Party Drugs: How “Just Having Fun” Can Take A Fatal Turn

Party drugs are the name of the group of drugs that are often taken at a party or celebratory environment. There are various drugs, from pills to inhalants, powders, and injections. There is no one type of party drug.

The drugs themselves have different reactions in the body and create different feelings in the user, so it is important to know what party drugs are, how they work, and what they do to your body.

Party drugs are incredibly popular at festivals, concerts, parties, and clubs. Users believe taking drugs will enhance their experiences at the event and make an already goodnight better. However, this is not always the case. Most party drugs are highly addictive, and almost all are illegal in most states.

Many people find that the risk of illegality is part of the fun. However, besides the thrill of breaking the law, there are many other risks and dangers of taking party drugs. Many drugs can affect a person’s behavior, function, and cognitive ability. Suffering from an addiction to these drugs can have several severe impacts on cognitive function, behavior, and socio-emotional growth.

Please read on to learn about party drugs, including what they are, how they function, and what to do if you find yourself addicted to them.

What Are Party Drugs & What Are Different Types of Party Drugs?

Party drugs are often used socially or at celebratory events where a person may want to experience more. As stated earlier, there is no one type of party drug. Party drugs are a category of drugs named so because of the places they are used.

Party drugs come in four different categories. Each category gives the user a different kind of high and is processed in the body differently. The categories of party drugs are as follows:

• Depressants
• Stimulants
• Hallucinogens
• Inhalants

Depressants are drugs that include GHB and marijuana. Depressants reduce the number of stimuli coming into the body and slow down the user’s heart rate and other body functions to reduce stress and maximize euphoria. Some depressants are very powerful, like GHB, while others can be weaker and build up better, like marijuana.

Stimulants are the opposite of depressants. They include cocaine, methamphetamines, amphetamines, benzylpiperazine, and n-ethylpentylone/eutylone. Some of the street names of these drugs are speed, crystal meth, meow meow, BZP, and bath salts. Stimulants increase blood flow, increase dopamine levels, and lead to large bursts in energy levels. Most people on stimulants will feel a decrease in appetite but will not feel a decrease in energy.

Many people who take stimulants also feel they do not need or cannot sleep. Stimulants are very popular at festivals and events late into the night because they keep the user awake and energized for long periods without needing to sleep or eat.

Hallucinogens are a type of drug that can make the user see and experience things that are not there in reality. Hallucinogens are drugs that include LSD (acid), ketamine, shrooms, MDMA (molly, ecstasy), and DMT. Most people refer to taking hallucinogens as “tripping.”

Lastly is inhalant abuse. Inhalants are drugs inhaled to achieve a euphoric high, including amyl nitrate and nitrous oxide. Common or popular drugs in the inhalants category are whip-its and poppers. Whip-its are inhaled through the mouth, while poppers are inhaled through the nose. Inhalants often have a unique short-term euphoric high that affects the entire body. People using inhalants often feel highly relaxed, and their muscles will relax involuntarily.

Many party drugs can often sustain a person’s energy without needing to sleep or eat, which is why they are so popular at concerts and festivals. Party drugs are often taken to increase the enjoyment of music or otherwise alter the perception of music. In addition, many party drugs affect libido and sexual function, making them popular at events.

Almost all party or clubbing drugs have side effects and dangerous risks associated with them. Because of that, it is dangerous to mix party drugs with other party drugs or to mix party drugs with alcohol. However, many people do.

Why Party Drugs Can Be Extremely Dangerous: Side-Effects of “Fun” Drugs

Although party drugs seem harmless fun to enjoy people, music, or events, they can seriously affect the body, mental health, and behavior. Knowing how these drugs affect a person and the long-term side effects is important.

Because most party drugs are illegal, there is no regulation of drugs. Pharmacies and the government regulate prescription medications, but illegal drugs do not have the same screening process or safety standards. The dosage can be different from dealer to dealer, which can cause people to take too much of a drug and hurt themselves.

Additionally, It is hard to know how pure the drugs are. Many drugs these days are laced with other drugs to increase their addictive qualities. This makes the dealer more money because people keep returning to get their drugs because they are stronger. Yet because drugs are often laced, it can increase the number of overdoses or injuries sustained because of the drugs.

Various short-term risks are associated with party drug use, including feeling ill. The most common illnesses associated with party drug use are headaches, nausea or vomiting, and shaking or trembling. In addition, some of the socio-emotional risks of taking party drugs are feeling heightened anxiety, brain fog or confusion, becoming hostile, or even falling into psychosis.

The most dangerous short-term risks of party drugs are heart problems, comas, hyperthermia (also known as overheating), strokes, and seizures.

Other unsafe or dangerous situations can occur because of party drugs as well. Taking party drugs can put you at risk of physical and sexual assault, physical injuries, car crashes, and unsafe sex.

After the effects of the drug wear off, the user often feels tired, moody, and hungry.

Long-term risks of taking party drugs often affect physical and mental health. They can also affect relationships with friends, family, and romantic partners.

Most party drugs are incredibly addictive, making it hard for a person to stop taking them once they use them often. People addicted to party drugs often get caught up in dangerous situations, sometimes even criminal acts. Many people addicted to party drugs experience mental illness as well.

One of the most dangerous risks of party drugs is the possibility of accidental overdose. Most of these drugs can end someone’s life by an overdose.

Connections between drug use, particularly party drug use, and mental health have been found by scientists. Taking party drugs can increase the symptoms and side effects of a mental illness. Therefore, those with mental illnesses should avoid taking drugs altogether.

For pregnant women who use party drugs, there is a huge chance that the drugs can harm the unborn child. Because drugs travel around the body through the bloodstream, it is very easy for drugs in the bloodstream to pass through the placenta and into a child. This can harm the child and lead to miscarriage or a baby who will go through withdrawal once they are born.

Some party drugs, like poppers, can lower a person’s blood pressure to dangerous levels. When that happens, it is hard to differentiate between the high that is given by the drug and a lack of oxygen in the brain.

Many party drugs have toxic or lethal properties when mixed with alcohol and can injure or kill a person.

What To Do If Addicted To Party Drugs

There are many possible courses of action if you believe that you or a loved one is addicted to party drugs. The first step is to identify the drug and the problem. Different drugs have different addictive properties, and thus it is important to identify which drug is causing the addiction.

Depending on the drug you are addicted to, you can experience different forms of addiction. Most party drugs are addictive physically and chemically. If a party drug is laced with another drug that is more addictive, such as fentanyl in marijuana, you may face a more intense addiction than you would expect.

Many people find themselves addicted to party drugs because they are laced with stronger ones. As stated earlier, this is a tactic done by drug dealers to increase the addictive quality of their drugs so that their customers come back over and over again. However, if a drug is tampered with and laced, the addiction can be extremely intense and hard for the user to overcome.

If you believe you are addicted to party drugs, please contact a top drug detox facility immediately. You deserve to live a life that is drug-free and healthy.

Amanda is a prolific medical content writer specializing in eating disorders and addiction treatment. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Purdue University with a B.S. in Social Work. Read more