Alcohol and Psychoactive Drugs Notes

Alcohol

Powerful addictive drug AKA ethanol. Use during teenage years can affect brain development + can serve as a gateway drug

Fermentation

A chemical action of yeast and sugars in fruits, vegetables, and grains

Where is Alcohol found + effects

Beer, wine, and flavored malt liquor drinks. It is a depressant or drug that slows the central nervous system, reaction time, impairs vision and diminishes judgement.

• Alcohol stays in your system until the liver can break it down

Intoxication

State in which the body is poisoned by alcohol or another substance.

Factors that influence intoxication

• Body weight: A smaller person feels the effects faster than a larger person

• Gender: Alcohol moves to the bloodstream faster in women

• Rate of Intake: The faster you drink, the more alcohol will stay in the bloodstream

• Food: Having food in the stomach slows down the passage of alcohol to the bloodstream

• Amount: A the amount of alcohol consumed increases the level of alcohol in bloodstream increases

• Medicine: Alcohol can interfere with the effects of medicine and heighten effects of alcohol.

Short-term effects of alcohol

• Changes to the brain: Development damages, disorganization, memory lapse, altered judgement and coordination, increased risk of stroke

• Cardiovascular Changes: Increased heart rate and blood pressure, heart rhythm can become irregular

• Liver + Kidney Problems: Toxic chemicals released as the liver metabolizes alcohol, the chemicals cause inflammation and scarring of the liver

• Kidneys: Increased urine output leading to dehydration

• Digestive Problems: Increase stomach acid production + causes nausea and vomiting

• Pancreas Problems: Large amounts of alcohol consumption causes pancreatitis (acute severe pain)

  • The pancreas produced enzymes to break down nutrients, alcohol consumption, disrupts the absorption of nutrients

Long Term Effects of Alcohol use

Overconsumption of alcohol regularly can have increased long term effects on your physical, mental/emotional health.

• Damage to brain cells and reduction in brain size

• Build up fat cells in the liver, which can lead to cell death

• Alcoholic hepatitis: Inflammation or infection of the liver

• Damage to the stomach lining, resulting on ulcers and stomach cancer

• Destruction of pancreas

Binge drinking

Drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks at one sitting

Alcohol Poisoning

A severe and potentially fatal physical response to an alcohol overdose

Alcoholism

• Disease where a person has a physical or psychological dependence on drinks that contain alcohol.

  • Psychological dependence results from overuse causing the user to have a chemical need for a drug

Factors that Influence Alcohol Use

• Peer pressure: Teens may be influenced by friends

• Family: If teens parents discourage or avoid the use of alcohol, then teens are more likely to do the same

• Media messages: Ads never show the negative effects of alcohol use + always use healthy young actors

Effects of Alcohol on Teens

Alcohol influences risky behavior such as violence and sexual activity

• Teens who use alcohol are more likely to become sexually active at a young age

• Teens who drink are twice as likely to contract an STD than teens who don’t drink

• Alc. impairs judgement + lowers inhibitions foregoing values/morals. Impairs ability to think and reason and alter brain structure and function

Substance abuse

Use of illegal substances and the misuse of legal substances

Illegal drugs

Chemical substances that people of any age may not lawfully manufacture, sell, posess or buy

• The use of illegal drugs is a crime known as ILLICT DRUG USE.

Danger of Drug Abuse

• Risk of overdose

• Some illegal drugs are injected w/ needles and can expose users to diseases such as Hepatitis B + HIV.

• Substance abuse endangers safety and is the leading cause of crime, suicide, and unintentional injuries

Cycle of Addiction

A user takes a drug for short term pleasure

• The effects wear off the user experiences psychological and physical effects of withdrawal

• This leads to the user taking the drug again, to relive symptoms of withdrawal

• STAGES: Tolerance, psychological dependence, physiological dependence and addiction

Tolerance

The body becomes used to the drug, the user takes more of it

Addiction

Physiological or psychological dependence on a drug. An addict continues the use of drugs regularly and compulsively

Marijuana

A plant whose leaves bud and flowers are smoked for intoxicating effects

• Marijuana’s chemicals are stored in body fat, and traces can be found in the blood for as long as a month

Health Risk of Marijuana Use

• All forms of marijuana are considered mind altering and can damage the user’s health

• User’s face the same risk as tobacco users

• Contains more cancer causing chemicals than tobacco smoke

• Damage the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections

• Poses the risk to the reproductive health

  • In males, it interferes with sperm production, and lowers levels of testosterone level, this may lead to infertility

• Paranoia and hallucinations

• Impacts short-term memory, reaction time, concentration and coordination

• Lung irritation, heart and lung damage, increased risk for lung cancer

Stimulants

A class of psychoactive drugs that increase activity in the central nervous system, resulting in heightened alertness, increased energy and improved focus.

