PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS RG 5c. DRUGS AND CONSCIOUSNESS Psychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood (effects consciousness).

PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGSRG 5c

DRUGS AND CONSCIOUSNESS

Psychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that

alters perceptions and mood (effects

consciousness).

DEPENDENCE & ADDICTION

Continued use of

psychoactive drug

produces tolerance.

With repeated

exposure to a drug,

the drug’s effect

lessens. Thus it takes

bigger doses to get the

desired effect.

WITHDRAWAL &

DEPENDENCE

• Withdrawal: Upon stopping a drug (after

addiction) users may experience undesirable

effects of withdrawal.

• Dependence: Absence of drug may lead to

feelings of physical pain, intense cravings

(physical dependence) and negative emotions

(psychological dependence).

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT

ADDICTION

Addiction is a craving for a chemical substance

despite its adverse consequences (physical &

psychological).

1.Addictive drugs quickly corrupt.

2.Addiction cannot be overcome voluntarily.

3.Addiction is not different than repetitive pleasure seeking behavior

DEPRESSANTS

Depressants are drugs that reduce neural activity

and slow body functions, they include:

1.Alcohol

2.Barbiturates

3.Opiates

ALCOHOL

● In low doses – relaxes drinker by slowing down the

sympathetic nervous system (lowering inhibitions and

judgments)

● In high doses – reactions slow, speech slurs, and skilled

performance deteriorates

● Also affects memory by disrupting the processing of recent

events into long-term memory, reduces self-awareness, and

focuses one’s attention on immediate situation rather than

future consequences

ALCOHOL

●How does the body react to alcohol?ogenerally it takes about one hour to metabolize

the alcohol in one drink (1 oz. 80-proof liquor, 4

oz. wine or 12 oz. beer)

owomen metabolize alcohol more slowly than

men if woman and man of the same weight

consume the same amount of alcohol, the

woman would be more intoxicated than

man due to the way their bodies are

composed…men have more muscle which

speeds up the metabolizing of the alcohol

BARBITURATES

●drugs that mimic the effects of alcohol – depress

CNS activity & in larger doses, can lead to

impaired memory and judgment

●Nembutal, Seconal, and Amytal are some

examples. (Sleeping pills, some anti-anxiety

medications)

Opiates

Opiates: Opium and its

derivatives (morphine and

heroin) depress neural

activity, temporarily

lessening pain and

anxiety. They are highly

addictive.http://opioids.com/

timeline

HEROIN

●user gets a short lived feeling of blissful pleasure

(lasts for about 3-5 hours), followed by craving for

another fix, the need for progressively larger doses,

and physical withdrawal symptoms

●Methadone is often used when trying to combat a

heroin addictionoat the dosages given the individual does not get “high”

yet it is enough to reduce the intense physical cravings

oHowever, people can become addicted to Methadone

STIMULANTS

Stimulants are drugs that excite neural activity and

speed-up body functions.

1.Caffeine

2.Nicotine

3.Cocaine

4.Ecstasy

5.Amphetamines

6.Methamphetamines

CAFFEINE & NICOTINE

Caffeine and nicotine increase heart and

breathing rates, and other autonomic functions to

provide energy.

http://www.tech-res-

intl.com

CAFFEINE● Found in coffee, tea, soda, chocolate and many over-the-counter

meds

● Most people use caffeine in some form everyday…it is considered

the most popular and widely used psychoactive drug

● Increases attentiveness & improves mood by mimicking adenosine

(a neurotransmitter)

● Is physically addictive

o Individuals can experience withdrawal symptoms if stop intake

(usually from a few days up to a week will have headaches, be

irritable, drowsy or be tired…esp. if a regular coffee, tea, soda

drinker)

● At high doses, it can produce anxiety, restlessness, insomnia &

increased heart rate – known as “coffee nerves”

CAFFEINEThe recommended amount of caffeine per day is 250 milligrams…

Nicotine, the drug found in tobacco leaves, is one of the most common stimulants. It spurs the release of the hormone adrenaline, which causes the heart rate to increase.

Cigarette smoking is as addictive as heroin. Stopping can cause nervousness, drowsiness, loss of energy, headaches, and other side-effects.

Each year more than 400,000 Americans die from smoking-related illnesses more than number who die from car accidents, alcohol/drug abuse, suicide, homicide, and AIDS combined.

Cigarette smoke contains 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer.

Among adult smokers who have ever smoked, 86% began at age 21 or younger.

Men tend to smoke more than women.

Smoking is linked with social activities, which makes it more difficult to stop.

