Drugs and Their Effects
The difference between needing a substance mentally versus physically is crucial to understand. Psychological dependence means you believe you need the drug to function properly—like when someone runs out of marijuana and panics. Physical dependence involves your body actually requiring the substance, often developing tolerance where you need increasingly higher doses for the same effect.
Stimulants increase nervous system activity, giving users energy and alertness. This category includes amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine, and even your morning caffeine! That energy boost from your coffee is a mild form of stimulation affecting your central nervous system.
On the opposite end, depressants slow down nervous system functioning. Alcohol is the most widely used depressant, alongside medications like Xanax, Valium, and opiates. The dangerous aspect of narcotics like opiates is the risk of overdose as they severely decrease nervous system function.
Warning: Hallucinogens like PCP, LSD, and marijuana cause users to lose touch with reality through hallucinations, altering perception in ways that can be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous.
Each drug category affects the brain differently, but all can lead to dependence when misused. Understanding these effects helps explain why certain substances are controlled or illegal despite their appeal to users.