Uppers, downers

Scientific research is slowly uncovering the therapeutic potential of terpenes , especially in whole-flower cannabis products. Terpenes may play an important part in determining if cannabis strains are downers or uppers.

For indica strains or any other strain for that matter, certain terpenes can help you relax and slow down your racing thoughts more than others. Terpenes such as caryophyllene, terpinolene, and linalool are thought to have downer-like properties. When determining whether an indica strain is an upper or downer, cannabinoid concentration and dose are crucial factors to keep in mind.

Cannabidiol CBD , especially in large doses, is believed to have sedative properties. Tetrahydrocannabinol THC can have stimulating properties. The synergistic interaction between cannabinoids and terpenes plays an important part in determining whether an indica strain is an upper or downer.

Low and high doses of strains can also affect your high. For example, microdosing THC can help some people relieve anxiety, but higher doses of the compound can increase their anxiety. In addition, the concentration and ratio of cannabinoids can affect whether a person feels stimulated or relaxed. Strains with higher CBD percentages tend to reduce the hallucinogenic effects.

Ultimately, the effects of an indica strain depend on your personal sensitivity to the drug. Everyone has a unique endocannabinoid system ECS.

Our ECS is in charge of maintaining internal homeostasis on critical biological responses that affect the following:. There are seven different drug types, and each has its own set of effects and risks:. Mixing drugs from these different categories can have devastating effects on the body. Today we are talking about the dangers of mixing stimulants uppers and depressants downers. Stimulants often come in pill form but are also consumed via snorting or even as food and drink.

For example, caffeine is found in many beverages, and cocaine is a powder that is snorted. Doctors prescribe some depressants for anxiety, insomnia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other medical issues that prevent the sufferer from thoroughly relaxing. These drugs often offer a sedative experience to users, making them an attractive choice for teens who wish to escape everyday stresses.

It is known that people often take downers to reduce undesirable effects from stimulant drugs, and an individual might take an upper to come out of a sedate state. Some people think this is a logical way to reduce the adverse effects of these drugs, but it increases the damage and risks.

The use of multiple drugs at one time is frequently seen; the Drug Abuse Warning Network DAWN report lists several relevant findings, including the following:. Sometimes we feel good, sometimes we feel a little down. Sometimes the messengers fail to convey an accurate message. This can be due to a biological problem in the brain that someone is born with, such as a mental illness, or it can be due to a temporary issue in life one is dealing with. Another reason is being a result of chemicals that act like the neurotransmitters and hijack the normal thinking and feeling process.

Once the chemicals hijack the brain, the brain discontinues producing the normal messenger and the amount of the feel good chemicals decreases. This is why when people abuse drugs, they feel awful once the drug wears off. Drugs produce a short term "high" followed by a long term "low". Let's look at how these drugs affect the brain. This drug, cocaine, is what we call an upper. Uppers increase the amount of messengers that make a person feel like they have a lot of energy.

They can even make a person think they are more attractive than they really are! Uppers also tell the brain to speed up every body function including heart rate and respiratory rate.

Help the students identify the other "uppers" on the board by placing a "U" by them. It is not important to label them all at this time. Another type of drug is a downer. These chemicals hijack the brain and diminish the thoughts that would normally occur.

Demonstrate this by erasing some of the messengers you drew on the board- make sure there are fewer than you initially started with. Downers slow everything down including the thought process and bodily functions. Some people who taken enough downers to not only slow down their heart, but enough to actually stop it. This is one example of how and overdose can kill a person.

There are enough chemical hijackers in their brain that they are able to tell the brain to shut down the heart, lungs, or other vital functions of the body. Help the students identify the "downers" on the board by placing a D by them. The last major drug group is "all arounders". They also boost the production of dopamine and norepinephrine, two chemical messengers that induce feelings of well-being and reward.

Uppers can also increase alertness and focus, extend wakefulness, and reduce appetite. In addition to illicit drugs such as cocaine and meth, prescription stimulants commonly abused include Adderall , Ritalin, and Concerta—three medications primarily used to treat ADHD.

MDMA Molly, Ecstasy is also a stimulant, but it is often placed in its own category due to the hallucinations and altered sensory perceptions it is known to induce. A life-threatening overdose could occur that may include aggression, hypertension, dehydration, hyperthermia, heart failure, and seizure activity.

Overdose can occur even in first-time users, depending on the amount of drug used in one sitting. As the name implies, downers induce the opposite effect of uppers. Downers reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure, as well as impair alertness and focus. Different kinds of downers can impact different processes in the body.

Depressants that are prescribed for anxiety or sleep disorders are often referred to as sedatives or tranquilizers. Opioids come in both prescription and illicit forms e. Opioids are technically categorized as painkillers but also have depressant properties. Furthermore, alcohol is legal to consume in the U.

An overdose of depressants can transpire when a person ingests excessive amounts of drugs or alcohol, and it can trigger potentially lethal CNS depression. Symptoms of a depressant overdose may include the following:.

Alcohol, antidepressants, hypnotic sedatives, sleep aids, painkillers, and other depressant substances can cause CNS depression, especially when multiple types of substances are used in combination.