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Hallucinogens

Hallucinogenic drugs distort the user's perceptions of reality. These drugs include:

•LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide): also known as 'trips', 'acid' and 'microdots';
•magic mushrooms (psilocybin): also known as 'mushies';
•mescaline (peyote cactus); and
•ecstasy (MDMA/methylenedioxymethamphetamine): also known as 'E', 'XTC' and 'Eccies', produces a combination of hallucinogenic and stimulant effects; and
•ketamine: also known as 'K' and 'Special K'.
The main physical effects of hallucinogenic drugs are dilation of pupils, loss of appetite, increased activity, talking or laughing, jaw clenching, sweating and sometimes stomach cramps or nausea. Drug effects can include a sense of emotional and psychological euphoria and well-being. Visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations may occur, causing users to see or hear things that do not actually exist. The effects of hallucinogens are not easy to predict and the person may behave in ways that appear irrational or bizarre. Psychological effects often depend on the mood of the users and the context of use.

Negative effects of hallucinogens can include panic, paranoia and loss of contact with reality. In extreme cases, this can result in dangerous behaviour that can put the user and others at great risk. Driving while under the influence of hallucinogens is extremely hazardous. It is common for users to take minor tranquillisers or marijuana to help them come down from a hallucinogenic drug.

Stimullants

In contrast to depressant drugs, stimulant drugs speed up the functions of the central nervous system. Millions of Australians use the following stimulants every day:


•caffeine: most coffee, tea and cola drinks contain caffeine, which is a mild stimulant;
•nicotine: the nicotine in tobacco is a stimulant, despite many smokers using it to relax; and
•ephedrine: used in medicines for bronchitis, hay fever and asthma.
Stronger stimulant drugs include:


•amphetamines and methamphetamines: also known as 'speed', 'ice' and 'crystal meth';
•cocaine: also known as 'coke' and 'snow';
•slimming tablets: e.g. Duromine and Tenuate; and
•dexamphetamine: prescribed to treat attention-deficit disorder in children and narcolepsy, which is an uncontrollable urge to fall asleep.
Stimulants speed up or stimulate the central nervous system and can make the users feel more awake, alert or confident. Stimulants increase heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. Other physical effects include reduced appetite, dilated pupils, talkativeness, agitation and sleep disturbance.


Higher doses of stimulants can 'over stimulate' the users, causing anxiety, panic, seizures, headaches, stomach cramps, aggression and paranoia. They can also cause heart problems such as arrhythmia. Prolonged or sustained use of strong stimulants can also cause these effects.


Strong stimulants can mask the effects of depressant drugs, such as alcohol. This can increase the potential for aggression, and poses an obvious hazard if the person is driving.

Types of Drugs

The three main types of drugs, classified by their effects on the central nervous system are:

•depressants
•stimulants
•hallucinogens

depressants
Depressant drugs slow down, or depress, the functions of the central nervous system (however, they don't necessarily make you feel depressed). Depressant drugs include:


•alcohol;
•opiates and opioids: including heroin (also known as 'H', 'hammer', 'smack' and 'gear'), morphine, codeine, methadone and buprenorphine;
•cannabis: (also known as 'green', 'smoke', 'weed', 'pot', 'dope', 'cone' and 'mull'), including marijuana, hashish and hash oil. In stronger concentrations, such as in hashish and resin, cannabis can also act as an hallucinogen in addition to being a central nervous system depressant;
•minor tranquillisers/benzodiazepines (benzos): including diazepam (Valium), oxazepam (Serepax), nitrazepam (Mogadon), temazepam (Normison and Euhypnos); and
•some solvents and inhalants: including vapours from petrol, glue, chrome paint and lighter fluid.
In moderate doses, depressants can make you feel relaxed. Some depressants cause euphoria and a sense of calm and well-being. They may be used to 'wind down' or to reduce anxiety, stress or inhibition. Because they slow you down, depressants affect coordination, concentration and judgment. This makes driving and operating machinery hazardous.


In larger doses, depressants can cause unconsciousness by reducing breathing and heart rate. A person's speech may become slurred and their movements sluggish and uncoordinated. Other effects of larger doses including nausea, vomiting and, in extreme cases, death. When taken in combination, depressants increase their effects and increase the danger of overdose.

Substance dependence

When an individual persists in use of alcohol or other drugs despite problems related to use of the substance, substance dependence may be diagnosed. Compulsive and repetitive use may result in tolerance to the effect of the drug and withdrawal symptoms when use is reduced or stopped. This, along with Substance Abuse are considered Substance Use Disorders


Substance dependence can be diagnosed with physiological dependence, evidence of tolerance or withdrawal, or without physiological dependence.


Physical dependence refers to a state resulting from chronic use of a drug that has produced tolerance and where negative physical symptoms of withdrawal result from abrupt discontinuation or dosage reduction. Physical dependence can develop from low-dose therapeutic use of certain medications as well as misuse of recreational drugs such as alcohol. The higher the dose used typically the worse the physical dependence and thus the worse the withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can last days, weeks or months or occasionally longer and will vary according to the dose, the type of drug used and the individual person.

Drug addiction

Drug addiction is a dependence on a street drug or a medication. When you're addicted, you may not be able to control your drug use and you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes. Drug addiction can cause an intense craving for the drug. You may want to quit, but most people find they can't do it on their own.

Not everyone who uses drugs becomes addicted, but for many what starts as casual use leads to drug addiction. Drug addiction can cause serious, long-term consequences including problems with physical and mental health, relationships, employment and the law.


You may need help from your doctor, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program to overcome your drug addiction and stay drug-free.

Drugs: What are they?

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.

In pharmacology, a drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being."Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic disorders.

Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as opioids or hallucinogens. They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on perception, consciousness, personality, and behavior. Some drugs can cause addiction and habituation.

Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism. For example, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.

Many natural substances such as beers, wines, and some mushrooms, blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both mind and body.