How Does Narcotics Affect The Human Body

Both prescription and recreational made drugs have great effect on the human body, both to help support the body physically as well as provide a sense of emotional stability. Among these medicines are narcotics which are used and abused on a daily basis. Used for medical reasons and abused for recreational use, narcotics can greatly affect the human body in positive and negative aspects during and prior to consumption. ‘Narcotic’ is derived from the Greek word narkotikos which can translate to ‘be-numbing’, ‘deadening’, or ‘numbing’ (“Narcotic Facts”). The definition of the word is a great illusion for the perception portrayed upon narcotics. These drugs are central nervous system depressants that produce insensibility (Walker 58). Being

They are classified into one of three groups: natural narcotics, synthetic narcotics, or semi-synthetic narcotics (“Narcotic Facts”). Names of several narcotics prescribed for medical treatment that most people are familiar include codeine, diphenoxylate, fentanyl, heroin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, loperamide, meperidine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, propoxyphene, and tramadol (“Pain Medications - Narcotics”). Many people abuse these drugs for recreational use as they provide them with a feeling of euphoria and can decrease anxiety in the body. Although several of narcotics are illegal for even medical use, many of these drugs relate to one another, such as Heroin and Morphine. As described by Jack Henningfield in “Addiction in America: Society, Psychology, and Heredity”, “After absorption, morphine is mostly converted in the liver into two compounds. After absorption, morphine is rapidly and widely distributed and crosses the blood-brain barrier to enter the brain. Researchers have also found that a small amount of morphine is transformed to these compounds in the brain, itself. Both of these compounds can freely enter the brain. The way heroin works in the body is very interrelated with morphine. Similar to morphine, heroin can also freely enter the brain – only faster. Once in the brain, heroin is converted into morphine.” The reason a

Many common side effects include drowsiness, impaired judgment, itchiness, inability to urinate, drop of blood pressure, constricted pupils, respiratory depression, constipation, nausea and vomiting (“Pain Medications - Narcotics”). Not all of these are due to recreational use. Many times, prescribed doses can cause nausea and drowsiness. Not only that, but being on a long term prescription can produce a tolerance as well as a physical dependence. Recreational use can, in usual cases, lead to addiction. Many people are weary to taking narcotics for medical reason as they believe they will become addicted but a narcotic itself does not lead to dependence or addiction. As long as drugs are available to consumers, controlled observation of narcotics will continue to be required but will not always be present for every individual. With this, comes many side effects. Thoses who are looking to “get high” have higher chances of experiencing these side effects as the increased dosage will change their mood or perception of reality. An obvious side effect include the state of euphoria as well as mental clouding. Due to narcotics being highly addictive, there is the chance of overdose which can have many effects on the body as well. Signs of potential overdose may include clammy skin, low and shallow breathing, an increase in drowsiness, convulsions,