugs used

In Conclusion… The way drugs affects your body is determined by the nature of the drugs, how it enters your body, and how it interacts with your body Because illegal drugs are not regulated, they can create a great problem Also, mixing drugs can cause unexpected and dangerous effects.