Running head: How Drugs Affect The Human Body 1

How Drugs Affect The Human Body

By

Kaya Atkins

Campbell County Schools Senior Research Project

submitted to Brookville High School

5/11/21
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Introduction/Problem Statement

Have you ever wondered how your body will react to club drugs? It’s a very interesting topic

because they all affect people differently. I personally know people who have used these drugs and I've

seen them on TV growing up. As a kid I was extremely curious and always wondered what club drugs

were and why people had altered mindsets from them. As I got older I started to wonder how they

affected people with depression, BPD, anxiety and other mental issues. I decided to use this topic to reach

out to other curious people and take time to explain each club drug and how they will affect the human

body.

What Are Club Drugs and How Do They Make You Feel?

Club drugs are psychedelic drugs that cause changes in mood and awareness, It makes people less hesitant

and more social. Club drugs include ketamine, MDMA, LSD and some others that are less common. Most

forms of these drugs are illegal and can cause serious, even fatal, injury or side effects. These drugs affect

the mind and behavior and include depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Stimulants trigger the brain

and central nervous system to increase alertness, elevate mood, increase speech and motor activity and

decrease fear and inhibitions. Depressants slow down the central nervous system, reducing arousal and

reaction time. Hallucinogens cause users to see, hear or feel things that are not real. They impair

judgement and often cause memory impairment. Ketamine is a hallucinogen that causes users to feel

detached from reality. MDMA is a synthetic drug that can cause euphoria, empathy, an increased sex

drive, enjoyment of being touched, self-consciousness, impaired judgement, time distortion, and impaired

motor skills. LSD is a drug that can cause intense mood swings, distorted perception of the shape and size

of objects, movements, colors, sound, touch, and the user’s own body image. (Turning Point of Tampa)
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Do these drugs help you or intensify your anxiety, depression, bpd, exc.?

While the overall experience can be different for different people, most people with

bipolar diagnoses are already on at least one medication, and have mood-related challenges,

taking these drugs could be risky. MDMA can also potentially trigger mania and psychosis.

Studies have consistently shown that using ecstasy can lead to permanent changes in the brain's

production and use of serotonin. Given that serotonin plays a critical role in the regulation of

mood, it is possible that using ecstasy can lead to an increased risk for developing symptoms of

depression. Some users, most especially those who frequently take Ecstasy or take high doses,

experience depression when coming back down. Those already struggling with mood disorders

(unipolar or bipolar) may find that Ecstasy makes the condition worse. (Kimberly Read)

What are the effects of these drugs and how does your body process it?

Club drugs impair your senses and impact your memory, coordination and judgment.

Physical side effects of club drugs include loss of muscle and motor control and blurred vision;

They can also cause seizures. Many club drugs, like ecstasy, stimulate your body and increase

blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to heart or kidney failure. Some club drugs are

used as date rape drugs. GHB and roofies act as sedatives that immobilize you or make you

unconscious. Users often don’t remember what they said or did under the influence of these

drugs. (Gateway Foundation)

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Learning Explanation

I was very pleased with the information I found while looking through many different

websites. I read so many different articles that were really interesting to me. I learned so much

about club drugs and I am more aware of their effects on people. I want this paper to be an eye

opener to younger minds who are thinking about trying these drugs and want them to be more

aware of what they will actually do to you. The way people talk about these drugs are way

different than the actual side effects and people need to be more careful about the choices they

make when it comes down to doing drugs.

References

https://www.tpoftampa.com/the-dangers-of-club-drugs/

https://www.verywellmind.com/street-drugs-and-bipolar-disorder-ecstasy-378767

https://www.mentalhelp.net/depression/can-ecstasy-cause/

https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/addiction-blog/club-drugs/
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