DRUGS
Amphetamines
Nicknames; Speed - - Whizz--- billy---base
EFFECTS Feeling of increased energy and confidence
PROBLEMS: mood swings—verbal aggression---anxiety---depression
Appetite supperesser
Long term and heavy use can sometimes activate an underlying mental health
problem
Cannabis
Nicknames: Draw - Ganja - pot - Weed - Blow - Grass - Dope – solid- skunk
EFFECTS: a feeling of intoxication –being relaxed and talkative
Heightens the senses especially with colour taste and sound
PROBLEMS: can affects short-term memory and ability to concentrate as well as
co- ordination, - a user can show sighs of lethargy and a lack of motivation
Long term and heavy use can sometimes activate an underlying mental health problem
Cocaine
Nicknames; Charlie - Coke – Snow - white
EFFECTS: Feeling of extreme confidence & alertness LASTING for approx 2
hours - A strong ‘high’ for first 20 minutes
PROBLEMS: freguent use over a short period can leave user restless, confussed, and very deppressed
Long term and heavy can cause severe nasal damage, mental health PROBLEMS,
or heart PROBLEMS
Crack
cocaine
Nicknames: Rocks – stone - pebbles
Effect: Intense ‘high’ lasting about 10 - 20 minutes
PROBLEMS:
Highly addictive, difficult to control uses, mood swings,
Verbal aggression, anxiety, depression, smoking crack can harm the lungs and
cause chest pains
Long term and heavy use can sometimes activate an underlying metal health problem
Ecstasy
Nicknames: ‘ Es‘ - doves – mitsubishis - dolphins
EFFECTS: State of euphoria - extreme well being towards other people
Sound, colour and emotions can seem much more intense, rushes of energy lasting
for 3 to 6 hours
PROBLEMS:
As ecstasy starts working (coming up) users may feel Nausea - dizziness –
sweating –jaw tension– increased heart rate which can lead to dehydration
and- overheating
(The come down) can leave users tierd and deppressed for days
Heroin
Nicknames: ‘H’ - smack – scag – brown
EFFECTS: blissful drowsiness - emotional & PHYSICAL numbness –
A feeling of well being
PROBLEMS: very addictive, tolerance develops quickly, users who start by smoking or snorting heroin sometimes switch to injection to maximise the high
Injecting can damage vains, sharing needles, spoons etc, puts users at risk
of hepatitis b and c or h i v
ketamine
Nicknames: Special K vitamin k or just k
EFFECTS: A feeling that the mind has been seperated from the body (out of body experience) Lasts up to 3 hours. The effects are influenced by the users mood and enviroment
PROBLEMS as ketamine numbs the body a user may be physically unable to move,
also can risk serious injury without feeling pain
Excessive doses carry some risk of breathing PROBLEMS and heart failure.
Ketamine is very dangerrous when mixed with alcohol and other drugs
LSD
Nicknames: ‘A’ - Acid - trips – tabs - blotter –dots
EFFECTS Hallucinations - - sense of movement and time can speed up or slow down, objects, colours and sound may become distorted, lasts up to possibly 8 - 12 hours
PROBLEMS: once trip starts there is no way of stoping it, the effects depend
on the users mood, where they are and who there with. Accidents can happen while
users are hallucinating.
Users can experience flashbacks, for some time afterwards
LSD can complicate mental health PROBLEMS such as depression, anxiety and
schizophrenia.
Drug:Nitrites
- Amyl / Butyl
Nicknames: poppers - rush – liguid gold
EFFECTS Users get a brief head rush, some experience the impression of time slowing down, and effects fade 2 to 5 minutes after use
PROBLEMS: users often experience a headache afterwards, regular use causes skin
PROBLEMS around the nouth and nose
Taking poppers is very dangerrous for people with anaemia, glaucoma, and breathing
or heart PROBLEMS
Solvents
EFFECTS swift intoxication, dizzy, giggly.
PROBLEMS: abusing solvents can lead to nausea, vomiting, black outs and heart
PROBLEMS. accidents can happen when the user is high because their senses are
affected
Using solvents can cause instant death by freezing the larynx. Long term use
can damage the brain, liver, and kidneys
Tranquillisers
Nicknames: Tranx - eggs - benzos – jellies
EFFECTS relieve tension and anxiety, slows things down mentally
Higher doses can make user drowsy and forgetfull
PROBLEMS: (some from long term use)
Users trying to quit may suffer panic attacks
Highly dangerous if injected - risk of death if combined with alcohol - high risk of dependence from long term use
Magic mushroomEFFECTS cause hallucinations; objects, colour and sound become distorted. Effects
depend on the users mood, where they
Are and who they are with. Trips last about 4 hours.
PROBLEMS bad trips can happen and can be very frightening, once the trip has
started theres no going back
Like any hallucinogen, magic mushrooms can complicate mental health problems.