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Dr. James M. Alo, RN, MAN, MAP, PHD

PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY

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“And while we are on the subject of medication you always need to look at risk versus benefit. “

Temple Grandin

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Psychopharmacology The systematic study of the effects of

drugs on behavior, cognitive processing, and emotions.

These drugs are called psychoactive or psychotropic drugs – drugs that change behavior, emotions, and cognitive processes by changing the normal activity of the nervous system

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Derivation of the Term Psychopharmacology

Psyche – mind

Pharmaka – drugs and medicine (pharmakus)

Logos - study

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Factors Influencing the Effects of Drugs Factors related to the drug itself

1. the chemical structure 2. the dosage – how much was taken 3. how frequently the drug is taken 4. how long since last taken

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Factors Influencing the Effects of Drugs Factors not related to the drug

1. mind set of person taking the drug 2. the setting where the drug was taken 3. the person’s unique biomedical make

up

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Good drugs and Bad Drugs? Drugs are chemicals, they are neither

good nor bad. Whether viewed as good or bad depends upon 1. how much is taken 2. why it is taken 3. the context in which is taken

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History of Drug Use Use of naturally occurring psychoactive

drugs has existed as long as human history

The use of mushrooms, opium, cannabis, morning glory seeds, alcohol, coca leaves, and even toads have been used for thousands of years

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Other Species Use of Drugs Apes, horses, and horses prefer water with

alcohol over plain water Some birds prefer fermented berries over

fresh Bees prefer the intoxicating nectar of

certain flowers Llamas chew coca leaves Reindeer have been known to seek

hallucinogenic mushrooms Some ants maintain groups of beetles that

secrete intoxicating substances

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Drugs in the 19th Century Major change in the use of drugs –

isolation or distillation of the active chemical that caused behavioral changes

1805 – morphine isolated from opium – used to treat periods of “insanity”

1857- cocaine isolated from coca leaves – used to treat depression

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Recreational and Social Use of Drugs Most likely existed before recorded history

19th century saw the use of therapeutic drugs becoming used for recreation

Jacque-Joseph Moreau a French psychiatrist, wrote about the medicinal and social use of hashish in 1845

Drugs were widely used and their use was acceptable

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Recreational and Social Use of Drugs Recreational use of drugs began to be

seen as bad and immoral Addictive properties became known More powerful drugs isolated Larger quantities became available

Latter part of the 19th century laws prohibiting drug use and penalties for use began to be written – not very successful

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1950’s Psychopharmacology said to have begun

in the 1950’s with the widespread use of chlorpromazine or Thorazine

Thorazine used as a pre-anesthesia in France to calm people. Tested on people with schizophrenia

Promazine – an antihistamine used in surgery also found to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia

Dramatic increase in the testing of other drugs to treat mental illness and development of new drugs

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Illegal Drugs Making certain drugs illegal or controlled

substances, only to be used by MD’s, has done little to curtail the use of these drugs.

May have prevented a major increase in the use of drugs. Many people see no reason to stop Drug abuse is wrong, but I am not abusing

drugs

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What is Drug Abuse? The self administration of any drug in a

manner that deviates from approved medical or societal pattern within a culture.

Problem – What is considered a “deviation”?

Problem – people may not recognize or admit when they meet the criteria of drug abuse

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Effects of the “War on Drugs” Use of narcotics has remained fairly

constant since 1975 – use of pharmacological narcotics has dramatically increased

Use of cocaine has fallen, but number of frequent users hasn’t

For young adults major decline in use of cigarettes, hallucinogens, and cannabis. Alcohol use constant – binge drinking has increased

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Purpose of This Course Education about the chemicals we call

drugs: What are drugs? What are their intended effects and side

effects? How do they work? When can they be beneficial? Harmful?

Remember, just being legal does not make a drug a “good” drug Nicotine and alcohol

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Side Effects of the “War on Drugs” Development of new more powerful drugs

that can be shipped in smaller amounts

Increase in more hazardous ways of taking drugs

Issue of decreasing drug abuse a very complex problem that requires more than just attempting to stop the flow of drugs

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“You shouldn't be told you're completely irresponsible and be left alone with too much

medication. It's too easy to forget. You take a couple of sleeping pills and you wake up in twenty minutes and forget you've taken them. So you take a couple more, and the next thing you know you've taken too many.

”  Judy Garland

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Thank You