1. PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS
RG 5c

2. TODAY’S GOALS
Can you
Explain the difference between stimulants and depressants
Identify the major psychoactive drug categories (e.g., depressants, stimulants) and classify specific drugs, including their psychological and physiological effects.
Discuss drug dependence, addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal.

3. DRUGS AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Psychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood (effects consciousness).
OBJECTIVE 20-1| Define psychoactive drug.

4. 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.
OBJECTIVE 20-2| Discuss the nature of drug dependence, and identify three common misconceptions about drug addiction.

5. WITHDRAWAL & DEPENDENCE
Withdrawal: Upon stop taking 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).

6. MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ADDICTION
Addiction is a craving for a chemical substance despite its adverse consequences (physical & psychological).
Addictive drugs quickly corrupt.
Addiction cannot be overcome voluntarily.
Addiction is not different than repetitive pleasure seeking behavior
Addictive drugs quickly corrupt: After taking drugs only (perhaps) 10% become addict.
Addiction cannot be overcome voluntarily: It can be to a large extent.
Addiction not different than repetitive pleasure-seeking behaviors: Indeed. But should we stretch the concept to cover social behaviors?

7. DEPRESSANTS
Depressants are drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions, they include:
Alcohol
Barbiturates
Opiates
OBJECTIVE 20-4| Explain how depressants affect nervous system activity and behavior, and summarize the findings on alcohol use and abuse.

8. 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

9. ALCOHOL How does the body react to alcohol?
generally it takes about one hour to metabolize the alcohol in one drink (1 oz. 80-proof liquor, 4 oz. wine or 12 oz. beer)
women 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

10. 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.

11. DEPRESSANTS
3. Opiates: Opium and its derivatives (morphine and heroin) depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety. They are highly addictive.

12. 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 addiction
at the dosages given the individual does not get “high” yet it is enough to reduce the intense physical cravings
However, people can become addicted to Methadone

13. STIMULANTS
Stimulants are drugs that excite neural activity and speed-up body functions.
Caffeine
Nicotine
Cocaine
Ecstasy
Amphetamines
Methamphetamines
OBJECTIVE 20-5| Identify the major stimulants, and explain how they affect neural activity and behavior.

14. CAFFEINE & NICOTINE
Caffeine and nicotine increase heart and breathing rates, and other autonomic functions to provide energy.

15. 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 widely used psychoactive drug
Increases attentiveness & improves mood by mimicking adenosine (a neurotransmitter)
Is physically addictive
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”

16. CAFFEINE
The recommended amount of caffeine per day is 250 milligrams…

17. AMPHETAMINES (“speed” or “uppers”)
Suppress appetite and were once prescribed as diet pills
No 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

18. METHAMPHETAMINES (CRYSTAL METH)
llegal 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 appetite
it is highly addictive…aftereffects include: irritability, insomnia, hypertension, seizures, periods of disorientation and occasional violent behavior
Over time, it appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels, leaving the users with permanently depressed functioning

19. COCAINE Illegal stimulate derived from coca tree
Illegal stimulate derived from coca tree
Derivatives (novocaine) are used today as anesthetics
cocaine 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 as flavoring in some cola drinks
When inhaled/”snorted”, reaches brain in minutes – producing intense euphoria, mental alertness & self- confidence which lasts for several minutes
usually minutes if someone is a binge user)

20. COCAINE
Blocks the reuptake of dopamine…so the brain is flooded with dopamine-produced pleasure sensations

21. 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 energy
Making it a popular “club drug”
the immediate dehydrating effects, combined with prolonged physical activity (like dancing) causes the person risk severe overheating, increased blood pressure and death
Researchers have found a decline in memory and performance on IQ tests
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

22. HALLUCINOGENS
Hallucinogens are psychedelic (mind-manifesting) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.
OBJECTIVE 20-6| Describe the physiological and psychological effects of hallucinogens and summarize the effects of LSD and marijuana.
Ronald K. Siegel

23. LSD (LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE) “ACID”
one of the most powerful drugs known – only takes one-millionth of an ounce to produce altering effects
first synthesized from rye fungus by Swiss chemist in late 1930s – Hofmann accidentally ingested a minuscule amount of the substance, having the first LSD trip ever)
trip lasts 6-14 hours – effects vary greatly
visual distortions & hallucinations
Emotions very intense & unstable and impaired thoughts
“bad trips”
terrifying & 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

24. MARIJUANA
Hemp Plant
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
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 said
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

25. DRUGS
Summary

26. INFLUENCES ON DRUG USE
Use of drugs is based on biological, psychological and social-cultural influences.