Which of the following best describes the three predictable physical symptoms of psychoactive drugs?

• A. Speed up (stimulants); Slow down (depressants); Confuse (hallucinogens)
• B. Restless and/or excited
• C. A trio: Speed up (stimulants); Slow down (depressants); Confuse (hallucinogens)
• D. Hallucinations

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that psychoactive drugs affect the central nervous system in three broad ways, aligning with three major classes: stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. The best description of their three predictable physical symptoms is a trio: speed up, slow down, confuse. Stimulants raise activity and energy, so things feel sped up. Depressants slow bodily functions and thinking, so things feel slowed down. Hallucinogens distort perception and cognition, often producing confusion or altered sensory experiences. This framing captures all three common outcomes and matches how these drug effects are taught. The other options focus on only one of these effects or narrow the scope, so they don’t describe the full set of predictable symptoms across the three drug classes.