Different types of drugs and their categories

There are many types of drugs, which will have different effects on the body:

Simulants

Speed up messages travelling between the brain and body. They can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident or energetic

Stimulants increases Heart Rate, and Blood Pressure. They can cause tremors, Sweats, Sleeplessness. 

Depressants – (Downers) 

Reduces arousal and stimulation. They affect the central nervous system, slowing down the messages between the brain and body. They can affect concentration and coordination and slow down a person’s ability to respond to unexpected situations. In small doses, they can cause a person to feel more relaxed and less inhibited.

Hallucinogens

Psychedelic drugs that can potentially change the way people see, hear, taste, smell or feel, and also affect mood and thought.

Dissociatives

Gives a feeling of relaxation/ causes people to feel separated or detached from their body or physical environment.

Opioids 

Depresses the central nervous system, so they slow down messages between the brain and the rest of the body. On opioids, a person's breathing and heart rate slow down. 

Steroids

Used by athletes to increase muscle mass and to speed up recovery. In young people, leads to aggression; extreme mood swings; anger; extreme irritability; delusions; impaired judgment.

Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds found in the Cannabis plant. They may lead to memory loss or paranoia.

Empathogens

In the UK, controlled drugs fall into three different categories, Class A, B or C, according to their danger or how harmful they are.

Class A - Cocaine, MDMA/ Shrooms/ Cocaine/ LSD/ Crack

Class B - Cannabis, Ket, Speed

Class C - Benzos/ roofies, NOS, anabolic steroids, minor tranquilisers, GHB and Khat