Different types of drugs and their effects

The National Health Watch

What types of drug are there?
There are four main groups of drug, divided according to their major effects, plus a few substances that do not easily fit into any category.
The main categories are:

  • stimulants (eg, cocaine);
  • depressants (eg, alcohol);
  • opium-related painkillers (eg heroin); and,
  • hallucinogens (eg, LSD).

Stimulants – they make you feel energetic, alert, talkative, active and very excited.
They can be very dangerous (causing death) at high doses.
Repeated use can cause psychosis and paranoia, which may be diagnosed as schizophrenia.
They are also addictive.
Depressants (sedatives) – they make you feel peaceful, laidback, smooth, possible paradoxical effects – anxiety, nightmares, aggression. They are dangerous at high doses. They are addictive.

Opium – related pain-killers make you feel: a flash of pleasure, in a distracted state, drowsy.
They are very dangerous at high doses and addictive.

Hallucinogens – these vary a lot. The same drug may have different effects at different times.
These may make you feel:

  • isolated from your surroundings;
  • mood swings;
  • transformed sense of space and time;
  • hallucinations, illusions and falsehoods of reality;
  • feelings of insight; and,
  • mystical or religious experiences.

The experience may be powerful and not much fun.
Remember:

  • You will not necessarily experience these effects;
  • Someone showing symptoms like this will not necessarily be taking drugs. There may well be other causes; and,
  • All these drugs can also cause physical side effects, some of which can be unfriendly or dangerous.

Next week’s edition: New psychoactive substances (illegal highs).