Transcript How Drugs Affect the Body

SUBSTANCE ABUSE:
How Drugs Affect the Body
Ms. Mai
Lawndale High School
How Drugs Affect the Body
Your body’s nervous system plays a
key role in being able to feel, hear,
think, speak, and move
 Some disorders of the nervous system
are the result of natural deterioration,
while others are the cause of
substances that enter your body
 A wrong combination of chemicals in
your body can cause a bad reaction
within your body

Drugs

A drug is a chemical that causes a
change in your body, your brain, or both

Medicines are drugs used to treat or
prevent illnesses

Caffeine and nicotine are some other
commonly used drugs
The Nature of Drugs

The chemicals that make up drugs
come from plants, animals, or minerals

Many drugs can also be artificially
created in a science lab (synthetic)

All drugs are identified as legal or illegal
Legal Drugs

The FDA regulates the use of legal drugs

Except for caffeine, nicotine, and
alcohol, most legal drugs contain
chemicals to treat medical problems

Legal drugs may be purchased over the
counter (pain relievers and cough
syrup), or with a doctor’s prescription
Illegal Drugs

Illegal drugs are those that are
forbidden by law due to their harmful
side effects

Illegal drugs are also dangerous
because there is no control over the
manufacture or sale, so there is no
guarantee of exactly what is in the drug
How Drugs Enter the Body
Drugs may be chewed, swallowed,
injected, inhaled, sniffed, or applied to
the skin
 Some drugs are taken orally and
absorbed through the stomach


Other drugs are inhaled or injected so
that it can be absorbed quicker
Drug Action
Psychoactive drugs are ones that enter
the brain and affect the mind and
behavior
 These include alcohol, nicotine, and
most illegal drugs


These drugs react with your nervous
system to speed up, slow down, or
stop certain brain activities
7 Types of Psychoactive Drugs
1. Stimulants – speed up nerve activity
2. Depressants – slow down nerve activity
3. Narcotics – strong painkillers that
produce a relaxed feeling
4. Hallucinogens – distort a person’s
perception
5. Cannabis –plant that creates euphoria
6. Inhalants – gases that create euphoria
7. Designer Drug – new chemical combos
Drug’s Affect

Drugs usually affect both the physical
and mental state of your body

A side effect is an undesired reaction to
a drug

Every body reacts to drugs differently,
so prescribed drugs will often have an
appropriate dosage for different people
Synergistic Effect

When two or more drugs react in your
body, the combined drugs may produce
a synergistic effect

Synergistic effects are often
unpredictable, and differ from person to
person depending upon amounts and
types of drugs used
In Conclusion…
The way drugs affects your body is
determined by the nature of the drugs,
how it enters your body, and how it
interacts with your body
 Because illegal drugs are not regulated,
they can create a great problem


Also, mixing drugs can cause
unexpected and dangerous effects.