Download File - Hamas Shaibi

Hamas, Shaibi
AP English Lit.
11/ 21/13
Stimulants vs. Depressants
In today’s society the use of a stimulant or depressant are the main kinds of drugs that are
severely abused. Without having to think twice about it and the intake of either psychoactive
drug can be seen among adolescents and adults. Both stimulants and depressants have distinct,
long term and short term effects on the body. The two psychoactive drugs will cause a person to
act differently than they would if they were sober. Most people do not consider stimulant a drug,
which would set it apart from depressants, however stimulants is also a drug and is just as
dangerous, if not more so than depressant. Each drug is popular in our society, and while they’re
both very similar, they have very different effects on one’s body.
Both stimulants and depressants are available in prescription, over-the-counter and illicit
forms. “Crack” cocaine, methylenedioxymethamphetimine (MDMA), or ecstasy, ephedrine and
amphetamines are examples of popular stimulant drugs. Crack and MDMA are illicit stimulants,
whereas amphetamines are available only with a prescription. Caffeine, a mild stimulant, is
added to many over-the-counter products and occurs naturally in coffee and chocolate” (Hanes,
2010). In fact the most commonly used stimulant in the United States today is caffeine.
Despite stimulants and depressants similarities, they have major differences. The
difference between stimulants and depressants is their effects on the body. Stimulants, which are
often referred to as uppers, have a stimulating effect on the body as well as the mind.
Depressants, on the other hand, have the opposite effect and are sedating to the body.
Depressants work to slow the heart rate and breathing and have a relaxing effect on the mind.
Stimulants and depressants are the exact opposite of each other. To understand the differences, it
Hamas, Shaibi
AP English Lit.
11/ 21/13
helps to consider how they affect the body. Stimulants usually work to excite or arouse the body
while depressants work to sedate it. Interestingly, stimulants and depressants also affect the
mind. A person who is taking a stimulant may feel alert and confident, while a person who is
taking a depressant may feel calm and free of mental stress. There are many types of stimulants
and depressants. Often, people think of these substances in terms of medications. For example,
barbiturates, tranquilizers, and benzodiazepines are among the medications that are used for their
depressant qualities. Doctors may recommend barbiturates, for instance, to help a person sleep,
help lower blood pressure, and relieve anxiety. Benzodiazepines may be used in treating people
who have difficulty sleeping or are suffering from anxiety, and tranquilizers are useful for
calming a patient or inducing sleep (WiseGeek, 2013).
Stimulants and depressants also have their short term and long term effects on the body.
“Stimulants speed metabolism by increasing heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. They may
also enhance stamina and physical endurance, sometimes pushing the body beyond its physical
limits. Other effects include sweating, frequent urination and increased risk for cardiovascular
problems like heart attack and stroke. Depressants slow bodily functions like breathing and pulse
rate, leading to impaired coordination, sedation and motor clumsiness. Slowed reaction time is a
common and potentially dangerous effect of depressants that can contribute to motor vehicle
accidents and other types of injury. Taking an overdose of depressants can lead to death by
causing respiratory depression, cardiac arrest or coma” (Hanes, 2010). In other words,
depressants slow your body down, while stimulants speed your body up. “Depressants slow your
heart rate, breathing and brain activity, and make you relaxed and sleepy, while stimulants
increase your heart rate, breathing and brain activity, and make you hyperactive. Depressants can
Hamas, Shaibi
AP English Lit.
11/ 21/13
also cause significant cognitive impairment. According to the National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism, long-term abuse of alcohol may result in a condition called WernickeKorsakoff syndrome, which is characterized by severe deficits in memory, coordination and
learning. Temporary amnesia---sometimes referred to as a "blackout"---is a relatively common
side effect of depressants like benzodiazepines, alcohol and sedatives. Stimulants like cocaine
and amphetamines can cause severe mental and emotional side effects. Nervousness, decreased
appetite and insomnia are among the most common side effects of stimulant drugs. Prolonged
insomnia and malnutrition caused by long-term stimulant abuse can lead to psychosis,
hallucinations and severe emotional distress” ( WiseGeek 2003). Many people don’t consider
stimulant to be a drug, but it can be considered as one of the worst, with some of the worst long
term effects.
Depressants and stimulants are very are two very different drugs that each have a certain
effect on the body. Although they are very different from each other, they do have some
similarities such as they have both been shown to reduce reaction time and motor coordination
and, they are both proven to have a long term effect of some memory loss. Either can be
dangerous if they aren't used responsibly, especially when using machinery or driving a car since
coordination is altered in both cases of use. For the most part, however, they two substances
contrast in many ways as well. A person is able to keep more control over them self when using
a stimulant than while using depressants. Both are considered psychoactive drugs and result in
getting people loss of control, however they have a variety of different long and short term
effects.
Hamas, Shaibi
AP English Lit.
11/ 21/13
Work Cited
"ALCOHOL'S DAMAGING EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN." ALCOHOL'S DAMAGING
EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
"Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants and Stimulants." SpineUniverse. N.p., n.d. Web. 21
Nov. 2013.
"Facts on Stimulants & Depressants." LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.
Madison, N., and Jenn Walker. WiseGeek. Conjecture, 21 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.