Smoking in pregnancy accounts for an estimated 20-30% of low-birth weight babies, up to 14% of preterm deliveries, and some 10% of all infant deaths.

In 2009, an estimated 20.6% of adults and 19.5% of high school students were smokers. Over 5% of middle school students admitted to being smokers, as well.

AMPHETAMINES

●(“speed” or “uppers”)

●Suppress appetite and were once prescribed as

diet pillsoNo longer prescribed because of tolerance to its

appetite-suppressant effects occurs quickly, meaning

the individual needs more and more of the drug to

maintain effects

●Also increase concentration and reduce fatigue…

can increase anxiety and irritability as well

METHAMPHETAMINES (CRYSTAL

METH)●lllegal drug manufactured in street laboratories that is

either smoked or injected

●as with all amphetamines, after

using for awhile one “crashes”,

exhibiting withdrawal symptoms

of fatigue, deep sleep, intense

mental depression & increased

appetiteo it is highly addictive…aftereffects include: irritability, insomnia, hypertension,

seizures, periods of disorientation and occasional violent behavior

o Over time, it appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels, leaving the users with

permanently depressed functioning

COCAINE

●Illegal stimulate derived from coca treeoDerivatives (novocaine) are used today as anesthetics

ococaine was part of Coca-Cola’s original formula in 1888, it

was replaced in 1903 by caffeine – yet coca leaves, with

cocaine extracted for medical purposes are still used today.

When inhaled/”snorted”, reaches brain in minutes –

producing intense euphoria, mental alertness & self-

confidence which lasts for several minutesousually 10-30 minutes if someone is a binge user

http://

www.ohsinc.com

COCAINE

●Blocks the reuptake of dopamine…so the

brain is flooded with dopamine-produced

pleasure sensations

ECSTASY (MDMA)

● A stimulant and mild hallucinogen● Increases empathy, peacefulness

and the person “feels” calm or relaxed, yet they also seem to have an unending supply of energyoMaking it a popular “club drug”

the immediate dehydrating effects, combined with prolonged physical activity (like dancing) causes the person risk of severe overheating, increased blood pressure and death

● Researchers have found a decline in memory and performance on IQ testso And they believe MDMA causes long-term serotonin changes in the brain…

leading to reduced serotonin levels & increased risk of depressed mood

Greg Smith/ AP

Photos

HALLUCINOGENS

Hallucinogens are psychedelic (mind-

manifesting) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images

in the absence of sensory input. Ronald K.

Siegel

LSD (LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE)

“ACID”

●one of the most powerful drugs known – only takes one-

millionth of an ounce to produce altering effectsofirst synthesized from rye fungus by Swiss chemist in late

1930s – Hoffman accidentally ingested a minuscule amount of

the substance, having the first LSD trip ever)

●trip lasts 6-14 hours – effects vary greatlyovisual distortions & hallucinations

oEmotions very intense & unstable and impaired thoughts

●“bad trips”oterrifying & users are in a state of panic, feel as they will go

mad & never come out some have ended tragically in accidents, death or suicide)

●flashbacks -- have sudden, w/o warning brief

recurrences of trip weeks/months after use

MARIJUANA● produces feeling of elation, promotes

relaxation, relieves inhibitions, relieves

anxiety & increases sensitivity to sights,

sounds & touch – causes sense of time to be distorted

● THC (tetrahydrocannibinol), ingredient that produces the high, remains in

body long after use

o 10% remains in system after 7 weeks

● effects: impairs attention/coordination, slows reaction time, interferes with

concentration, logical thinking, ability to form new memories & ability to

hold in mind what is saido chronic use associated with loss of motivation and general apathy – it also

causes respiratory damage faster than cigarette smoking & heavy use/abuse

affects the reproductive system, esp. in males

Hemp Plant

Marijuana cigarettes yield almost 4 times as much tar as tobacco cigarettes.

Regular use dulls emotions and suppresses the immune system.

Marijuana is fat soluble, unlike alcohol which metabolizes rather quickly. It can be detected for up to a month in the body. Long-term use can result in chromosomal damage.

DRUGS

Summary

INFLUENCES ON DRUG USE

Use of drugs is based on biological, psychological

and social-cultural influences.

Treatment:• Detoxification – the removal of harmful substances from

the body. Most common for alcoholics and narcotic addicts.

• Maintenance Programs – participants are given controlled and less dangerous amounts of the drug or some less addictive substitute. Sometimes used for narcotics addicts.

• Counseling – individual and group methods used for treating stimulant and depressant abuse.

• Support Groups – consist of several people who share common experiences, concerns, or problems. Group setting provides emotional and moral support.