This document discusses different types of drugs, including their short-term and long-term effects. It covers illegal drugs like cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy. It also discusses misused substances like tranquillizers, solvents, and alcohol. For each drug, it provides details on potential short-term effects like feeling relaxed, anxious, or paranoid, as well as long-term health risks like addiction, depression, and psychosis. The document aims to inform people about the various drugs that are commonly used or misused and their impact on physical and mental health.

1. What Drugs Are Out There
and What Do They Do?
CLAUDIA CHANDLER, MA, MFTI

2. Fact or Fiction?
QUIZ

3. What do we mean by drugs?
• Illegal substances such
heroin, cocaine, cannabis
and mephedrone
• Misused household
products –like gases,
and aerosols or other
volatile substances
•Some medicinal drugs
(which can be misused)
• Alcohol and tobacco
• New Psychoactive
Substances often referred
to as so called ‘legal
highs’

4. Cannabis
Short term: People
smoke cannabis to relax and get
high, but it can make it difficult to
remember things. It can also cause
anxiety attacks or feelings
of paranoia.
Long term: Cannabis may trigger
long-term mental health problems,
including psychosis.
Cannabis users who have a family
history of mental health problems
and who start using it in their
teens are particularly at risk.
About 10% of regular cannabis users
become addicted to it.

5. Tranquillisers (benzodiazepines)
Short
term: Tranquillisers,
such as diazepam,
are sedative drugs.
They are used
to treat anxiety and
aid sleep.
Big doses of
tranquillisers can
affect your memory
and make you
drowsy.
Long term: Your
body quickly gets
used to
benzodiazepines
and soon needs
more to get the
same effect. You
can get addicted in
just a few weeks.
Withdrawal can be
difficult and make
you feel panicky,
anxious and
depressed.
Sudden withdrawal
from high doses
can be very
dangerous and
cause seizures (fits).

6. Cocaine and crack cocaine
Cocaine is a
stimulant that makes
you feel high,
confident and full of
energy. But this can
turn into feelings
of anxiety, panic and
paranoia.
Regular cocaine
users can end up
feeling exhausted
and depressed.
Long term: Cocaine
is addictive. Giving it
up can be mentally
distressing and
physically difficult.
Long-term use can
make existing mental
health problems
worse and lead to
depression, anxiety
and paranoia.

7. Ecstasy (E)
Short term: Ecstasy is a
stimulant with hallucinogenic
effects that makes you feel
relaxed, high, "loved-up" and
ready to dance all night.
But people who are already
feeling anxious or who take
high doses can experience
paranoia or panic attacks.
Long term: Regular use may
lead to lack of energy, memory
loss, anxiety and depression.

8. Heroin (Also Oxy, Roxy)
 Short term: Heroin and other opiates slow down
the body and stop both physical and emotional
pain.
 People find they need to take more and more
heroin to get the same effect, or even feel
"normal". Taking a lot can lead to coma or even
death.
 Long term: Heroin is psychologically and
physically highly addictive. Withdrawal from
heroin is unpleasant, and coming off and staying
off it can be very difficult.
 Long-term heroin users may be depressed
because of their overall lifestyle.

9. Solvents (gases, glues and aerosols)
Short term: Solvents make you
feel high and disorientated.
They can cause aggression,
mood swings and
hallucinations.
Long term: Heavy use of
solvents can damage your
brain, particularly the bit that
controls your movements.

10. Speed and crystal meth
Short term: Speed can make you
feel energetic and confident but it
can also cause anxiety, paranoia and
aggression.
The "comedown" can make you feel
lethargic and down, and you may
have problems with concentrating
and learning.
The effects of crystal meth are similar
to speed but more exaggerated and
longer-lasting. The comedown can
be worse too.
Long term: Heavy use of speed can
lead to anxiety, depression,
irritability, aggression and paranoia.
It can also cause psychotic
symptoms, such as hallucinations.

11. Acid (LSD) and magic mushrooms
(shrooms)
Short term: Acid and magic
mushrooms are hallucinogenics,
making people see, hear and
experience the world in a different,
"trippy" way. Colors may become
intensified and sounds distorted.
Users may also become panicky and
suffer from paranoia.
The effects of acid can last 12 hours
or more which, if it's a bad trip, can be
very frightening.
Long term: Some people who use
LSD and magic mushrooms can
experience flashbacks. Both can make
existing mental health problems
worse.

12. 10 Facts About
Blacking Out
That Actually
Make So Much
Sense:
 An explanation for
all those nights you
can't remember.

13. Most parts
of your
brain
 Can develop a
certain amount of
tolerance to
alcohol, which is
why sometimes you
can function
completely fine
even when you're
blacked out.