Drugs and Their Harmful Effects
Simply put, drugs are harmful. They are harmful to your brain, your body, your central nervous system, your heart, and many other vital organs. Many people abuse drugs to help deal with problems, or to get away from reality. They don’t think about the long term effects of the drug their taking, they don’t think about what they are really doing to their bodies. Over the next few paragraphs, I am going to be explaining to your about many common drugs, their side effects, the dangers of the drug, and how to tell if a loved one is currently addicted.
Stimulants are drugs that increase mood, self-esteem, and energy. Methamphetamine is a very dangerous stimulant and it comes in several different forms such as crystal, pills, and powder. Stimulants are abused in several ways, depending on the drug. They can be: Swallowed in pill form, “Snorted” in powder form, injected, using a needle and syringe, or heated in crystal form and smoked and inhaled into the lungs. (NIDA for Teens) Short term meth abuse symptoms are increased alertness, sense of well-being, paranoia, intense high, hallucinations, aggressive behavior, increased heart rate, convulsions, extreme rise in body temperature, uncontrollable movements, violent behavior, insomnia, impaired speech, dry and itchy skin, premature aging, rotting teeth, loss of appetite, acne, sores and numbness. (Berger) The signs of an overdose are the same, just much more extreme. Someone who is suspected of overdosing on methamphetamine should be taken straight to the hospital. Meth withdrawal as compared to other withdrawal processes go, is not as hard on the body. The process in most addicts usually lasts around 48 hours, yet its severity and length of time depends on the meth user's length and intensity of meth addiction. (MyAddiction) Meth withdrawal may include, but not limited to, excessive sleeping, increased appetite, depression, and cravings.
Depressants are substances that slow down the...