Drug abuse and addiction hit a broad spectrum of society, with no regard to age, race, or socioeconomic status. Addiction to drugs doesn’t mean a certain type of drug or substance, such as alcohol or opioids. So, what are the four types of drugs? According to the National Institutes of Health, there are four main categories of drugs that work on the brain and body, potentially causing or leading to addiction. Because these drugs affect the brain and central nervous system, creating an altered state in the brain, body, or both, doctors refer to them as psychoactive drugs.
What Are the Four Types of Drugs?
1. Depressants
Some of the most commonly found types of drugs in society are depressants. Depressants such as alcohol are commonly available for adults to use every day. However, despite the wide availability, they can become addictive, creating negative outcomes when overused.
Alcohol slows the response time within the central nervous system. As the response time and function of the neurons in the brain slows down, you feel more relaxed and less inhibited. Depressants affect motor function, both gross motor and fine motor, as well as the brain’s ability to process information and react. When you consume too much alcohol, you can be in danger of alcohol poisoning and can slip into a coma. You may even die.
If you’ve experienced the dangerous effects of alcohol, reach out to the women’s and men’s alcohol rehab center in Bend, OR.
2. Stimulants
Stimulants, such as caffeine or nicotine, work in the opposite manner. Stimulant types of drugs speed up the body’s central nervous system. Response times between the brain’s neurons increase and the body’s systems respond with higher respiration rates and faster heart rates. The sensation of a burst of energy that comes from caffeine or nicotine may become addictive as your body becomes chemically dependent on the substance. While caffeine and nicotine are readily available for legal purchase, other highly addictive and dangerous stimulants such as ecstasy or speed are available illegally, as well.
3. Opioids
The opioid addiction crisis has affected our society to a grave degree. Opioids are a class of drugs that blocks or relieves pain. Many doctors legally prescribe opioids as pain medications. Opioids include medicine like Vicodin or OxyContin. These drugs are highly addictive and can lead to prescription abuse. These drugs can also lead to even worse addictions, such as heroin.
When doctors prescribe these opioids, they need to recognize how addictive these drugs can be. These drugs are not only addictive, but they alter your mood and mind. Those that progress to or have an addiction to heroin are at grave risk of death due to the impurities often found in street heroin and the risk of using heroin mixed with fentanyl, which can be lethal. Discuss opioid misuse with your doctor to see if it’s time to go to an opioid addiction treatment center in Oregon.
4. Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens also act on the central nervous system and brain to create altered perceptions and moods. The most commonly recognized and abused hallucinogen is LSD. The use of LSD increases the brain’s production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter. As serotonin levels increase rapidly, your mood can fluctuate wildly, and your ability to perceive stimuli and process it also fluctuates. LSD and hallucinogens can cause the user to see things that aren’t there as the serotonin levels increase without regulation.
Drug Addiction Treatment in Oregon
If you or a loved one are struggling with the impact of drug addiction, our expert and compassionate treatment professionals at the drug addiction treatment center in OR can help.
Sunstone Recovery will help you on your journey to health and sobriety with individualized addiction treatment programs. Contact us today at 855.833.9199 to learn more.
