Psychoactive drugs have been around long before most people realize. Although the least harmful type of psychoactive drug is caffeine, this title includes a huge amount of drugs, ranging from something as small as caffeine all the way up to cocaine. Psychoactive drugs are chemicals that change awareness, mood, or conscious perception. Not everyone reacts the same way to drugs because chemicals affect each person differently both psychologically and physically. Psychoactive drugs dramatically alter your mood due to the chemicals embedded in such drugs. In the world we live in today, a multitude of people use drugs recreationally. Such petty and recreational use can lead to serious abuse and addiction problems due to the sensation of taking drugs. Addiction, nowadays, has become a word used very loosely and applied to practically any topic; however, abuse, or compulsive taking of drugs that causes emotional or physical harm to oneself, can lead to addiction and be extremely harmful. The feeling you get from using the drugs depends on the type you are taking. The four main categories of drugs are: depressants (downers), stimulants (uppers), opiates and hallucinogens. Depressants act on the central nervous system to slow down bodily processes and overall reactivity. Some popular depressants include alcohol, Xanax, and roofies. There is a strong possibility of abusing tranquilizers because one quickly acquires tolerance and dependence. You might be shocked to read that alcohol is a depressant; however, this is due to the fact that, when consumed only in small quantities, it has stimulating effects. Very popular among hard-working adults, as well as on college campuses, are sti… half of paper… er. Drug use has become so popular at these events that large numbers of people between the ages of 18 and 21 have died from overdoses. In the past, medications were much more natural, while our generation mixes different types of medications together and even uses synthetic versions. Simple excessive use of such intense drugs starting at a young age leaves a person extremely vulnerable to abuse. In recent years, psychiatric drugs have become extremely popular in the United States. Such drugs alter your mood because of the chemicals in them that interact with neurons in the brain. Because of the sensations that psychoactive drugs cause, users tend to use them more frequently. Many of the repercussions of drug use and abuse are negative and can even lead to death; however, they are still used and preferred by the vast majority of people.