Effects of Uppers, Downers, and All-arounders

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Introduction

There are various names used to refer to different drugs including street names, brand names, or even generic names. The terms uppers, downers, and all-rounders are used to refer to a group of drugs widely known as depressants and stimulants. The categories comprise a wide variety of substances used for treating various conditions. Uppers and downers have different effects and can be addictive to users. This essay provides a summary of upper, downer, and all-rounder categories of drugs including examples, effects, and potential consequences they have on users. It is necessary to equip oneself with the correct information about drug substances because it helps a person make fact-based and correct decisions.

Uppers

The term uppers refer to stimulant drugs. This is a group of drugs that is used to increase energy levels and keep people alert. Once a person takes these drugs, initially they experience a feeling of stimulation but as the drug wears off, the individual goes through a phase of extreme exhaustion and depression. Users become addicted to uppers because they experience a desire of maintaining the high. Although uppers have proved helpful in boosting concentration and focus, they can cause a rise in breathing and heart rate when used in certain doses (Apostolov, 2017). The main side effects of using uppers include nausea, heart arrhythmias, and drowsiness. Examples of uppers include methamphetamine, cocaine, Adderall, Concerta, and Ritalin. Worth noting, these drugs have the power to make the user feel anxious, terrified, and paranoid. People who use uppers have the problem of lack of sleep that is why they get hooked on uppers to help them cope with the exhaustion.

Downers

Downers represent the opposite side of uppers. Downers represent a group of drugs known as depressants which have a sedative effect. Once the user, takes downers, they immediately feel relaxed and even drowsy. Examples of downers are alcohol, mandrax, Heroine, Amytal, Seconal, Numbutal, Klonopin. Xanax, Librium, and Halcyon. These drugs have proved helpful in managing conditions such as insomnia, epilepsy, and anxiety. However, when missed, they are bound to cause serious harm to users. The main effects of using depressants are slowed breathing, slow heart rate, and lack of consciousness. Excessive use of downers leads to outcomes such as overdoing and death. Downers generally give users a feeling of calmness, rejuvenation, and relaxation. Moreover, continued use of these drugs has been associated with severe lethargy which makes it hard for the user to follow his daily routine. As such it leads to reduced productivity. Downers such as alcohol and heroine are very powerful to the extent that they can cause the bodily system to shut down completely leading to death or coma.

All-Arounders

All-arounders are drugs that can have effects that are similar to those of uppers as well as downers. Cannabis and hallucinogens fall under the category of all-arounders drugs. Hallucinogens have the effect of producing hallucinations distorting reality. Hallucinogens are also referred to as psychedelic or illusionogenic. All-arounders function by dramatically affecting the emotions, perceptions, and mental processes of the users (Patterson, Brady, & Olympia, 2017). Moreover, all-arounders distort senses and cause hallucinations. Notably, hallucinogens currently have not been approved for medical usage. Examples of all-arounders drugs include cannabis, mescaline, psilocybin, PCP (angel dust), and LSD (acid, blotter). Cannabis which is commonly referred to as marijuana is extracted from the hemp plant called Cannabis Sativa. THC is the main ingredient in the plant. Cannabis is the most used illegal drug and it has depressant effects and just like stimulants, it also raises heart rates. Noteworthy, ecstasy is sometimes categorized as an all-arounder drug owing to its hallucinogenic properties.

Conclusion

The terms upper and downers are used to refer to a cluster of drugs known as stimulants and depressants respectively. All-arounders on the other hand refer to drugs that display both stimulative and depressing effects on the user. An example of all-arounders is cannabis which acts as depressants and at the same time raises heartbeat. The main effects of using depressants are slowed breathing, slow heart rate, and lack of consciousness. Downers generally give users a feeling of calmness, rejuvenation, and relaxation. The main side effects associated with using uppers include nausea, heart arrhythmias, and drowsiness.

References

Apostolov, M. (2017). FDI Uppers and Downers: A Macedonian Case Study. New Global Studies, 11(1), 29-44.

Patterson, K., Brady, J., & Olympia, R. P. (2017). School nurses on the front lines of medicine: Uppers and downers: The approach to the student with altered mental status. NASN School Nurse, 32(6), 350-355.