Drugs A-Z

Last Updated: December 12th, 2013

Search for a drug by clicking on a letter below. If there’s a drug you think should be included in our list, or if you’re unsure about a drug because you know of it by a different name – perhaps by its street name – please call us on 0808 163 9632 or complete our contact form.

Addiction to Drugs

When people become addicted to drugs it can have a hugely devastating impact on their life. This is a condition that influences every aspect of the person’s reality, and as time goes on the harm will accumulate. If the individual is unable to break away from the behaviour it will eventually kill them. Drug addiction is a serious business, and it is therefore vital that the person is able to end their dependence as soon as possible.

What is a Drug?

The word drug can cover so many different things – you will even hear people say that love or money is a drug. In the context of what we are talking about here, a drug refers to any substance that has an effect on the mind or body. To be even more precise, the drugs we are talking about here are all mind altering. This means that they change the person’s perception of the world. Some of the effects associated with mind-altering drugs would include:

Feelings of relaxation
Feelings of euphoria and bliss
Increased confidence
The person may feel invincible
Reduction in the perception of stress
Increased sociability
Paranoia
Audio or visual hallucinations
Symptoms of depression
The person may become psychotic
Changes to the ability to make decisions – the individual will usually have a reduced ability to make good decisions
Increased impulsiveness
Mood changes
Behavioural changes
Illogical thought patterns
Delusions of grandeur
Loss of social inhibitions – the individual cares much less about what other people think of them
Increased willingness to take risks
Confusion
Changes to memory – the person may experience a blackout where they are unable to remember a period of time

Above are just some of the effects that people will experience due to mind-altering chemicals – there are many more of them. The reason for why people begin taking these substances, and continue taking them, is that they like some of the effects such as feelings of relaxation and euphoria.

Types of Drugs

There are many different types of mind-altering drugs, but it is usually possible to divide them into a number of categories, which would include:

Central Nervous System Depressants
Stimulant type drugs
Hallucinogenic drugs
Inhalants
Barbiturates
Opiate drugs
Sedative type drugs
Analgesic medication
Prescription drugs

It is important to keep in mind that a drug can belong to more than one category. For example, morphine could fall under the category of analgesic medication or opiate.

The drugs that people are most likely to become addicted to would include:

Alcohol – this is one of the most widely abused drugs around, but people forget that it is a drug. Alcohol would fall under the category of central nervous system depressant.
Nicotine
Caffeine – this is a stimulant
Opiate drugs such as heroin, methadone, and morphine
Hallucinogenic drugs such as cannabis, acid, and LSD – although there is some evidence to suggest that LSD is not addictive.
Inhalants such as bath salts, glue, paint thinner, and petrol
Cocaine is a type of stimulant. Crack cocaine is a particularly strong form of this drug.
Amphetamine (speed) is another type of stimulant.
Sedatives can include barbiturates and central nervous system depressants

The list of drugs that people can abuse can go on and on, but you will be able to find out more information about some of the most common ones by reading the articles on this website.

Prescription Medication Addiction

Prescription medication addiction is on the rise, but it often is ignored. This type of drug addiction can be just as devastating as any other, and the individual may be addicted to some highly toxic and habit forming substances. The type of prescription drugs that tend to be abused the most would include:

Opiate pain medication
Sedatives
Stimulants

The difference between prescription medication abuse and recreational drug abuse is that initially the person who is using prescribed medication will have been doing so for a justifiable reason. The individual may have had problems with pain that required strong analgesia. So long as the person uses this substance as instructed by their doctor there should be no problem, but some people can so like the pleasurable effects of these drugs that they begin to use them recreationally. This person has moved from legitimate use of the drug to addiction.

Drug Addiction is Dangerous

Once a person becomes addicted to a drug, it will begin to destroy their life. It is vital that the person is able to break away from this behaviour as soon as possible. The different types of drugs will involve different experiences but ultimately they will be taking the person to the same place unless they are able to stop. By continuing with the addiction, the individual will not only be ruining his or her own life but also probably the lives of other people. This is not just something that happens with heroin or alcohol – it is a danger with all types of drug addiction.

It does not matter what type of drug you have become addicted to, there will be resources available to help you overcome this problem. We are experts in the field of addiction treatment planning, and we will be able to connect you with the most appropriate resources.