Psych - Psychoactive Drugs

Psychoactive Drugs

Drugs; any chemical substance which alters behavior or mental processes (work in the synaptic gap by inhibiting, mimicking, or stimulating neurotransmitters)

Expectation Effect

Symptoms of drug use are enhanced by the expectation of the brain (if you think you’ve taken a drug, you act a certain way)

Stimulants

Raise nervous system activity

Depressants

Calm nervous system activity

Hallucinogens

Change perceptions of the nervous system

Substance use Disorder (Addiction/ SUD)

a chronic (long term) mental health disorder in which the user is compulsive to use a drug

Circle of Abuse

the impacts a drug has on people around the abused too

Neuroadaptation

the brain adapts its natural chemistry to offset continued drug use (ex. if you drink lots of caffeine, your brain will literally grow more caffeine receptors)

Tolerance

more use of a drug means it takes more of the substance to get the same effects

Withdraw

distress when stop using an addictive drug

Alcohol and opioids

from which drugs can withdraw kill you?

Physical dependence

a physical need for a drug and physical withdraw symptoms (such as a headache or needing a drug for medical purposes)

Psychological dependence

psychological need to use a drug to deal with negative emotions (lasts longer/ harder to break)

Acute

Short Term

Chronic

Long Term

Caffeine

stimulant; adenosine antagonist

Adenosine

Inhibitory neurotransmitter (suppress nervous system)

Cocaine

Stimulant; blocks dopamine re-uptake = dopamine overstimulation (this drug causes euphoria and hyperstimulation)

Meth

Stimulant; dopamine agonist (mimics dopamine) and causes seizures, paranoia, and SKIN damage

Alcohol

Depressant; glutamate antagonist (glutamate = neural activity) and increases GABA (GABA = neutral activity) - causes impaired judgement

Heroin (opioid)

Depressant; Dopamine reuptake inhibitor (more dopamine) and causes euphoria, drowsiness, comas, and brain damage

Barbiturates/ anti-anxiety

Depressant; Bind to the sodium potassium pump which causes fewer action potentials - decreased motor control and seizures

Hallucination

perception of sensory experience but no real sensory input from neurons

Marijuana

Hallucinogen; active ingredient THC increases dopamine - relaxation, loss of short term memory, euphoria, and hindered brain development

Ecstasy

Hallucinogen; serotonin agonist (causes irregular natural cycles) - brain damage, hypersensitivity, false sense of affection

LSD

Hallucinogen; stimulates or inhibits serotonin leads to overall brain stimulation - false sense of time, irregular body temp, damage to serotonin receptors, and FLASHBACKS later in life

Genetic tendencies / dopamine reward

Biological explanation for drug use

No purpose / stress

Psychological explanation for drug use

Culture / peer pressure

Social Cultural explanation for drug use