Drug Effects: Body & Mind

We know that some drugs are good for you while others are very harmful. We also know that even the drugs that are meant to help cure illness can cause even more distress on the user’s body if the prescription is misused or meant for someone else. So why is one drug helpful to one person and harmful to another? There are a bunch of physical and mental factors that play a role in how a drug can affect you.

Some of the different factors that play a role in how a drug affects you include gender, age, size, chemistry, physical health, and when you’ve last had a meal. For some drugs, males and females can have a different experience. The age of the person taking the drug matters as well. Sometimes drugs are safe for people in the middle years of their life but is dangerous to babies and the elderly. People with smaller body sizes often have stronger reactions to the same amount of a drug than a larger person would. It’s also important to be honest with your doctor about your overall health. People in poor health can often have bad reactions to drugs that people in prime health shape don’t have. Drugs also work quicker when there’s less food in the stomach. Many drugs require you to have eaten either just prior to or with the medication to prevent you from feeling even more sick. People on other medications could experience a cross-reaction between the two drugs. It also matters if you’ve taken the drugs before since your body will adjust and it can become less effective over time.

Your mentality about taking the drug matters as well. Sometimes when people talk about how great a drug is and how helpful it can be with your discomfort, you set expectations. If it doesn’t meet your expectations, your experience was poor. The setting in which you take the drug, prior experiences with the drug, and your mood about taking the drug also play roles in its effect on your body.