Prescription stimulants

Medications like Adderall and Ritain are used to improve focus and attention in individuals with ADHD.

Depressants

Drugs that slow down activity in the brain and central nervous system. They are used to induce relaxation, reduce anxiety, relieve muscle spasms, and prevent seizures

How do depressants work?

Increase the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in the brain.

• GABA inhibits nerve impulses, leading to a slowing down of brain activity, and a calming effect

Opiates

A class of drugs that include prescription pain relievers and the illegal drug heroin

How opiates work?

Binding to opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and other areas of the body, which reduces the perception of pain

Morphine

A potent pain reliever and the primary active ingredient in opium

Codenine

A milder pain reliever and cough suppressant

Heroin

A highly addictive + illegal drug synthesized from morphine

Opiates are derived from

Poppy plant (Papaver somniferum)

Hallucinogens

A class of drugs that can cause hallucinations and alter a person’s perception of reality

How do hallucinogens work?

Disrupts communication between nerve cells and neurotransmitter in brain and spinal cords, impacting functions like mood, sensory perception, hunger, body temperature, and muscle control

Club Drugs

Refers to various drugs found at concerts and clubs

Designer Drugs

Synthetic drugs that are made to initiate the effects of other drugs. They can be several hundred times stronger than the drugs they initiate

Ecstasy

• Have both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects

• Cause short term euphoria

Euphoria

A feeling of intense well-being or elation

Rohypnol

• AKA Roofies is a depressant or sedative

• Known as the “date rape drug”

• Colorless, tasteless and odorless, it is often slipped into someone’s drink, w/o them knowing, making them an easy target for sexual assult.

GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid)

• CNS depressant

• Available as a clear liquid, white powder, and variety of capsules or tablets

• Can be used as a Date Rape Drug

Purple Drank/Sizzurp

• AKA lean is another drug depressant

• Prescription cough syrup containing codine

• Users can become addicted and can overdose which can lead to death

Ketamine

An anesthetic drug used to treat animals. Causes hallucinations and may result in respiratory failure

Metamphetamine (Meth)

• A stimulant

• Used to treat ADHD

Non-medical meth

• Produced in makeshift labs, making the quality uncertain

• Can lead to death

• May provide short term feeling of euphoria but can lead to depression, paranoia and delusions

LSD (Acid) Lysergic acid diethylamide

• Hallucinogen + psychedelic drug

• Illegal street drug that comes as a white powder or clear colorless liquid

• Available in powder, liquid, tablet, or capsule form

• Users can experience extreme euphoria, panic, terror, or deep depression

• Behaviors may lead to death

• LSD affects the action of serotonin

Cocaine

White powder extracted from leaves of coca plant. A very addictive and powerful stimulant

• Users experience a surge of self confidence, euphoria, and emotional let down when the drug wears off

• Regular use can lead to depression fatigue, paranoia and physiological dependence

Crack

• A more dangerous form of cocaine

• Reaches the brain seconds after being smoked or injected

• Increases heart rate and bp to dangerously high levels

• Results in cardiac and respiratory failure

• Mixing crack and alcohol can be fatal

• The combination in the liver increases death from liver failure

Psychological dependence

Overtime the user feels that he/she needs the drug in order to feel good or function normally

Physiological dependence

The user’s body develops a chemical need for the drug when the effects wear off, withdrawal symptoms occur such as nervousness, insomnia, headache, vomiting, chills ,and cramps

Inhalants

Substances whose fumes are sniffed or inhaled to give a high

• Examples include solvents, aerosols, glues, paints, varnishes and gasoline.

• Supress the CNS

Immediate Effects of Inhalants

A glassy stare, slurred speech, impaired judgement, and lack of coordination

• LONG TERM EFFECTS: Can cause liver and kidney damage blindness, brain damage, paralysis, cardiac arrest, and death