If you have looked through the factfile of this website, you will have seen that many of the negative effects of drugs are psychological. You will also remember that the effect that any substance has upon you is partly dependant upon your state of mind at the time you take it. This part of the website pulls together some of the main ways in which your mind is affected by drugs.
Psychological dependency Many drugs are not actually physically addictive. Some are. But by far the majority are psychologically addictive. That is people feel that they cannot cope without them. This includes drugs from all categories - downers, uppers, hallucinogenic and analgesics. Mood swings, changes in personality Drugs from all categories can seriously affect your mood. Anxiety, panic, depression and paranoia can result from whichever drug you take. Uppers tend to add irritability and aggression to the list, whilst downers can make you agoraphobic and cause loss of short-term memory. Fortunately many of these symptoms pass once you have stopped using the drug for a period of time. More serious mental conditions The Hallucinogenic drugs - LSD, Cannabis and magic mushrooms can trigger much more serious mental conditions. You can suffer from flashbacks and hallucinations for a long time afterwards. The stimulant drugs - amphetamines, cocaine, crack, can cause a condition called amphetamine psychosis which is similar to schizophrenia. These conditions are more severe and can be very long-term. Eating Disorders Can be linked to drug abuse. Perhaps you have tried slimming pills and become addicted; perhaps you feel bad about yourself to the extent that you develop an eating disorder and then have used drugs to try and blot this out. These problems can be helped. If you have fallen into the trap of using drugs for whatever reason, don´t hide. Come forward and find help to get your life back on track. |
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