A drug is a substance that brings about physiological effects when introduced into the body of a human being. Drug analysis deals with the technical process of determining the presence or the absence of particular parent drugs or in other words their metabolites. Drugs are classified into various groups, and these include depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. For an individual to use these types of drugs, various reasons may contribute to this and can be elaborated through specific theories.
Depressants are drugs that when introduced to the body lowers the neural transmission levels thus depressing the stimulation or arousal in various parts of the human brain. Human beings all over the world use depressants as illicit substances and also as prescription medicines. The most common depressant is alcohol. Its composition is made up of ethanol and is classified as fermented beverages and distilled beverages. Fermented beverage includes wine, beer, cider, and mead. Among the four, beer is the most consumed in the world. It is made from a blend of several grains or barley. Distilled beverages, on the other hand, are a type of alcoholic beverage that is produced from distilling ethanol that has already been produced by fermenting fruit, grain, or vegetables. Spirits are the types of distilled and unsweetened alcoholic beverages that contain at least twenty percent alcohol content. Examples of such include whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, brandy and Soju.
The production of alcohol depends on the type that the manufacturer is interested in. Wine, an example of fermented beverage involves fermenting cherries, and grapes among other fruits over a long process known as aging. Other fermented beverages follow the same process of fermentation with cider being produced from apples to produce a drink with content varying from 1.2% to 8.5% while mead involves the fermentation of honey with water to have an alcoholic drink with a percentage ranging from 8% to 20%. Distilled beverages, on the other hand, involve the distillation process. The process produces beverages with content ranging from 20% to 40%. Rectified spirits are purified through repeated distillation. It may contain up to 95% content of alcohol.
Alcohol has some uses. It is used as an aperitif and also as a digestif. When served before a meal with the purpose of stimulating appetite, it is known as an aperitif while if taken after a meal to improve digestion; it is known as a digestif. Alcoholic beverages are also regarded as food sources. This is because most are composed of large levels of carbohydrates which are sources of high levels of calories.
Intake of alcohol has both physical effects and psychological effects on the body of a human being. Alcohol intake is believed to be the second cause of cancers of the throat and the mouth. Liver cancer is also caused by the large intake of this depressant. In some cases, alcohol can lead to hypertension which can cause cases of heart attacks. It also can weaken the muscles around the heart, therefore, causing heart failures and also prolonged effects on the liver, brain, lungs and other body organs. Another physical effect is that it dehydrates the skin thus causing the skin to appear blotchy due to widened blood vessels.
The intake and abuse of alcohol have some psychological effects on a human being. It triggers suicidal behaviors. Fifteen percent of people taking alcohol commit suicide. The intake of alcohol can cause damage to the liver through hepatic encephalopathy which causes various psychological problems such as the change in sleeping patterns, depression, anxiety, changes in moods and personality, problems with coordination and shortened attention span (Tracy, 2012).
Stimulants are the direct opposite of depressants. They increase focus, energy, and attention. They also elevate heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. They are often used as legal substances and also as illicit substances or abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). There are several types of stimulants which include nicotine, cocaine, and caffeine among others. Cocaine, for example, is made from the leaves of the coca plant, which is mainly found in the South American countries. It comes in the form of a powder which is sniffed or rocks which can be smoked. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system. Its possession and sale is highly restricted as its abuse potential is high. The composition, color, and texture of cocaine depend on the place of origin, the presence of impurities, and the method of preparation. It is a weakly alkaline substance and therefore forms salts when combined with acidic substances. It is mainly composed of the hydrochloric salt with the sulfate and nitrate salts too being sparingly present. It also has a freebase form which makes the stimulant insoluble in water. One can produce pure cocaine by neutralizing the compounding salt using an alkaline solution. The result is then precipitated into a non-polar basic form of cocaine which is further refined through the liquid-liquid extraction.
Cocaine is used to numb the linings in nose, throat and mouth before performing various procedures such as wound cleaning, stitches, and biopsy. The drug can also reduce swelling and bleeding as it narrows blood vessels. The application method and dosage, however, depends on the particular process and should not be injected or used in the eye. When used as a recreation drug, it can lead to overuse and hence addiction. As a result, various effects develop.
Some of the physical effects that result from using cocaine include increasing body temperatures which can eventually cause heatstroke. The condition occurs whenever the internal body temperature goes above a hundred degrees Fahrenheit and is left untreated. The resulting heart and brain damage can also lead to the death of the user. Other physical effects of abusing cocaine include nosebleeds, hoarseness, and bowel gangrene which could result in chronic diarrhea. Some of the psychological effects brought about by the overuse of cocaine include increased paranoia. It develops a state of short-term psychosis on the user which can lead to hallucinations. Abuse of cocaine also causes depression. This can later trigger suicidal feelings and also withdrawal. Patients recovering from the abuse of this stimulant, therefore, need a lot of supervision to ensure that they deal with the symptoms adequately.
The third group consists of hallucinogens. These are psychoactive agents that cause perceptual anomalies, hallucinations and subjective changes in emotions, thoughts, and consciousness. Hallucinogens are divided into two groups which include dissociative drugs such as PCP and classic hallucinogens with an example being LSD. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a common hallucinogen known for its psychological effects. It is not addictive but has psychiatric adverse reactions. It is composed of two stereo centers hence has four optical isomers. When shaken in the dark, the pure salts of LSD can emit flashes of white light. Under the UV light, the hallucinogen produces a bluish-white glow, a sign that it is strongly fluorescent (FNP, 2015).
LSD was previously used in clinical medicine. Its use has however been banned recently. Hence, there are no medical indications as of 2016. The hallucinogen is famously used as a recreational drug. It catalyzes intense spiritual experiences to a point that the user feels that they are in contact with a greater being. Use of the hallucinogen can lead to both physical and psychological effects. Some of the physical effects include reduced appetite, wakefulness and pupil dilation. Other effects include nausea, goose bumps, elevated blood sugar, jaw clenching, heart rate increase, tremors and hyperreflexia among others. Psychologically, the use of LSD can cause a long-term change in life perspective and personality of the personality. Some of the psychological effects include the loss of a sense of identity and a feeling the thoughts are spiraling. There is also dissolutionment between the individual and the outside world. Also, the hallucinogen leads to the disintegration of the user’s personality.
All in all, the use of the above-mentioned drugs can be explained by Anomie. This is the breakdown of social bonds between a particular individual and the community, which leads to little or no moral guidance to individuals. As a result, this may lead to the breakdown of the social identity and a drop in the personal values. The individual gets withdrawn and as a result, they turn to drugs. Individuals suffering from anomie have the desire to attain various goals but lack the ability due to the structural limitations brought about by the disorder. Deviant behaviors result and this as mentioned includes the use of alcohol, cocaine, and LSD.
In conclusion, the use of drugs is caused by various reasons. The anomie theory describes how the breakdown of social bonds leads to the abuse of drugs to gain back the feeling that one is one with the others. Stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens have different ways of altering the function of the body but almost have similar physical and psychological effects. The abuse of drugs not only has effects on the user but also on the people around. Uncontrolled use of drugs can cause death as the last result.
Bibliography
FNP, K. D. (2015, June 29). Medical News Today. Retrieved April 18, 2016, from What is lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)? Effects and hazards of LSD: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/295966.php
National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2014, November). Prescription Drug Abuse. Retrieved April 18, 2016, from Drug Abuse: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/stimulants/what-are-stimulants
Tracy, N. (2012, January 14). Psychological Effects of Alcohol . Retrieved April 18, 2016, from Healthy Place: http://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/alcoholism/psychological-effects-of-alcohol/
