What do all drugs have in common? *
Abstinence * Addiction * Effects on Behavior
EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR
A drug is by definition a chemical you take to change the way your brain works in some manner for some period of time. If it doesn’t do that, then it’s not a drug. In fact, there’d be no point in consuming a chemical if your brain will end up working the same way it would if you were sober. This applies to every substance, no matter what its intended use is, how long its effects last, or whether it’s legal or not. Because of this, while using any drug, one’s perception, judgment, coordination, and personality will always be affected.
NOTE: The brains of physically addicted users who require maintenance – regular intake of a drug to prevent withdrawal symptoms – respond somewhat differently to the chemical than the brains of non-addicted users. For example, daily coffee drinkers can experience agitation, shakiness, and grouchiness without caffeine. With it, they can be as calm, normal, and focused as anyone else, although that may not be the way it affects someone who rarely or only occasionally drinks coffee. Thus, the descriptions below are primarily of non-addictive use and would vary when applied to drug maintenance cases.
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Excessive dosages * Interactions * Personal & fetal health * Set & setting
Perception – When you’re on a drug, everything from the things people say to the music you hear may be taken differently than when you’re sober. Substances that cause aggressive and arrogant behavior, including alcohol and stimulants, may make surrounding people seem offensive and hostile to the user. Drugs that can slow people down, such as depressants, marijuana, or pain medications that cause drowsiness, often induce disinterest in things that the user would normally pay attention to. Powerful psychedelics are known to alter users’ views on the purposes and significance of oneself, people, and the world. Even the increase of fear or suspicion is a common perceptual change since paranoia is a side effect of many substances.
Judgment – Driving under the influence, susceptibility to sexual advances, and not being on time are all examples of changes to one’s judgment while on a drug. Whether it’s telling the distance between your car and the car in front of you, deciding to trust a stranger or not, or guessing how many minutes or hours have passed, all chemicals will somehow affect your ability to judge accurately and consciously. Of course, the impact on that ability depends on the drug’s potency and the individual’s experience, tolerance, and original judgment skills.
Coordination – One’s ability to do simple things such as walk a straight line or pick up a pencil is often illustrated as impaired in silly depictions of drunks or stoners. Funny as it may be, this depiction reflects the effect that all substances have on our physical and mental coordination. Some drugs definitely enhance performance of certain tasks and recreations. But due to dizziness, hallucinations, paranoia, dissociation, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and other effects of any drug, users’ movement skills usually decrease by either psychological distraction or direct physical impairment. Again, the level of impact will depend on the dosage and the individual.
Personality – Since drugs affect behavior, and personality is defined by behavior, one’s personality may change when either being on a substance or using it regularly. Many drugs make people more talkative and friendly while others make people quieter and calmer, or louder and more aggressive. Some drugs induce greater attention to detail and refining work while others slow people down and make them lazier. Obviously, drug-induced personality changes (whether caused by too much ecstasy, too much alcohol, or too much Vicodin) can cause you to say regretful things, act in embarrassing ways, or be with people you normally wouldn’t hang out with. But again, it also depends on your own experience, tolerance, and original personality to begin with. And of course, the personality changes are not always bad. Remember that many people take drugs specifically for such purposes – increasing sociability, boosting confidence, reducing temper, connecting with nature, etc.
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