Final answer:
Drugs are taken to change the body's function, often affecting the brain and altering mood and behavior. Psychoactive drug use can be for medical, recreational, or abusive purposes, potentially leading to addiction and the need for rehabilitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Drugs are often taken to produce changes in the body's structure or function, especially in the brain, leading to altered moods, thinking, perception, or behavior. Psychoactive drugs, such as caffeine, alcohol, and prescription medications like opioids, can be used therapeutically, but they may also be used recreationally to achieve a sense of euphoria. However, the use of a drug without medical advice or for unintended purposes is considered drug abuse and can lead to addiction, a state of compulsive drug use despite harmful consequences. Addiction often requires rehabilitation, which includes psychotherapy and sometimes the use of other psychoactive drugs to manage withdrawal symptoms.
Medical uses of psychoactive drugs include managing acute or chronic pain, as with opioids like morphine and codeine, or inducing unconsciousness during surgery with general anesthetics like halothane and ketamine. On the other hand, recreational use aims to alter consciousness and produce a 'high,' where substances like cannabis, alcohol, and hallucinogens are commonly consumed. It's critical to understand that psychoactive drugs affect neurotransmitter activity in the brain, acting as either agonists or antagonists to influence mental and physical functions.