Speedball
A speedball is a mixture of both heroin (a depressant opioid) and cocaine (a stimulant). This enhances the effects of both drugs while significantly increasing the risk of overdose. A speedball can be injected intravenously or snorted, but the risk of overdose remains high regardless of the method used. Users of speedball report longer-lasting and more intense highs than when either drug is taken alone. There is also a misconception that the side effects of both drugs cancel each other out, but this is not the case.
The reason why speedball is so dangerous is because of how stimulants and depressants interact in the body. Heroin, a depressant opioid, is infamous for slowing one’s breathing, which reduces the amount of oxygen that enters the body. Cocaine, on the other hand, is a stimulant which increases heart rate and causes rapid breathing, necessitating the circulation of more oxygen than required when sober. The combination of both drugs makes it exceptionally difficult for the body to process either, as each substance requires completely opposite actions from the lungs, heart, and brain. This results in frequent overdoses, mostly due to the overconsumption of heroin.
Stimulants
Stimulants are substances that increase activity in the central nervous system, causing feelings of high energy, confidence, and alertness while reducing appetite. There are many different kinds of stimulants with a wide range of potency and legality. For example, the most commonly used stimulant in the world is caffeine, which is legal and easily available due to its low potency. However, stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine are predominantly misused for illicit purposes, reflecting their high potency and potential for addiction.
To dive further in depth on how stimulants work, they interact with neurotransmitters in the brain known as norepinephrine and dopamine. Norepinephrine helps control blood pressure and heart rate, while dopamine affects the brain’s reward system. Given how they impact brain activity, stimulants carry a very high potential for abuse. The dopamine released by stimulant use directly incentivises further abuse, and the overactivation of norepinephrine caused by repeated use could result in dizziness, abdominal cramps, and even heart failure. For this reason, it is extremely important to take only the dosage prescribed for prescription stimulants, and to practice care when dealing with the nonprescription variety.
Stress
Stress is the body’s natural reaction to changes in an environment or difficult experiences. When a person experiences a stressful situation, their body’s “fight-or-flight” system activates and increases the production of cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones increase brain activity, alertness, and productivity, but also cause excessive sweating and jitters. Everyone gets stressed sometimes, so having a moderate amount of stress is normal; it only becomes an issue when stress is chronic and stressful situations are constant. Chronic stress comes with all sorts of negative physical and mental health effects, including poor sleep, headaches, frequent nausea, chest pains, anxiety and depression.
Stress is often conceptualized as a pure negative given how uncomfortable it is to feel stressed out. However, there is such a thing as good stress, or rather, situations where stress can be a good thing. Good stress has the same physical effects as bad stress with an actual goal to channel the excess adrenaline and cortisol towards. This is the type of stress that allows people to work extra hard to meet a deadline or study for an exam.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when blood is prevented from reaching the brain, depriving it of oxygen and essential nutrients. There are two main types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes account for around 85% of all recorded strokes, and they happen when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain. This stops blood from passing through the vessel and deprives the brain of oxygen as a result. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. The resulting blood can put undue pressure on the areas surrounding the vessel, damaging the entire brain as a result.
Strokes are the second leading cause of death in the world, but even if they don’t kill, they can have lasting consequences. Only a couple of minutes without oxygen in the brain can lead to permanent brain damage or loss of feeling in the limbs. With how dangerous strokes can be, it is extremely important to seek medical attention if there is any indication that a loved one is experiencing one. Signs of a stroke include sudden lateral numbness in face, limbs, and body, partial or complete blindness, difficulty speaking, loss of coordination, and intense headaches with no known origin.