Types of Drugs That are Misused

Types of Drugs That are Misused

Common types of drugs that are misused include depressants, opioids, and stimulants.

DEPRESSANTS

These medicines are also known as tranquilizers and sedatives. They are prescribed to treat anxiety and sleep problems.

Types of drugs and their street names include:

Barbiturates, such as Amytal, Nembutal, phenobarbital, Seconal. Street names include barbs, phennies, reds, red birds, tooies, yellows, yellow jackets.

Benzodiazepines, such as Ativan, Halcion, Klonopin Librium, Valium, Xanax. Street names include bars, benzos, blues, candy, chill pills, french fries, downers, planks, sleeping pills, totem poles, tranks, zanies, and z-bar.

Other sleep medicines, such as Ambien, Sonata, Lunesta. Street names include A-, zombie pills.

When used to get high, they cause feelings of well-being, intense happiness, and excitement. As street drugs, depressants come in pills or capsules and are usually swallowed.

Harmful effects of depressants on the body include:

Decreased attention span

Impaired judgment

Lack of coordination

Lowered blood pressure

Memory problems

Slurred speech

Long-time users may have life-threatening withdrawal symptoms if they try to stop the drug abruptly.

OPIOIDS

Opioids are powerful painkillers. They are prescribed to treat pain after surgery or a dental procedure. Sometimes they are used to treat severe cough or diarrhea.

Types of opioids and their street names include:

Codeine. There are many medicines that contain codeine as an ingredient, especially ones for cough such as Robitussin A-C and Tylenol with codeine. Street names for codeine alone include captain cody, cody, little c, and school boy. For Tylenol with codeine, street names include T1, T2, T3, T4, and dors and fours. Codeine syrup mixed with soda can have street names such as purple drank, sizzup, or Texas tea.

Fentanyl. Drugs include Actiq, Duragesic, Onsolis, and Sublimaze. Street names include apache, china girl, china white, dance fever, friend, goodfella, jackpot, murder 8, percopop, tango and cash.

Hydrocodone: Drugs include Lorcet, Lortab, and Vicodin. Street names include fluff, hydros, v-itamin, vic, vike, Watson-387.

Morphine. Drugs include Avinza, Duramorph, Kadian, Ormorph, Roxanol. Street names include dreamer, first line, god's drug, M, miss emma, mister blue, monkey, morf, morpho, vitamin m, white stuff.

Oxycodone. Drugs include Oxycontin, Percocet, Percodan, Tylox. Street names include cotton, hillbilly heroin, o.c., ox, oxy, oxycet, oxycotton, percs, pills.

When used to get high, opioids cause a person to feel relaxed and intensely happy. As street drugs, they come as powder, pills or capsules, or syrup. They can be swallowed, injected, smoked, put into the rectum, or inhaled through the nose (snorted).

Harmful effects of opioids on the body include:

Constipation

Dry mouth

Confusion

Lack of coordination

Lowered blood pressure

Weakness, dizziness, sleepiness

In high doses, opioid intoxication can result, which can cause breathing problems, coma, or death.

STIMULANTS

These are drugs that stimulate the brain and body. They make the messages between the brain and body move faster. As a result, the person is more alert and physically active. Stimulants such as amphetamines are prescribed to treat health problems such as obesity, narcolepsy, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Addiction and #dependence: Opioids can #lead to #physical and #psychological #dependence, making it challenging for individuals to stop using them even when they want to.

#Tolerance: #Over time, individuals may develop tolerance to opioids, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effects, which can #increase the #risk of #overdose.

#Side effects: Common side #effects of #opioids include #drowsiness, #constipation, nausea, vomiting, and #respiratory #depression. Long-term use can also lead to #hormonal #imbalances and #sexual dysfunction.

#Overdose: #Opioid overdose can occur, especially when individuals misuse or abuse opioids, leading to respiratory depression, coma, and even death.

#Withdrawal symptoms: When individuals abruptly stop using #opioids, they may experience withdrawal symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, muscle aches, insomnia, and flu-like symptoms, which can be severe and difficult to manage without medical assistance.