DRUG ADDICTION

PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL

Presented by FRANK GRIFFITTS

WHAT are drugs? Chemical substance that cause: Mental or psychological dependence Physical dependence Or Both

Are ALL drugs bad? Medicinal use FDA approved Over-the-counter Prescription Abuse Illegal Drugs

Top THREE drugs abused by teens Alcohol-ethanol Tobacco-nicotine Marijuana-THC

Street names for Marijuana

Skunk Joint Blunt Doobie Roach Green

Gangster Herb Reefer Mary Jane MJ Ganja

Pot Weed Grass Bud Chronic Dope

WHY do teens do drugs? Stress Boredom Curiosity Peer Pressure

Pleasure?

What is the difference between MENTAL and PHYSICAL addiction?

MENTAL Less recovery time Limited withdrawal

symptoms Desire to return to drug

use because it “feels good” Inability to cope with stress Inability to make long term

plans or goals

PHYSICAL Longer recovery time Intense withdrawal

symptoms Desire to return to drug

use because it your body needs the chemical Inability to cope with stress

Inability to make long term plans or goals

What is the difference between MENTAL and PHYSICAL addiction?

Why do drugs have such negative SIDE EFFECTS? Your body produces natural chemicals

called neurotransmitters These chemicals are vital to the

development of your brain and your nervous system

Drugs seriously disrupt your body’s ability to produce and regulate these chemical neurotransmitters

How does your BRAIN work? Some of the

neurotransmitters your brain produces and regulates are GABA, Anandamide, Acytelcholine, Dopamine and Serotonin.

GABA-Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Among other things, GABA is

a neurotransmitter responsible for inhibiting or slowing down some neural processes

Alcohol increases the production and regulation of GABA

The effects are long lasting or permanent on the developing brain (kids and teens)

ACYTELCHOLINE Among other things,

Acytelcholine facilitates concentration, learning and memory

Nicotine increases the production and disrupts the regulation of Acytelcholine

The effects are long lasting or permanent on the developing brain (kids and teens)

ANANDAMIDE Among other things, Anandamide is

a neurotransmitter responsible for stimulating and regulating pleasure and pain tolerance

THC, the psychoactive drug in marijuana, disrupts the body’s ability to produce and regulate Anandamide

The effects are long lasting or permanent on the developing brain (kids and teens)

Units of Pleasureover Time

BASELINEBASELINE

PLEASURE SPIKEPLEASURE SPIKE

DEPRESSION SPIKEDEPRESSION SPIKE

Is Physical Addiction more dangerous than a Psychological Addiction? Physical Addictions cause immediate, often life

threatening dangers Mental Addictions often take longer to show up,

but often lead to physical addictions