There are typically two categories of effects drugs produce on the user: short term and long term. Alcohol or cannabis may appear to have a calming effect, whereas stimulants typically produce a rush or euphoria. Yet, for the short-term seemingly desirable effects, there are numerous damaging effects. In fact, the short-term effects of drug use can be just as damaging as long-term effects to the user, warns the Pa Dui Association.
Productivity and Weight Loss
Stimulant drugs lead to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Short-term cocaine, methamphetamine or heroin effects include feeling as though one has increased energy. People may start using cocaine or methamphetamine because the short-term effect helps productivity, for example, at work or other demanding activities. Another short-term effect of cocaine or methamphetamine, among other drugs, is decreased appetite. Some people use these initially to lose weight. The addiction treatment site Recovery Now, however, warns that people often get hooked to the short-term effects of drugs, which increases tolerance and eventually addiction to the drug.
Impairment of the Central Nervous System
The Pa Dui Association notes that a greater amount of ingestion causes greater impairment to the brain, which, in turn, causes a person to have a greater degree of difficulty in functioning. Specifically, the functioning of the hypothalamus, which is responsible for regulating balance, becomes quickly compromised. When the hypothalamus is affected, sleep, hunger, thirst, sex, blood pressure and the body's ability to regulate temperature are also influenced. People have died in extreme cold conditions after ingesting not only drugs but alcohol and feeling an illusion of warmth. Other parts of the central nervous system that become affected are the medulla, cerebral cortex and cerebellum, all of which play a vital role in regulating automatic body functions.
Other Physical and Emotional Effects
Since drugs and alcohol move through the stomach and intestines, these organs will often be the primary carriers for dysfunction upon abuse. Indigestion is a common short-term effect of drug addiction as food absorption is compromised and the chemicals in drugs alter the ability of these organs to function efficiently. Although short-term drug use does not always appear to be damaging, in some cases drugs have caused serious bodily damage and death, cautions Recovery Now. Deaths related to cocaine effects are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures and respiratory failure. The National Institute on Drug Abuse also warns that as with many stimulants, methamphetamine leads to a "binge and crash" pattern. Because the short-term effects are so fleeting, depression can result and users try to maintain the high by taking more of the drug.
