Sussed About Drugs - Drug and alcohol Glossary

Addiction/Addicted
If you cannot stop taking a drug you are said to be addicted. Addiction can be physical or psychological.

Addictive
An addictive drug is difficult to stop taking once you have started. Drugs such as heroin and tobacco are highly addictive.

Physical addiction
If addictive drugs, like heroin or tobacco, have been used for a long time users can experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking them suddenly. These drugs are physically addictive. Your body notices the drug is not there and craves it.
Psychological addiction
Some drugs, like cannabis and ecstasy, do not produce any physical withdrawal symptoms if they stop being used, but people may still think they need the drug. This is known as psychological addiction.

AIDS
AIDS is an abbreviation of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is a serious disease caused by a virus that destroys the body's natural defence systems and leaves it prone to infection, usually leading to death.

The symptoms of AIDS can take years to develop. You can get AIDS if your bodily fluids come into contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is infected with HIV. This is just one reason why it is important to practice safer sex and use a condom, which will reduce the risk of getting HIV. See SWISH for more information

Anxious
Anxious is a word used to describe feelings of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future.

Asthma
This is a medical condition where sufferers find it difficult to breath. This is usually because their lungs are having an allergic reaction.

Buzz
Buzz is a word used to describe the feeling that drugs can give you.

Chlamydia
The most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. It often causes no symptoms and can be passed on easily to others. It can be treated with antibiotics. See SWISH for more information.

Comedown
A comedown is the feeling experienced when a drug starts to wear off.

Cut
Most drugs bought on the streets are not pure and are mixed or cut with other substances.

Depressant
A depressant is a drug that affects the central nervous system and slows down normal brain activity, heart rate and breathing. Opiates and alcohol are both examples of depressants.

Depressed/Depression
This is a condition where sufferers may feel sadness, despair, woe, hopelessness and upset.

Diabetes
This is a medical condition that affects the sufferers ability to break down sugars in their body.

Epilepsy
This is a medical condition that affects the body's nervous system. Sufferers of epilepsy may have fits of uncontrolled shaking and may become unconscious.

Euphoric
Euphoric is a word used to describe feelings of extreme happiness.

Gonorrhoea
A sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria. It can cause a discharge from the penis or vagina and is treated using antibiotics.See SWISH for more information

Hallucinogen
A hallucinogenic drug causes hallucinations, which change the way you see/hear or experience things. LSD is an example of an hallucinogenic drug.

Hallucinate/Hallucination
To hallucinate or to have an hallucination is to see, hear, feel or smell something that is not there.

Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a liver disease, which can cause fever, weakness and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). There are different forms of hepatitis.

Hepatitis A is a form of the disease caused by a virus found in food or drink that has been poisoned by bacteria.
Hepatitis B and C are forms of the disease, which can be caught from infected blood or dirty/used needles.

Herpes
A viral disease that causes inflammation of the skin. It is possible to contract a version of herpes that infects the genital area.

Hit
A Hit is a dose of a drug.

HIV
HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus - this is the virus that can lead to AIDS. See SWISH for more information

Hydrated
This means that your body body has enough water. When you become dehydrated you lose water from your body.

Inhale
Inhale means to breathe something in.

Opiate
Opiates are drugs, such as heroin, which come from the opium poppy.

Overdose (OD)
An overdose is when someone takes too much of a drug. Overdosing on a drug can be accidental or deliberate and can cause death.

Overheat
Your body's temperature can become very hot when using stimulant drugs like Ecstasy. If your body becomes too hot you can overheat. When you overheat you may feel sick, dizzy, very hot and very unwell.

Paranoid/Paranoia
Paranoia is the belief/feeling that other people have a bad opinion of you, are going to harm you or that situations are more dangerous than they actually are.

Perry
Perry is an alcoholic drink made from pears.

Porter
Porter is a dark alcoholic drink similar to beer.

Psychedelic
Psychedelic drugs affect the mind by distorting what you see, hear and feel.

Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental illness. Symptoms of schizophrenia can include hallucinations, strange behaviour and strange emotions. Sometimes the word schizophrenia is often wrongly used to describe a person who appears to have two different personalities.

Substance
Any chemical, gas, drug or food that when taken into the body changes our body's reactions.

Stimulant
A stimulant is a drug that increases brain activity.

Syphilus
A sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria. It can cause open sores on the penis and vagina and if left untreated can cause serious problems of the heart and nervous system.See SWISH for more information

Tolerant/tolerance
Tolerance is the amount of a drug someone needs to use to get the desired effects. Sometimes the body may get used to a drug and a person will have to use more of that drug to get the same effects. If someone is tolerant to a drug their body is used to it and it will have little or no effect on them.

Withdrawal symptoms
Withdrawal is what someone goes through when they suddenly stop using a drug. The symptoms of withdrawal can be very severe and unpleasant. It can take some time for a drug to entirely leave the body. Withdrawal symptoms get less intense as time goes on but many people find it very difficult to go through and often find it easier to continue taking the drug.


