Natural drugs are substances derived from plants that alter the person's perception of the world around them, provoking different sensations, altering their behavior and state of humor. Although derived from plants, natural drugs can also cause addiction and dependence, psychic or physical, and therefore are prohibited in Brazil.
What are natural drugs
Some examples of natural drugs are hallucinogenic mushrooms, trumpet and iboga teas, opium and marijuana. Its effects are described in the following table:
| Damn it | Effects |
| Marijuana | Alters the perception of sounds, images, notion of space and time, panic attacks, delusions and hallucinations |
| Opium | Reduces brain function and makes the person more relaxed |
| Hallucinogens mushrooms | Feelings of euphoria and sensory distortions such as light halos and bright colors, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle weakness, yawning |
| Trumpet Tea | Lethargy, loss of contact with reality, delirium, amnesia, disorientation, hallucinations |
| Iboga tea | It causes great hallucinations, being used in spiritual rituals in some African countries |
| Ayahuasca | Causes changes in consciousness such as vision, excess of anxiety, fears and paranoia |
Nicotine and caffeine are also examples of natural substances that cause changes in the body but are not considered to be illicit.
- Check out the effects of depressant drugs, stimulating and disturbing.
How drugs act in the body
When consuming any drug, be it natural or synthetic, its effects are quickly perceived with sensory changes, which can last from 10 minutes to about half an hour. During this period the person has different sensations that can promote the curiosity and the sensation of well-being.
During the period of drug use, a person may have a fast heartbeat, a red or irritated eye, a stronger or more relaxed feeling, and that depends on the type of drug used. However, shortly afterwards there is a decrease in the sense of well-being and the person begins to need to use more drugs to achieve the same sensation of pleasure and comfort.
How to recognize that a person uses drugs
Many people openly talk about using natural drugs because they think they do not harm their health, so they defend their use when they are in a quiet environment surrounded by friends. However, some physical signs and certain behaviors may evidence the use of drugs such as:
- Frequent delays;
- Dilated pupils;
- Reddish eyes;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Mania of persecution;
- Tremors in the hands;
- Weight loss;
- Speech changed
Presenting one or two of these symptoms sporadically does not indicate that the person is using drugs, but when these signs and symptoms become more frequent and are observed at certain times of the year, such as at parties or celebrations, they may point to the use of such substance.
How to recognize drug addiction
Drugs can be used sporadically, regularly or intensively, and to recognize that the person is addicted to drugs, the following characteristics must be observed:
- Need to use the substance at that very moment, doing everything possible to find and use the substance again;
- Difficulty or inability to stop using drugs;
- Being in a state of withdrawal presenting: cold sweat, nausea, craving for vomiting, fast heart, insomnia, trembling, hallucinations, malaise and weakness;
- Abandonment of work, school, and chores to only consume or seek drugs;
- Persist in the use of drugs, not being interested in the harmful effects that drugs can cause.
When these signs and symptoms are present, treatment should be started against chemical dependence, which can be done privately or in the SUS, with full or semi-integral hospitalization, depending on the type of drugs that the person used and their state of general health. Learn how you can be treated to stop using drugs.
