Psychoactive drugs

Dr. Rinu Chaturvedi

Assistant Professor

Lovely Professional University

• Psychoactive drugs are substances that, when taken in or
administered into one's system, affect mental processes, e.g.
perception, consciousness, cognition or mood and emotions.
Psychoactive drugs belong to a broader category of
psychoactive substances that include also alcohol and
nicotine.
• Psychoactive drugs are substances that affect the brain. They range
from heroin to caffeine. These substances can affect awareness,
thoughts, mood, and behavior. Some also cause euphoria, increased
energy, sleepiness, hallucinations, and more.

• A psychoactive substance is any substance that interacts with the

central nervous system. When a person uses them, it causes changes in
how the brain responds to stimuli.
• Their effect on the central nervous system causes an individual to
experience changes, including Trusted Source:
• mood changes
• behavioral changes
• changes in awareness
• altered thoughts
• changes in how they feel

These changes can be helpful or desirable, but psychoactive drugs can

also yield unwanted effects.
Types of psychoactive drugs
• Psychoactive drugs fall into different categories, depending on what
effects the drug has on a person. These include:
• Depressants: These drugs can calm the brain, cause sleepiness, and
make a person feel relaxed. However, they can also
cause nightmares, anxiety, and aggression. Alcohol is an example of a
depressant.

• Stimulants: These include drugs such as cocaine and caffeine.

Stimulants can increase energy, alertness, and wakefulness.
• Opioids: These are derived from the poppy plant (opiates) or synthetically
produced (opioids). These are pain-killing drugs that increase feelings
of happiness or euphoria and create a tranquilizing effect. They can
lead to addiction if a person misuses them, and they include drugs such
as codeine, morphine, oxycodone, and the street drug heroin.

• Hallucinogens: These drugs can cause a person to have hallucinations,

which means they may see or hear things that are not there. They can also
cause a person to perceive time differently, feel detached from their
surroundings, or feel deeply insightful. LSD, mescaline, PCP, is an example
of a hallucinogen.
• Examples of effects include paranoia, depersonalization (a sense of not
being real), hallucinations, erratic behavior, and increased blood pressure
and heart rate.
Marijuana (cannabis)
• Examples of the psychoactive effects of marijuana include changes in
sensory perception; euphoria; relaxation; appetite changes; impaired
memory, concentration, and coordination; and changes in blood
pressure.
• Marijuana is the only drug in its class.
 Designer Drugs
• Designer drugs, formerly known as "legal highs," are chemicals that are
produced to mimic the effects of other psychoactive substances such
as stimulants, hallucinogenics, sedatives, or a combination. As their
chemical composition is often unknown and evolving, they present clear
challenges to toxicologists, medical staff, and society. They include bath
salts, mephedrone, W18, MXE, spice, and many others.
Examples of psychoactive drugs
• There are several different examples of psychoactive substances, and
they all have different effects on the body and brain.
• While not all psychoactive substances are illegal, a person can misuse
any of these substances.
• The following are common examples of psychoactive drugs and their
effects on the body.
Heroin

• Heroin is an illegal drug that binds to opioid receptors in the brain,

causing a “rush” of pleasurable sensations.
• Despite the initial feelings of euphoria, heroin can cause a slower heart
rate, feelings of sleepiness, and clouded thinking. However, the
physical effects of heroin, such as a slower heart rate and reduced
breathing, may sometimes be life threatening.
Cocaine

• Cocaine is a stimulant that is illegal in many countries. It can cause an

immediate euphoric effect that lasts from a few minutes to about an
hour.
• Higher doses of this drug can cause a person to experience erratic
behaviors, including violence, anxiety, panic, and paranoia. It can also
lead to severe complications, including heart attacks and sudden death,
potentially with a person’s first use.
LSD

• LSD and other hallucinogens can cause a person to experience, hear,

or see things that do not exist. Some of these experiences can feel
pleasurable and profound, while others can feel frightening.
• LSD can also cause elevated blood pressure, raised body temperature,
sleeplessness, and dizziness.
• Additionally, using LSD can lead to the development of tolerance for
both the drug itself and other hallucinogens, meaning an individual
needs to take higher doses to experience the same “high.”
Methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine (MDMA)
• MDMA, also called molly or ecstasy, can have both stimulant and
hallucinogen effects. Some people who use it feel increased empathy and
emotional closeness, an elevated mood, and increased energy.
• However, moderate use can cause irritability, depression, sleep problems,
and anxiety.
Amphetamines

• Amphetamines are a type of stimulant. They canTrusted Source come

in the form of prescription medications to treat attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder or narcolepsy, with the brand names Adderall or
Dexedrine.
• People sometimes use these as recreational drugs, as they can give a
person a “rush” of euphoria and increase energy and alertness.
• However, they can also cause paranoia, anger, and psychosis. High
doses can cause heart failure or seizures.
Cannabis

• Cannabis, also called weed, is a type of psychoactive drug that can

have the effects of a depressant, stimulant, or hallucinogen.
• This drug affects everyone differently, but common effects include an
increased appetite, euphoria, and relaxation. Some people might also
have altered senses, for example, seeing brighter colors.
• However, some may have negative effects after taking the drug, such
as feeling panic, fear, and distrust.
Alcohol
• People generally class alcohol as a depressant because it slows down a
person’s thinking and responses. It canTrusted Source make someone
feel calm, relaxed, or euphoric.
• However, it can also reduce a person’s ability to think rationally and
lead to impaired judgment. Over time, an individual can develop a
tolerance to or dependency on alcohol.
Nicotine

• Nicotine, which people can find in smoked and chewed tobacco

products, is a stimulant and depressant. Nicotine first provides a
“buzz” of energy and pleasure.
• However, this effect fades over time and leaves a person feeling
fatigued. Their body can also become dependent on nicotine, which
can lead to addiction.
Caffeine

• This is the most common Trusted Source form of legal psychoactive

drug. Caffeine acts as a stimulant that can aid alertness.
• However, it can also disrupt a person’s sleep. Like nicotine and
alcohol, an individual can build up a tolerance to caffeine, which
means they need to consume more to feel its effects. This can lead to
dependency and withdrawal symptoms when a person stops taking it.
Prescription opioids

• A doctor can prescribe opioids to someone for moderate to severe

pain. Common brand names of prescription opioids include
OxyContin and Percocet.
• They are generally safe when a person takes them as a doctor
prescribes and over the short term. However, people can misuse
prescription medications by:
• taking medication that doctors have prescribed to someone else
• taking the medication in amounts or ways other than doctors have
prescribed
• taking the medication to get high
• Prescription opiates can be very harmful if someone takes them
differently from how a doctor has prescribed them.
• Because they cause a person’s breathing to slow, misusing them can
cause hypoxia, when the brain does not get enough oxygen. This can
lead to coma, permanent brain damage, or death.