Tag: substance use
What are prescription CNS depressants?
Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants are medicines that include sedatives, tranquilizers, and hypnotics. These drugs can slow brain activity, making them useful for treating anxiety, panic, acute stress reactions, and sleep disorders.
CNS depressants cause drowsiness; sedatives are often prescribed to treat sleep disorders like insomnia and hypnotics can induce sleep, whereas tranquilizers are prescribed to treat anxiety or to relieve muscle spasms.
Learn more about CNS depressants here
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Though the decrease is encouraging, we should still be educating young adults about the dangers of non-medical use of prescription opioids.
Sex and gender differences in substance use
Scientists who study substance use have discovered that women who use drugs can have issues related to hormones, menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause. In addition, women themselves describe unique reasons for using drugs, including controlling weight, fighting exhaustion, coping with pain, and attempts to self-treat mental health problems.
Science has also found that:
- Women often use substances differently than men, such as using smaller amounts of certain drugs for less time before they become addicted.
- Women can respond to substances differently. For example, they may have more drug cravings and may be more likely to relapse after treatment.
- Sex hormones can make women more sensitive than men to the effects of some drugs.
Learn more about gender differences here
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What are hallucinogens?
Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter a person’s awareness of their surroundings as well as their own thoughts and feelings. They are commonly split into two categories: classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). Both types of hallucinogens can cause hallucinations, or sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Additionally, dissociative drugs can cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their body and environment.
Some hallucinogens are extracted from plants or mushrooms, and some are synthetic (human-made). Historically, people have used hallucinogens for religious or healing rituals. More recently, people report using these drugs for social or recreational purposes, including to have fun, deal with stress, have spiritual experiences, or just to feel different.
Learn more about hallucinogens here
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Research shows that teens and young adults who vape are at a higher risk of getting COVID-19 than those who do not.
Find out more at the link below:
Vaping devices aren’t just used to vape nicotine, but can also be used to vape marijuana.