Why Do Drug Overdose?

Kenneth Jenkins

Drug overdose was responsible for 38,329 deaths in the US in 2010. US overdose deaths have increase the past 11 years. In 2010 is the third year in a row the number of US citizens whose deaths were related exceeded the number of fatalities in road traffic accidents. Over the last decade opioids analgesic overdoses have claimed over 125,000 lives. The definition of an overdose is the accidental or intentional use of a drug or medicine in an amount that is higher than normally used. “In 2010 of the 38,329-drug overdose deaths in the United States 22,134 (60%) were related to pharmaceuticals. Of the 22,134 deaths relating to prescription drugs 16,652 (75%) involved opioid analgesics, and 6,497 (30%) involved benzodiazepines”
Half-life is hidden dangers of prescription. Half-life refers to the time it takes for a drug to drop to half strength of its original dose. Some drugs have longer half-life then others where there can be active medication in the body a day later, which can affect whatever else, is ingested that is how people mix drugs without even knowing it. There are different four different classes of drugs that are commonly abused and aid in overdose deaths.
Uppers are stimulants that affect most of the basic processes that happen in your body that keep you alive like temperature, heart rate and breathing. They also release massive amounts of endorphins to the pleasure/reward center in the brain, which means they have a high potential for drug use. Uppers include caffeine, nicotine, Adderall, cocaine and amphetamines. Downers like uppers affect most basic processes that happen in the body to keep it alive by slowing or inhibiting processes causing sedation, disinhibiting of emotions and impulses, muscle relation and drowsiness. Unlike uppers downers take effect through many process in the body. Because of this there are three major classes of downers: opiates/opioids; sedative-hypnotics; and
Benzodiazepines are used medically to reduce anxiety. Taken in high doses or in conjunction with alcohol can slow your breathing to dangerous levels or stop it all together. Some symptoms of benzodiazepines overdose are shallow breathing, blue lips or fingertips, no response to stimulus, disorientation or unconsciousness.
Sedative-Hypnotics this is a downer that can induce sleep and depress most body functions like breathing and muscular coordination and cause the user to experience relaxation and lowered inhibition. Commonly abused sedatives are Xanax, Nembutal, Valium and Halcion All-Arounders are a substance that has been getting recent attention lately. This group of substance distorts the users perception of reality by manipulating the brains interpretation of the senses. The users brain experiences sensory messages that are intensified and often mixed up. Impaired judgment and reasoning are often some of the side affects. LSD, MDMA Mushrooms, K2, Bath salts,