Cognitive Domain

Drugs

Introduction

Psychoactive Drugs

• Chemical substance that alters perceptions, mood, or behavior

• Three common psychoactive drugs:–Caffeine–Alcohol–Nicotine

• Induce an altered state of consciousness

• Drug addiction is an unpredictable disease

• Roughly 10% of all people who experiment with drugs become addicted

• A combination of environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors influence the likelihood of addiction

Tolerance

• Reduced responsiveness to a drug, prompting the user to larger dosages to achieve the same pleasurable effects previously obtained by lower doses

Tolerance

Dependence

• State of physiological, psychological or both types of need to take more of a drug after continued use.

• Withdrawal follows if the drug is discontinued

Withdrawal

• Discomfort and distress that follow when a person who is dependent on a drug discontinues the use of that drug

• Withdrawal symptoms are usually the reverse of the drug’s effects.

Depressants

Depressants

• Reduce neural activity and slow body functioning

• Produce drowsiness, sedation, or sleep• Relieves anxiety• Lowers inhibitions

Alcohol (ethyl alcohol)• Found in beer, wine, and liquor• The second most used psychoactive drug

(caffeine first)• Impairs physical activity such as muscle

coordination and balance• Impairs cognitive abilities such as

concentration, memory, and speech

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

• A measure of how much alcohol is in a person’s bloodstream

• BAC of .8 considered legal intoxication in most states

Euphoric Affects of Alcohol• Alcohol impairs the parts of the brain responsible

for controlling inhibitions and making judgments• Increases harmful and helpful tendencies• The urges you feel when sober are the ones you will

more likely act upon if intoxicated.• Focuses one’s attention on the immediate situation

and away from any future consequences• A drug’s psychological effect are powerfully

influenced by the user’s expectation

Alcohol, Memory, and Sleep

• Studies have shown that alcohol impairs memory by suppressing the processing of events into long term memory.

• Alcohol impairs REM sleep, further disrupting memory storage.

• Paired with sleep deprivation, alcohol becomes a potent sedative

Alcoholism

Barbiturates

• Depressant drugs that reduce anxiety and promote sleep

• Can cause death in sufficient doses– Often used as the drug of choice for suicide

Opiates

• Opium and drugs like it (morphine and heroin)

• Depress neural functioning – pupils constrict, breathing slows and the user becomes lethargic

• A few hours of blissful pleasure is replaced by pain and anxiety

• Can die from overdose• Week-long withdrawl

Stimulants

Stimulants

• Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions– Increase heart and breathing rates, pupils dilate,

appetite diminishes, energy and self-confidence rises

• Include: caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine

Caffeine• Stimulant found in coffee,

chocolate, tea, and some soft drinks

• Provides user with a sense of increased energy, mental alertness, and forced wakefulness

• Blocks neurological receptor sites that, if activated, sedate the central nervous system

Nicotine• Stimulant found in tobacco• Effects similar to those of caffeine• Very addictive and does not stay in the

body very long• Every year, tobacco kills about 4 million

of its 1.2 billion consumers– One cigarette will shorten your life by 12

minutes

Nicotine contd.• Smoking correlates with higher rates of

depression, chronic disabilities, and divorce

• Why do people start?– Begins in early adolescence– Correlations with those who get low grades,

drop out of school, and feel less competent and in control of their future.

– Triggers the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine which boosts alertness and mental efficiency

– Calms anxiety and reduces sensitivity to pain

Cocaine• Stimulant derived from leaves of the coca plant

– Between 1896 and 1905 Coca-Cola had cocaine in its recipe

• Creates a “rush” of euphoria that lasts 15-30 min.• This rush depletes the brain’s supply of

neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine

• Dependency is quick and severe; places extreme strain on cardiovascular system

• Users experience emotional disturbances, suspiciousness, convulsions, cardiac arrest, or respiratory failure

• Crack – cocaine crystals– Works faster than cocaine and produces a shorter but more

intense high

Amphetamines• Drugs that stimulate neural activity, speeding

up body functions– Releases serotonin and blocks its re-absorption,

thus prolonging serotonin’s feel-good flow• Include increased energy and mood changes• Includes: ecstasy, speed, uppers, and

methamphetamines• Mimics adrenaline• Immediate effect is dehydration which can

cause overheating, increased blood pressure and death

• Can cause irreversible changes in mood

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens

• Psychedelic drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

• Include: LSD and ecstasy• Sometimes called “psychedelics”

meaning mind-manifesting

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

• Powerful hallucinogenic drug• Also known as “acid”• The effects vary from person to person• Users can be dangerous to themselves

and others.

Ecstasy

• Hallucinogenic drug that produces lower inhibitions, pleasant feelings, and greater acceptance of others

• Also called MDMA• Even moderate users may experience

permanent brain damage.

Marijuana

Marijuana• Leaves and flowers form the hemp plant that,

when smoked, lower inhibitions and produce feelings of relaxation and mild euphoria

• Mild hallucinogen – amplifies sensitivity to colors, sounds, tastes, and smells

• Impairs motor coordination, perceptual skills, and reaction time

• Disrupts memory formation and interferes with immediate recall of information learned only a few minutes before

• THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the active ingredient

• Therapeutic uses– Can relieve pain, nausea, and severe weight

loss associated with AID• Unlike alcohol, which the body eliminates

within hours, THC and its by products linger in the body for a month or longer

• Not as addictive as cocaine or nicotine, but it does change brain chemistry as much as cocaine and heroin does.

• Can not overdose from marijuana• Can cause lung cancer

Prevention

A Guide to Selected Psychoactive Drugs

High School Drug Use

The End