Risks of using

Even one single use of a psychologically active substance no matter what it is (drug or alcohol) hides certain risks.
They could be connected to:

The substance itself – its kind, its quantity, the way it is used and what is the frequency of use, and also the effects of taking it.
The person him/herself – his/her physical and psychological condition
The environment (the surrounding), in which he/she is in the certain moment.

Simultaneous use of drugs and alcohol has consequences for the body and mind as well as for one’s social functioning.

The risks are even greater when combining two or more psychologically active substances.

Each substance brings its own risks for the user. Combining two or more of them increases the risks because they sometimes magnify each other’s effects and the consequences could be unpredictable.

Single use and the risks for the body

One of the greatest risks with the single use is the one of taking an overdose, consequences of which could be lethal;
Often happens for people who have used a substance to become victims of dangerous incidents. In such moments the user can lose perception of time and space, to have his reactions delayed, to lose consciousness, to lose touch with reality. This causes car crashes, injuries caused by falling on the ground, by working with machines or weapons, even committing suicide is possible;
Even one single venous use of drugs hides a great risk of blood infection such as HIV, hepatitis В and С or syphilis;
People that suffer from heart diseases are at even greater risk. Even a single use for some of the drugs can deteriorate their condition badly.

Prolonged use and its risks for the body:

When used for a long time different drugs cause damages to different organs and body systems such as the brain, the liver, the lungs, the stomach, the kidneys, the heart and the blood system;
The risk of taking of an overdose or having an incident increases when someone is using drugs for a long time;
There is a greater possibility of infection;
There is a danger of deepening and sharpening of previous physical and psychological illnesses;
Systematic use of some psychologically active substances could lead to a hard physical addiction.

Psychological condition

Psychologically active substances affect the brain directly and can cause such damages of the consciousness and mind that can produce further disturbances of the mind and psyche that are sometimes irreversible.
The use of some psychologically active substances could lead to depression, paranoia and aggressive behavior;
There is a certain risk of developing difficulties with the concentration and memory, the ability of clear judgment and the ability of taking decisions.
There is a danger for some people to develop psychological illness;
Many drugs can lead to psychological dependence.

Social functioning

Even a single use can lead to family problems, problems with friends, at work/school, criminal problems;
Prolonged use and drugs addiction lead to significant changes in one’s lifestyle and its deteriorating;
There is also a risk for someone to lose their circle of friends and to limit it only to people who are also using drugs;
Some difficulties may arise in communicating with family, relatives and friends and even lead to cutting off all contacts with them;
Very often problems arise in all kind of social contacts;
Usually there are difficulties also with school and work assignments;
There are risks of collision with authorities;
If someone is addicted there is a danger for him/her to lose their ability for normal communication with healthy people that do not use drugs and this may lead to social isolation.