Drug classification - WHO and their effects

Drugs are those substances that modify the normal functioning of the nervous system and create addiction. Currently, drug use is considered an important health problem in the population. However, not all drugs are equal or produce the same effects. ¿What types of drugs are there? There are different types of drugs, grouped according to different classification criteria. ¿How drugs are classified? In this Psychology-online article: Classification of drugs according to WHO and its effects, We will deepen the main classifications used to group drugs, especially in the classification proposed by the World Health Organization.

1. What are drugs
2. Drug classification
3. Types of drugs according to legality
4. Classification of drugs according to the effect on the CNS
5. Popular drug classification
6. Types of drugs according to psychoanalytic models
7. Drug effects
8. Drug classification (WHO): Summary scheme

What are drugs

¿What is a drug? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "a drug is all substance that, introduced in the agency by any way of administration, produces a Alteration of the natural functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) of the individual and is also likely to create dependence, whether psychological, physical or both."^[1] In addition, psychoactive drugs or substances are able to modify the consciousness, humor and thought of a person.

We are going to break down this definition of drugs given by WHO:

1. Drugs are substances, therefore, drug addictions are addictions to a substance. However, there are other behavioral addiction, such as the pathological game.
2. They are all substances that affect CNS and create dependence. These substances can be both natural and artificial, and also legal or illegal.
3. They can be introduced to the body by any way of administration. That is, they can be ingested orally, they can be smoked, they can be injected to introduce intravenously and can also "sniff" or aspire by the nose.
4. They alter the central nervous system, therefore, they can excite, they can reassure, they can calm pain or can distort the perception of reality.
5. They create dependency, that is, all drugs have the ability to generate dependence. The dependency is understood as the need to consume the drug and presents a series of symptoms that point out that the person has lost control over the consumption of the substance and continues to consume it even being aware of its adverse consequences.

Drug classification

¿How drugs are classified? Drugs or psychoactive substances can be classified according to different parameters, such as, according to their origin or origin, according to their structure, due to their effects on behavior, due to their danger to health or for its social impact. As we see, there are different criteria to group drugs, but in this article we will focus on the most accepted classification and other usual classifications:

• According to The effect that produce the substances in the central nervous system, the most appropriate classification according to the WHO.
• According to Legality of producing, possessing, marketing or consuming substances.
• According to The danger of substances, a popular classification.

Types of drugs according to legality

A classification of drugs is based on the criterion of the legality of substances. Legality refers to the legislation of each country. In this way, we find two large types of drugs:

Legal drugs

Legal drugs are those psychoactive substances that They are allowed, that is, whose use is not penalized by law. The legality of drugs varies according to the laws of each country, in addition, the consumption of said substance can be legal but not the sale of it.

On the other hand, the legality of drugs does not correspond to its danger. Even if they are legal, drug abuse is dangerous and harmful to health. So much so, that in our society, the drugs that are most consumed and more health problems involve are precisely legal drugs such as tobacco and alcohol. Legal drugs are:

• The alcohol. This is the drug that has the greatest social acceptance. In Spain, only its consumption is legal from 18 years of age.
• Nicotine. Tobacco is one of the most consumed drugs. Here you can see the effect of nicotine on the nervous system. Generates dependency, which can be evaluated with the phagerström test.
• The caffeine. Caffeine has effects on the nervous system, therefore, a psychoactive substance can be considered. However, its effects are much lower and their consumption in normal quantities is not dangerous. Caffeine is mainly in coffee, but also in soft drinks.
• Theobromine and theophylline. In the same way as caffeine, they are not dangerous in normal quantities. They can be found in tea and chocolate.
• The drugs. Mainly, psychopharmaceuticals, which alter the CNS. Among them, are benzodiazepines and amphetamines (under medical recipe). The use of drugs is medicinal and should be used with medical control.

Illegal drugs

Illegal drugs are those psychoactive substances whose use It is not allowed by the law of the country. It may be that your own consumption is allowed in some circumstances, but the sale is penalized. Illegal drugs are the rest of drugs. Among the most consumed illegal drugs are:

• Marijuana. The most consumed illegal drug is considered. It is obtained from the hemp plant called Cannabis sativa. Its active substance is tetrahydrocannabinol. Here you can see the symptoms and treatment of marijuana addiction.
• The hashish. It is obtained from the resin of the same plant and shares the same active substance.
• Cocaine. This illegal drug is obtained from the sheets of the coca plant called Erythroxylum coca. In addition to consuming it, it is also illegal so much to cultivate and sell it.
• The MDMA. It is known as ecstasy and is illegal due to the dangers and serious consequences for the health that entails its use.
• Amphetamines or Speed. They are considered illegal when used without medical control for recreational purposes.
• The heroine. It is illegal to manufacture, sell it and be in possession of this substance. It was illegal after observing its serious consequences.
• FENCICLIDINE OR PCP. Although it had been used for analgesic purposes, today, it is an illegal drug.
• The LSD o Lysergic acid diethylamide. I had psychiatric use, but it was illegal due to its hallucinogenic effects.
• Ketamine. It was used for anesthetic purposes, but it was also illegal for its hallucinogenic effects.
• Popper o Amilo nitrite. It is a vasodilator that was illegated after consumed for reactive purposes.
• Hallucinogenic mushrooms. They contain psilocybin and psilocin and are illegal because they produce hallucinations.

