The Effects of Prescription Drug Abuse on the Brain
Illegal narcotics are not the only drugs that can be damaging to the human body. The abuse of common prescription drugs can also have significant effects on the brain.
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Identification
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Prescription drug abuse can be defined as any use that is not prescribed by a doctor, or taking more pills per day than what was prescribed by a doctor.
Opioids
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Opiates, like OxyContin, Demerol, and Vicodin, attach themselves to receptors in the brain and central nervous system, which prevents pain messages from being sent from cell to cell. Abuse can lead to life-threatening depression.
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Depressants
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Abuse of depressants like Valium and Xanax, which have a calming effect by slowing down brain activity, can lead to seizures, depression and irregular heart rate.
Stimulants
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Ritalin and Adderall are stimulants which speed up brain activity. But this increase in brain operation could cause paranoia, seizures, and heart problems when the medication is abused.
Overdose
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Snorting or injecting prescription drugs directly into the bloodstream has a faster, more potent negative effect on brain receptors and can lead to overdose symptoms or even death.
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