drugs & addiction. psychoactive drugs mood altering drugs that affects brain activity. most...
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Drugs & Addiction
Psychoactive Drugs
• Mood altering drugs that affects brain activity. Most abused drugs are psychoactive.
• Many psychoactive drugs typically create a pleasurable feeling that the user wants to repeat.
• This can often leads to addiction
Addiction & The Brain
• Brain releases a chemical called dopamine with normal, pleasurable activities.
• It releases extra amounts when using drugs. This is dangerous because it makes the user have intense cravings for the drug.
• After a while, the brain doesn’t respond to normal levels of dopamine because it damages the dopamine receptors and the user no longer feels pleasure from normal activities.
• In addition abnormal levels of dopamine is associated with diseases like schizophrenia and Parkinson disease.
• Serotonin is another chemical in the brain affected by drug use. Serotonin influences many psychological and bodily functions like: mood, appetite memory, learning, social behavior, temperature regulation and sexual desire.
• Drugs increase serotonin levels and motivates a person to take the drug because it’s associated with pleasure.
• Drugs also make it difficult to process serotonin and causes problems with the user with all the things serotonin influences.
Factors Influencing Addiction
Risk Factors• Family: poor family
relationships, absence of supervision, genetics
• Social: peer pressure, role models, competitive pressure, exposure
• Personal: stress, low self-esteem, poor coping skills
Protective Factors• Family: strong family
bonds, parental awareness, clear and enforced rules
• Social: drug free friends, supportive and accepting friends, strong bonds at school and in community
• Personal: strong values and beliefs, healthy self esteem, commitment to academic success and extracurricular activities
Drug Classifications(Chapter 17)
Drugs are categorized according to their actions and
effects on the body.
Stimulants(Includes: Amphetamines, Methamphetamines, Cocaine, and
Nicotine)
Stimulants speed up the body’s activities
(page 442 443)
Immediate Effects• Heart rate• Breathing• Blood pressure• Alertness & insomnia• Dilate pupil• Decrease appetite• Heart attack & stroke
Long Term Effects • Anxiety & delusions• Hyperactivity &irritability• Weight loss &malnutrition• Irreversible brain damage• Aggression• Paranoia• Depression• heart irregularities and
respiratory failure
Types of Stimulants
PrescribedCalled Amphetamines when
Prescribed
RX for:• Appetite Suppressant
(diet pills)• Narcolepsy• ADD/ADHD
Not prescribed but legal• Caffeine• Nicotine
Illegal• Cocaine• Crack Cocaine (stronger,
more concentrated cocaine
• Methamphetamine– Speed or Crystal when
swallowed or sniffed– Crank when injected– Ice or Glass when smoked
Methamphetamine
• Made in Meth labs using otc cold meds and allergy pills
• Other chemicals include: fertilizer, cat litter, battery acid, drain cleaner, and break cleaner.
• Chemical are explosive and can cause harm or death to the lab operators and neighbors.
• Chemicals are often dumped into streams, rivers, drains, and fields causing toxicity to the area and community, endangering the health of others and costing a lot of money to clean up.
Physical Effects of Meth…..
Depressants(includes barbiturates, CNS Depressants, Opiates, and Alcohol)
Depressants slows down body functions.Two categories:
Barbiturates(also called sedatives)
• Relax a person• RX sleeping pills, but rare
because of high addiction rate• Effects when abused: slow,
slurred speech, loss of motor skills and reflexes. Withdrawal can be fatal.
• Risk: overdose, respiratory failure, coma, death
• Long term effects: sleepiness, irritability, confusion
CNS Depressants(also called tranquilizers)
• Slows nerve activity, relax muscle tension, lower alertness, and can causes drowsiness & slurred speech
• Not as strong as barbiturates so more commonly prescribed
• RX for anxiety, sleep disorders, muscle spasms, seizures, and convulsions
• Long term effects: blood and liver disease
Mixing two depressants can result in accidental overdose and is linked to suicide. A synergistic effect below….
Opiates(also called narcotics)
Made from compounds in the seed pods of poppy plants
Opiates have depressant effects but also act to dull senses, relieve pain, and induce sleep.
