Understanding Drugs and the Effects That They Have on the Brain and Body

Addiction is a serious disease and one that is difficult to overcome once you are hooked. Prevention is probably the best form of drug control there is, so it is best to teach your kids the dangers of drugs and why they want to stay away. The information in this article will inform you about a few drugs and the effects that they can have on your body and brain.

Even though marijuana may seem like a very wide used and harmless drug, it actually can be very harmful for you. Considering that there are more than four-hundred different chemicals found in the plant and the smoke inhaled into the lungs include carcinogens that may cause cancer, it would be a good idea to keep this smoke far from your body. People that smoke marijuana on a regular basis also report feeling very lackadaisical, unfocused, and detached about things that would normally be of the utmost importance to them.

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that can cause you to feel hyper and more active. The cocaine releases dopamine in the brain which is what makes the body feel pleasure and satisfaction. The more you use cocaine, the less dopamine your brain will produce normally. So even though it will make you feel good temporarily, you will just need more of the drug to feel good like that again. Thus, that is how the addiction gets started and it is a slippery slope to even try it for the first time.

Illegal drugs are not the only drugs that get abused and are addicting and dangerous. Prescription drugs like those that are used to treat pain are becoming quite a problem as well. These prescription drugs also affect the way the brain gives and receives messages through its neurotransmitters. There are several different drugs that get abused. Ones prescribed for anxiety, sleeping disorders, and for pain are most commonly misused and overused. Once the abuser stops using the drug it can cause the body to go through severe withdrawals and even seizures.

For those that are in need of help, there are plenty of drug treatment facilities that have the proper personnel, medical professionals, and counselors to give the addict the best chance to recover fully and live a normal happy and healthy life. The treatments they use will depend upon the specific case of each individual. Some will need 24 hour inpatient treatment while others may be admitted to an outpatient therapy program.