	Glossary
	Addiction/Addicted If you cannot stop taking a drug you are said to be addicted. Addiction can be physical or psychological. Addictive An addictive drug is difficult to stop taking once you have started. Drugs such as heroin and tobacco are highly addictive. Physical addiction If addictive drugs, like heroin or tobacco, have been used for a long time users can experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking them suddenly. These drugs are physically addictive. Your body notices the drug is not there and craves it. Psychological addiction Some drugs, like cannabis and ecstasy, do not produce any physical withdrawal symptoms if they stop being used, but people may still think they need the drug. This is known as psychological addiction. AIDS AIDS is an abbreviation of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is a serious disease caused by a virus that destroys the body's natural defence systems and leaves it prone to infection, usually leading to death. The symptoms of AIDS can take years to develop. You can get AIDS if your bodily fluids come into contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is infected with HIV. This is just one reason why it is important to practice safer sex and use a condom, which will reduce the risk of getting HIV. See SWISH for more information Anxious Anxious is a word used to describe feelings of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future. Asthma This is a medical condition where sufferers find it difficult to breath. This is usually because their lungs are having an allergic reaction. Buzz Buzz is a word used to describe the feeling that drugs can give you. Chlamydia The most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. It often causes no symptoms and can be passed on easily to others. It can be treated with antibiotics. See SWISH for more information. Comedown A comedown is the feeling experienced when a drug starts to wear off. Cut Most drugs bought on the streets are not pure and are mixed or cut with other substances. Depressant A depressant is a drug that affects the central nervous system and slows down normal brain activity, heart rate and breathing. Opiates and alcohol are both examples of depressants. Depressed/Depression This is a condition where sufferers may feel sadness, despair, woe, hopelessness and upset. Diabetes This is a medical condition that affects the sufferers ability to break down sugars in their body. Epilepsy This is a medical condition that affects the body's nervous system. Sufferers of epilepsy may have fits of uncontrolled shaking and may become unconscious. Euphoric Euphoric is a word used to describe feelings of extreme happiness. Gonorrhoea A sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria. It can cause a discharge from the penis or vagina and is treated using antibiotics.See SWISH for more information Hallucinogen A hallucinogenic drug causes hallucinations, which change the way you see/hear or experience things. LSD is an example of an hallucinogenic drug. Hallucinate/Hallucination To hallucinate or to have an hallucination is to see, hear, feel or smell something that is not there. Hepatitis Hepatitis is a liver disease, which can cause fever, weakness and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). There are different forms of hepatitis. Hepatitis A is a form of the disease caused by a virus found in food or drink that has been poisoned by bacteria. Hepatitis B and C are forms of the disease, which can be caught from infected blood or dirty/used needles. Herpes A viral disease that causes inflammation of the skin. It is possible to contract a version of herpes that infects the genital area. Hit A Hit is a dose of a drug. HIV HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus - this is the virus that can lead to AIDS. See SWISH for more information Hydrated This means that your body body has enough water. When you become dehydrated you lose water from your body. Inhale Inhale means to breathe something in. Opiate Opiates are drugs, such as heroin, which come from the opium poppy. Overdose (OD) An overdose is when someone takes too much of a drug. Overdosing on a drug can be accidental or deliberate and can cause death. Overheat Your body's temperature can become very hot when using stimulant drugs like Ecstasy. If your body becomes too hot you can overheat. When you overheat you may feel sick, dizzy, very hot and very unwell. Paranoid/Paranoia Paranoia is the belief/feeling that other people have a bad opinion of you, are going to harm you or that situations are more dangerous than they actually are. Perry Perry is an alcoholic drink made from pears. Porter Porter is a dark alcoholic drink similar to beer. Psychedelic Psychedelic drugs affect the mind by distorting what you see, hear and feel. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental illness. Symptoms of schizophrenia can include hallucinations, strange behaviour and strange emotions. Sometimes the word schizophrenia is often wrongly used to describe a person who appears to have two different personalities. Substance Any chemical, gas, drug or food that when taken into the body changes our body's reactions. Stimulant A stimulant is a drug that increases brain activity. Syphilus A sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria. It can cause open sores on the penis and vagina and if left untreated can cause serious problems of the heart and nervous system.See SWISH for more information Tolerant/tolerance Tolerance is the amount of a drug someone needs to use to get the desired effects. Sometimes the body may get used to a drug and a person will have to use more of that drug to get the same effects. If someone is tolerant to a drug their body is used to it and it will have little or no effect on them. Withdrawal symptoms Withdrawal is what someone goes through when they suddenly stop using a drug. The symptoms of withdrawal can be very severe and unpleasant. It can take some time for a drug to entirely leave the body. Withdrawal symptoms get less intense as time goes on but many people find it very difficult to go through and often find it easier to continue taking the drug.