Classification of drugs according to the effect on the CNS

Grouping substances according to their effect on the central nervous system is considered the most correct way to classify drugs. This classification is the proposed by the World Health Organization and separates psychoactive substances in depressing, stimulating and disturbing. Next, the three types of drugs are explained:

Depressing drugs

Depressive drugs are substances that Decrease the activity of the CNS. They do it by repressing presynaptic structures, getting the amount of neurotransmitter to be lower, also reducing the function of postsynaptic receptors. The main groups of CNS depressing substances are:

• The sedatives/ hypnotics
• Opiates
• Neuroleptics

Some examples of depressing drugs are:

• The alcohol
• The cannabis
• Benzodiazepines
• The heroine

Stimulating drugs

Stimulating drugs are substances that They stimulate CNS activity. They do it by blocking inhibition or exciting neurons directly. The stimulation is explained by the increase in neuronal depolarization, the increase in the amount of neurotransmitters (NT) available, the elongation of the action of the NT, the weakness of the neuronal membrane and the decrease in the time of synaptic recovery. In this way, they can cause symptoms such as tachycardia, pupillary dilation, sweating, increased blood pressure, and so on. They can also be called simptaticomimetics. Stimulating drugs are the following:

• The amphetamines
• Cocaine
• The caffeine
• Theobromine and theophylline
• Nicotine

Disturbing drugs

The disturbing drugs of the CNS are those substances capable of modify psychic activity and produce alterations in perception such as hallucinations, as well as altering mood and thought processes. Some examples of disturbing drugs are:

• The LSD
• The hallucinogens
• The cannabis
• The MDMA
• Ketamine

Popular drug classification

There is a popular and colloquial way to classify drugs in two types: hard or soft. This classification is made according to its perception of danger and social and health impact. However, this classification It is not considered adequate since it induces the error by underestimating the risk of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis.

Soft drugs

Drugs considered soft are the ones that are most socially accepted, since they are perceived as less harmful. Something totally equivocal, as we have already mentioned before, tobacco and alcohol are drugs that lead the most health and humans. Although some of the soft drugs do not produce physical dependence, they do produce psychological addiction. Soft drugs are considered to be:

• Tobacco
• The alcohol
• Marijuana
• The hashish
• Anabolizing steroids
• The caffeine
• Popper

Hard drugs

Drugs considered hard are perceived with greater social and health impact, since their consumption is more dangerous in the short term. To this type of drugs correspond:

• Psychopharmaceuticals
• The heroine
• The morphine
• Cocaine
• The amphetamines
• The MDMA or ecstasy
• The LSD
• Hallucinogenic mushrooms
• The PCP
• Ketamine
• The barbiturates
• THE METADONA

Types of drugs according to psychoanalytic models

Following this criterion, they set out The following types of drugs:

• Alcohol and barbiturates.
• Amphetamines.
• Cannabis (marijuana, hashish).
• Cocaine.
• Hallucinogens (LSD and the like).
• Opiates
• Volatile solvents (glue, industrial products)
• Tobacco.

In the models of higher rehabilitation and maintenance rates of drug and alcohol abstinence, psychoanalytic positions are not used and the classic positions of S are not included. Freud and J. Lacan because they are prolonged psychotherapy systems, which do not have the psychological objective of changing behavior or eliminating a habit or addiction and therefore further limited effectiveness.

The complication of psychoanalytic treatment It causes that in the approach to cocaine addiction, specialists use creativity and improvisation in many situations to try to help the patient. The results achieved by psychodynamic currents have been unfortunate, their theory and methodology It is not configured for the treatment of human alterations and disorders of these characteristics. We have known considerable cases of psychiatrists and psychoanalysts who try the psychological treatment of drug users with the same psychodynamic methodology, without getting consumption to abandon.

During the psychotherapeutic approach of an addict or drug abuser, the first objective is the necessary urgency that exists to stop the consumption of the substance, this is the priority because while the subject consumes any drug or cocaine is at risk of their health and those of others people close and alien to him. It is very useful and unplazable to guide and work with the present of the person because it will be the only thing that can handle and modify, for example, with the techniques of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Drug effects

Drugs are chemical substances. When consumed, they arrive at the bloodstream and from there they move to the entire organism, including the brain. When they reach the brain, drugs can produce different effects. As we have seen in the previous sections, we can differentiate three types of drug effects on the brain or CNS: They can stimulate, can relax or alter the senses.

• The effect of drugs stimulants is to produce the feeling of being awake or having great energy, as well as euphoria, disinhibition, lack of emotional control, aggressiveness, lack of feeling of tiredness, psychomotor excitement and irritability.
• The effect of drugs depressing It is thus sedative, therefore, they affect reducing the perception of stimuli, relaxing and providing the feeling of well -being and tranquility.
• The effect of drugs Disturbing or hallucinogenic are distortions in perception, the alteration of humor and thought. They cause the SENSE ALTERATION so that you can have unreal sensations.

There are many types of drugs and each drug produces its specific effect. Broadly speaking, we can say that most drugs They produce drug dependence, Although this is not the only danger. Drug addiction has many consequences. Drugs negatively affect the ability to make decisions that cause risk behaviors under their effect. In general, drugs They can cause diseases, psychic problems, family, social, legal problems and even death. For all this it is so important to prevent drug addiction.

Drug classification (WHO): Summary scheme

This picture is a schematic summary of the classification of drug types according to the World Health Organization, perfect to study or review.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Drug classification - WHO and their effects, We recommend that you enter our category of addictions.

1. World Health Organization (2004): Neuroscience of consumption and dependence on psychoactive substances.