Drugs are a part of almost everyone’s life. Most people take, or at one time has taken, vitamins, aspirin, or cold relief medicine. These drugs, however, rarely produce an altered state and aren’t considered psychoactive.
Psychoactive drugs are those that influence a person’s emotions, behavior, and perceptions. If you’ve ever had a cup of coffee or a beer, you’ve taken a psychoactive drug. However, most psychoactive drugs are more harmful. Psychoactive drugs can be broken down into four classes.
Stimulates are drugs that cause a rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and muscular tension. Caffeine is the most common stimulate. The major effects of caffeine are an increase in attentiveness and a decrease in reaction time. People can even build up a biological dependence on caffeine.
A third group, narcotics are drugs that increase relaxation and relieve pain and anxiety. Narcotics can also produce a difficulty in concentration, slow speech, and decrease physical activity. Morphine, which is used in many hospitals as a painkiller, is considered to be a legal narcotic. Another narcotic, heroin, is illegal in the US.
The last group of psychoactive drugs is classified as hallucinogens. A hallucinogenic drug is capable of producing hallucinations, or perceptional changes. The most common hallucinogen today is marijuana. The effects of marijuana vary from person to person, but typically consist of a feeling of general well being. On the other hand, individuals who feel depressed can end up even more depressed because the drug magnifies both good and bad feelings. Heavy use of marijuana can temporarily decrease male
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