Pharmacology: The Long-term Effect Of Depressants

Pharmacology
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Law
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Pharmacology
A drug is known to be any substance that when a person takes it with water and enters the body, it will change its physical or psychological function. Drugs can either be legal or illegal and there are reasons why people use drugs. Although, if legal drugs are prescribed, they are for various reasons.
There are 4 types of drugs: Stimulants, Depressants, Opiates, and Hallucinogens. The function of depressants is to slow down how the brain normally works and due to this, they are often given to people who have anxiety or sleep disorders (Villanova University, 2017). Depressants come in the form of alcohol, tranquilizers, and barbiturates and it is important to take note that alcohol can be purchased legally by anyone above 18 years which becomes dangerous if consumed excessively. The 2 major categories of depressants are barbiturates and benzodiazepine and they are used as medicines. They have a calming effect on the human body so that people with anxiety can sleep well. If they are used on a regular basis over some time, the person can reach tolerance causing him or her to take larger doses in the future (Roberts, n.d.).
Hallucinogens have a different effect because they change a person’s perception and feeling. They can impact a person’s brain and alter the way it perceives time, the surroundings, and everyday life. The brain’s thought processes, coordination, sight, and hearing are could change and this is why those who take them could see, hear, and feel things that are not really there. A person could become moderately addicted and highly tolerant of hallucinogens. They can become psychologically dependent on this drug, but not physically dependent. The risk of hallucinogens are personal injury and life-threatening events.
The stimulants have an opposite effect compared to depressants because they are taken to speed on a person’s brain activity making them more alert, focused, and energized. Due to this, they are mostly prescribed to patients who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and narcolepsy (Talbott Recovery, 2017). Other effects it has on the human body are increased blood pressure and rate of breathing. Oftentimes, they are prescribed to cause euphoric high to a person. These stimulants include Ritalin, amphetamines, nicotine, and caffeine. The illegal ones are cocaine and MDMA.
The opiates are used as powerful painkillers and are made using opium, which is a white liquid found in...