It really depends on the person, and what they’re looking for. Some people take illegal drugs (like cocaine or heroin) while other people take prescription drugs (like Oxycontin or Adderall) that aren’t prescribed for them or in ways that are abusive. Drugs basically come under three categories:

• Stimulants can make a person feel energetic, warm or overheated and like they can’t stop moving or talking. At the same time, they can make a person feel like they are completely out of control, as if they are having a panic attack or heart attack. Stimulants also decrease appetite and thirst, which can be dangerous, especially if someone can’t stop moving or is getting overheated. Dehydration is a common effect of stimulants and can be deadly. Examples of stimulants include cocaine, ecstasy (“E”) and nicotine (for people under age 19).

• Depressants can make a person feel mellow, calm or even disconnected from the world. This also means that reaction time is much slower, so a person can feel, again, like they don’t have control over their bodies. Someone who is depressed already can feel completely hopeless after taking depressants. Depressants slow everything down and sometimes they can slow brain activity, heart rate and breathing to a point that these things simply stop. Examples of depressants include alcohol (for people under age 21) and heroin.

• Hallucinogens can make a person feel and experience things that are not really there. While this can appeal to some people, it can freak other people out

-People can also have what is called a “bad trip,” where they don’t understand what’s going on and become really terrified. Because these drugs alter a person’s perceptions, each time they use the drug their experience may be different. This can be extremely dangerous since they do not know what will happen each time they use the drug. An example of a hallucinogen is LSD (acid).

Prescription drugs can also fall under these categories. Check out a chart of common drugs and their effects on the body.

* Keep in mind that drugs taken by injection (with a needle) create a higher risk of infections, such as staph, HIV and hepatitis C.

*Information taken from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.