Know the Enemy: Drug Education

March 14, 2009 by Kathie Keeler
Filed under Parents of Substance Abusers

DRUG	POSSIBLE EFFECTS	POSSIBLE OVERDOSE EFFECTS	HOW TO SPOT AN ABUSER
Alcohol	Acts as a depressant, dehydration, hyperactivity, nausea, headache, heartburn, thirst, giddiness	Insomnia, delirium, hallucinations, convulsions, loss of memory	Puffy face, red eyes, depressed, disoriented
Inhalants—gasoline, lighter fluid, wite-out, aerosol cans of any type	Very alert, keen senses, possible hallucinations, dizziness, tightness in the chest.	Hands become dry, chapped and may peel, brain damage, death	Slow mental and physical response to conversations, scrambled words, disconnected sentences, teen smells like the substance used
Depressants (Downers): Noctec, Somnos, Nembutal, Seconal, Valium, Miltown, Quaalude, Ativan	Slurred speech, loss of coordination, disorientation, drunken behavior	Shallow breathing, cold and clammy skin, dilated pupils, weak and rapid pulse, coma, death	The appearance of drunkenness without the smell of alcohol. Sedated behavior
Marijuana (pot, grass, bud, joint, reefer)	Euphoria, relaxed inhibitions, disoriented behavior	Fatigue, paranoia, possible psychosis	Abusers may appear exhilarated or very relaxed, stare off into space, be hilarious without apparent cause, have an exaggerated sense of their abilities. Red eyes.
Hallucinogens (LSD, PCP, Peyote, Mescaline)	Poor perception of time and distance, Illusions and hallucinations	Longer and more intense “trip” episodes, psychosis, death	May undergo personality changes, “see” smells, “hear” colors. They may try to fly, brush imaginary insects from their body. Irrational behavior. Marked depersonalization
Mushrooms	Cold sweats accompanied by hallucinations	Stomach cramps, nausea, blackouts	Beady eyes, nervous, uptight, erratic behavior, sweaty, laughing and crying
Narcotics (painkillers): Opium, morphine, heroin, Dilaudid, Paregoric, Percodan	Euphoria, drowsiness, respiratory depression, constricted pupils, nausea	Slow and shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, coma, death	Constricted pupils, calm, inattentive, “on the nod,” with slow pulse and respiration
Stimulants: Cocaine, methamphetamines, dexedrine and others	Increased alertness, excitation, dilated pupils, Increased pulse rate and blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite	Agitation, hallucinations, convulsions, psychosis, death	Increase in activity, abnormal cheerfulness, jumpiness, irritability, hallucinations, paranoid tendencies