Introduction to Drugs Health 4 TIP Don’t use drugs!

What is a drug? Meaning of the word depends on who is asked Positive view: Webster’s Dictionary “a substance used by itself or in a mixture in the treatment or diagnosis of disease.” Drugs are used to: fight infection; reverse a disease process; relieve symptoms of illness; restore normal functioning of human organs; aid in diagnosing sickness … maintain health. 11/11/2018

What is a drug? Neutral view: “any substance that causes or creates significant psychological and/or physiological changes in the body” “any absorbed substance that changes or enhances any physical or psychological function in the body” Coffee in the morning? Tea in the afternoon? Cigarettes when drinking at a bar? 11/11/2018

What is a drug? Negative view: “something (and often an illegal substance) that causes addiction, habituation, or a marked change in consciousness” against illegal forms of drug use and the activities which permit it (manufacturing, growing, distributing, selling, possessing) 11/11/2018

What do drugs do? All drugs, whether legal or illegal affect the brain by interacting with naturally occurring brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters This alters people’s behavior. Every drug (including a legal drug such as aspirin) is potentially harmful. 11/11/2018

Effects of drugs Effects of any drug depend on: type of drug used amount of drug used drug potency method of ingestion frequency of use (tolerance) setting of ingestion mood of the user biological & psychological make-up of user (e.g., genetics, brain chemistry) 11/11/2018

Drug Use v. Abuse Drug use is ANY consumption of a drug (i.e., recreational or occasional use) e.g., Former president Bill Clinton “experimented with marijuana a time or two” … “didn’t like it” … “didn’t inhale” … “never tried it again” 11/11/2018

Is Drug Use normal? (adaptive) How do you use (legal) drugs? “Happy Hour” Parties with friends “Pick up” girls/guys Relieve boredom Alter your mood Inspire creativity Medicinal purposes Religious purposes (adaptive) 11/11/2018

Drug Use v. Abuse Drug use: drugs taken the proper way according to directions Drug abuse: is drug use that results in social, economic, psychological or legal problems for the drug user Drug Misuse: accidentally taking a drug the wrong way. 11/11/2018

Drug Use v. Abuse e.g., Former president George W. Bush is an alcoholic 11/11/2018

Drug Use v. Abuse Oh yeah, and then there are college students … 11/11/2018

Outcomes of Drug Abuse Physical dependence – growing tolerance of a drug’s effects so that increased amounts of the drug necessitate the continued presence of the drug in order to prevent withdrawal symptoms Psychological dependence – craving for or compulsive need to use drugs because they provide the user with a feeling of well-being and satisfaction Tolerance – continued regular use of a drug leading to progressively larger doses to attain the desired effect, thereby reinforcing the compulsive behavior known as drug dependence Withdrawal – physical reaction of bodily functions that, when a body is deprived of an addictive drug, causes increased excitability of the bodily functions that have been depressed by the drug’s habitual use 11/11/2018

Drug Use v. Abuse It is possible to use illegal drugs without engaging in abuse of them … Only a small portion of drug users actually become drug abusers According to ONDCP, 7 million people meet diagnostic criteria for drug abuse (out of 20 million users) Percentage of drug abusers seems to remain relatively stable over time, even as number of drug users changes 11/11/2018

Major Types of Drugs Drugs are categorized according to their major effects on brain function and human behavior stimulants depressants hallucinogens / disssociative anesthetics narcotics/opiates Others add inhalants, analgesics, sedatives, and hypnotics 11/11/2018

Major Types of Drugs Stimulants – stimulate central nervous system (CNS) / increase activity of the brain and spinal chord Depressants – lessen activity of the CNS / decrease or stop vital functions Hallucinogens – produce mood and perceptual changes varying from sensory illusions to hallucinations Narcotics – opium and opium derivatives, and their synthetic versions, used mostly as pain killers 11/11/2018

Stimulants – Nicotine, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Methamphetamine Some examples … Stimulants – Nicotine, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Methamphetamine Depressants – Alcohol, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines Hallucinogens – LSD, PCP, Marijuana, Shrooms, Peyote Narcotics – Heroin, Codeine, Morphine, Oxycodone Some “club drugs” … Methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA aka ecstasy (stimulant) Gamma-hydroxybutyrate or GHB aka grievous bodily harm (depressant) flunitrazepam / Rohypnol aka roofies (depressant) Ketamine aka special K (hallucinogen) 11/11/2018