Chemical and Biological Effects of Drugs (Term Paper Sample)

Drug Abuse
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A drug is a chemical agent that can cause biological or physiological changes in the body. Drug abuse is defined as the hazardous or injurious use of psychoactive substances, comprising of the illicit drugs and alcohol. The World Health Organization defines it as a continuous use of a drug that is harmful to the user based on the amounts consumed or methods used. Substance abuse gradually leads to dependence or addiction. Addiction is a chronic, deteriorating brain disease with symptoms of obsessive drug seeking and consumption, despite knowledge of the harmful consequences. Drugs modify the brain’s function and structure. These brain changes are mainly chronic and can lead to many negative behaviors. This paper brings out some of the short term and long term effects of drug abuse (Goodman, 2008).
People begin abusing drugs for various reasons. The most common reason is to feel good or aroused. Most drugs of abuse produce intense feelings of stimulation and pleasure. The initial sensation of ecstasy proceeds other effects depending on the drug. For example, stimulants like cocaine have one feeling "high" and they have feelings of self-confidence, power, and increased energy. On the other hand, opiates such as heroin have euphoria accompanied by feelings of satisfaction and relaxation.
Other people abuse drugs to feel better. Some people who suffer from stress-related disorders, social anxiety, and depression abuse drugs to lessen feelings of distress. Stress plays a significant role in beginners of drug use, those continuing to abuse drugs or relapsing in patients recovering from addiction. Another reason is the urge to do better. Some individuals feel increased pressure to improve or enhance their athletic or cognitive performance. The pressure leads to initial experimentation and subsequent continued dependence on the drugs. The last but not least reason is curiosity. Adolescents and teenagers are particularly vulnerable to this trap. They face a substantial impact of peer pressure and are more likely to engage in daring behaviors (NIDA, 2010).
The progression to substance addiction and dependence varies among individuals. Despite the variation, there is a common verified three-stage pathway. The first stage is experimentation or occasional use. During this phase, the drug briefly makes users feel good and euphoric. The users feel in control and trust that they can stop at any time. With time, it progresses to the next stage, that of routine use. Users begin to construct their lives around the pursuit and consumption of the drugs. At this point, denial becomes paramount. The users try to mask the consequences of their behavior. Values begin changing. We substitute important things by the desire to quench the thirst of the drugs. Routine use leads to the final stage of dependence or addiction. At this point, the user feels powerless to resist the drug. They want to experience the effects of the drugs and can face severe withdrawal symptoms if they lack it (NIDA, 2010).
There are three broad groups of drugs. The first class is depressants. They are drugs that slow down or curb the action of the central nervous system. They reduce feelings of anxiety and tension, slow movements and impair cognitive processes. Examples are alcohol and opioids. Alcohol is the most extensively used depressant in the world. The second class is hallucinogens (psychedelics). These are drugs that produce sensory distortions including major alterations in hearing and color perception. They cause one to hallucinate. They may have additional effects such as relaxation, euphoria and panic in some cases. Examples are psilocybin, mescaline and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The third class is stimulants. They are psychoactive drugs that increase the activity of the brain. They enhance states of alertness and produce feelings of pleasure or euphoria "highs." The effects vary from drug to drug. Examples include amphetamine, nicotine, and cocaine (Goodman, 2008).
Most drugs of abuse work on the brain’s reward system. They work by flooding the brain’s communication circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that regulates emotion, movement, cognition, feelings of pleasure and motivation. Dopamine is prominent in every part of the brain. Dopamine rewards our natural feel-good behaviors. The overstimulation of dopamine secretion produces the euphoric effects sought drug users and make them want to repeat the behavior. Activation of the brain’s reward centers makes it want the same action repeated. With time, the brain directs this behavior without much cognitive input. Since drugs of abuse stimulate production of dopamine up to ten times the natural amounts, it subsequently results to dependence (Grilly, 2012).
The significances of drug abuse are varied and vast, affecting people of all ages. They range from the typical euphoria to significant brain damages and even death. Individuals who are suffering from addiction have one or more associated medical problems. These include cancer, cardiovascular and lung diseases, stroke, and mental disorders. The whole body experiences damaging effects of the drugs. For example, tobacco smokers exhibit cancers of the throat, mouth, larynx, lungs, blood, stomach, pancreas, and cervix (NIDA, 2010). Some drugs of abuse are toxic to neurons and may damage or even destroy them. This paper shall focus mainly on the short and long-term effect of abusing opioids and cocaine.
Opioids are narcotics. They are addictive drugs that have sleep-inducing and pain-relieving properties. There are natural and synthetic opioids. Examples of natural opioids are morphine, codeine, and heroin. The sap of the poppy plant (which means the plant of joy) is the natural source of opioids. Examples of synthetic opioids are Demerol and Darvon. They have opiate-like effects (Goodman, 2008).
The short-term effects of opioids are those of intense feelings of pleasure or rush. They make users forget their problems, that is, they dull awareness of one’s personal problems. The primary medical application of opioids is their analgesic effect. Both natural and synthetic opioids relief pain rapidly. The medical use is a highly regulated practice. Other short term effects include drowsiness, constipation, slowed breathing, nausea, and even unconsciousness. Overdoses can lead to coma or death (Goodman, 2008).
The long-term effects of opioids use are tolerance and addiction. Opiate abuse leads to a suppressed immune system. The suppression makes the body susceptible to frequent infections and probable heart and liver problems. The user experiences recurrent and severe constipation. Opioids affect endocrine glands which results in decreased libido and possible infertility. Other effects are anxiety, irregular menstruation and an increased risk of bone disease (osteoporosis). Opioid-induced hyperalgesia is a condition in which opioid addicts become more sensitive to pain (Goodman, 2008).
Cocaine is a stimulant extracted from leaves of the Coca plant. It is an inexpensive, highly addictive drug. It stimulates the central nervous system to produce feelings of increased mental awareness, euphoria and feelings of well-being. It is capable of producing delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia. The effects on the cardiovascular system are increased blood pressure and heart rate, co...