Prescribed(pain killers)
• Morphine• Codeine• Vicodin• Oxycontin** Opiates are
extremely addicting and have severe withdrawals.**
Illegal
• Heroin– Most powerful opiate– Once prescribed– Commonly injected in
vein– Increased risk for
infections, HIV, and hepatitis C
HallucinogensOverload the brain with sensory information, causing a
distorted sense of reality. Person may hear, see, believe, and feel things that aren’t’ really there or true. May last
hours to days.
All hallucinogenic drugs are illegal and have no medical use
Types of hallucinogens• LSD (also called acid): can either stimulate or
depress CNS system, associated with unexpected flashbacks/bad trip
• Psilocybin “Shrooms”- chemical found in certain mushrooms
• PCP “Angel Dust” (once used to as a painkiller for large animals), most dangerous,
• Peyote “Cactus”
Effects on the Body(effects are unpredictable)
Immediate Effects• Hallucinations• Psychotic reactions• Decreased sensitivity to touch or pain• Coma, heart/lung failure• Self inflicted death
Long Term Effects• Irreversible brain damage• Schizophrenia• Flashbacks (bad trip) sudden hallucinations
Inhalants
Inhalants are chemicals whose fumes are sniffed or inhaled to
give an hallucinogenic high.This is the drug most
commonly used (drug of choice) for middle school kids.
Types of Inhalants
Include:• Aerosols• Glues• Spray paints• Gasoline• Other common
household products
Effects of Inhalants
• Fumes go directly to the brain causing mental confusion, dizziness, lack of coordination, and hallucinations. May only last a couple of minutes.
• Incredibly dangerous because the chemicals replace oxygen in the brain and kill brain cells.
• Can result in immediate death• Death can also be a result of passing out and
choking on vomit or by cardiac arrest.• 33% inhalant deaths are first time users
More Effects of Inhalants(these effects are long lasting and often
permanent)Short term use
• Palpitations• Headaches• Breathing difficulties• Addiction
Long term use• Liver and kidney
damage• Loss of bladder
control• Loss of smell• Brain cell death• Dangerous chemical
imbalances
Club Drugs(first gained popularity at dance clubs and raves)
Club Drugs Include• Ecstasy (X): Formally MDMA (a drug used for
depression and as an appetite suppressor) declared a class 1 drug so illegal now. It’s often combined with other chemicals. Has stimulant and hallucinogenic affects. Taken orally as a pill.
• GHB (Gammahydroybutyrate): CNS depressant, colorless, tasteless, odorless, liquid associated with date rape
• Ketamine (K or Special K): used by veterinarians as animal tranquilizers. Comes in powder form and snorted or smoked for hallucinogenic effects
Effects of Club Drugs vary. Long term effects are still not
completely known for some of these drugs.
Immediate Effects• Increased sensitivity
to touch• Hallucinations• Tingling of skin• Increased energy• Dehydration• Numbness to pain,
results in injury
Long Term & Severe Effects
• Seizures• Coma• Memory loss• Brain damage• Heart/lung failure• Death
Marijuana(comes from the leaves of the cannabis plant)
Effects of Marijuana
The effects of marijuana depends on several factors:• The user’s previous experience with the drug• How strong it is (how much THC)• What the user expects to happen• Where and how the drug is taken• Whether alcohol or other drugs are used with it
Some users feel nothing. Others may feel high or relaxed or feel hungry and/or thirsty.
Some users may suffer bad reactions and experience feelings of extreme anxiety and paranoia.
Short Term Effects
• Problems with memory and learning• Distorted perceptions (sights, sounds, touch,
time)• Problems with thinking, problem solving, and
judgment• Loss of motor control and coordination• Increased heart rate• Athletes can find their performance off due to
timing, coordination, and movement being affected
Long Term Effects
• Contains cancer causing carcinogens. Approximately 5 joints = 1 pack of cigarettes in regards to carcinogens
• Lungs and airway problems – increases infections, pneumonia, and coughing and wheezing
• Lower immune system – impairs T Cell functions• Impaired mental function on memory, learning, and
attention. Studies also show that it can cause changes in the brain similar to alcohol, cocaine, and heroin.
• Mental addiction – used to medicate their feelings. Marijuana and alcohol are the 2 most common drugs teens are in rehab.