1. Drugs

2. Influences on Drug Use Biological – heredity Psychological
Identical twins
Adoption studies
Boys at age 6 excitable, fearless, impulsive (genetic traits) are more likely to take drugs
NPY – brain chemical more sensitive to alcohol
Gene identified to predispose people to alcohol dependence
Psychological
Lacking sense of purpose
Stress
Depression
Social-cultural
Urban enviro
Cultural attitude toward drugs
Peer influences
Adoptive individuals are more suseptible to alcohol dependence if one or more biological parents have a history of it
Having an identical twin with alcoholism puts one at an increased risk for alcohol problems
Must look at other psychological and social cultural influence on alcohol use = biopsychosocial approach
Psychological – feeling that one’s life is meaningless is an important factor contributing to drug use
Urban enviro – readily available drugs
The best predictor of an adolescent's pattern of drug usage is whether the adolescent has friends who are drug users

3. Drugs
Our brain is protected by a layer of capillaries called the blood-brain barrier.
The drugs that are small enough to pass through are called psychoactive drugs.

4. Psychoactive Drugs
Chemicals that alter moods and perceptions through actions on neural synapses
Altered state (altered moods and perceptions)associated with changes in brain activity
Examples: alcohol, marijuana, cocaine (depressants, hallucinogens, stimulants)
Alter moods and perception, both associated with altered states (awareness of ourselves and our environment is altered to a different mental state with
Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and a variety of chemical agents that alter moods and perceptions are called psychoactive drugs

6. Dependence and Addiction
Addiction – compulsive craving for a drug despite adverse consequences
Tolerance – need to take larger and larger doses to experience the same effects
Neuroadaptation - change in brain chemistry that offsets the effects of a psychoactive drug
Withdrawal – discomfort and distress that follow the discontinued use of certain drugs (aches, nausea, distress)
Physical dependence – physiological need for a drug indicated by withdrawal symptoms
Psychological dependence – psychological need to use a drug
Physical dependence = drug addiction
Addiction – adverse consequences = legal problems, loss of job, loss of family
Many people are able to stop using addictive drugs without professional help

7. Drugs are either…. Agonists – mimics neurotransmitters
Opiates (heroine, morphine) mimic endorphins
Antagonists – block neurotransmitters
LSD – blocks serotonin
Reuptake inhibitors
Cocaine – blocks reuptake of dopamine, Ecstasy blocks reuptake of serotonin

8. Depressants Slows down body processes and calms neural activity.
Breathing slows, pupils constrict, anxiety replaced by pleasure
Alcohol
Barbiturates/ tranquilizers
Opiates (morphine, heroine)

9. Alcohol
More than 86 billion dollars are spent annually on alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol is involved in 60% of ALL crimes.
Alcohol is involved in over 70% of sexually related crimes.
Is it worth the cost?

10. Opiates Agonist for endorphins.
Morphine, heroin, methadone and codeine.
Pupils constrict, breathing slows, lethargy, blissful pleasure replaces pain and anxiety
Highly addictive
Brain stops producing own opiates (endorphins)
brain will lack painkilling neurotransmitters after withdrawal

11. Stimulants Excite neural activity and speed up body processes.
Increased heart and breathing rates, pupils dilate, appetite diminishes, energy increases
More powerful ones (like cocaine) give people feelings of invincibility.
Amphetamines
Methamphetamines
Caffeine
Nicotine
Cocaine
Ecstasy

12. Hallucinogens Psychedelics Causes changes in perceptions of reality
LSD, peyote, psilocybin mushrooms and marijuana.
Reverse tolerance or synergistic effect