Consciousness, Sleep Stages, and Substance Use

Flashcards covering sleep stages, levels of consciousness, and the properties, uses, and effects of various psychoactive drugs and substances.

Stage 1 Sleep

A stage of sleep where brain waves slow to 6–8 cycles per second (theta waves) and brief, photograph-like images may occur.

Sleep Spindles

Brief bursts of brain activity at 12–16 cycles per second that occur during Stage 2 sleep, where brain waves slow to 4–7 cycles per second.

Stage 3 Sleep

A stage of sleep where brain waves slow to 1–3 cycles per second (delta waves).

Stage 4 Sleep

A stage of sleep where delta waves slow to 0.5–2 cycles per second, making it difficult to wake someone.

Substance Abuse

Repeated use of a substance despite the social, occupational, psychological, or physical problems it causes.

Binge Drinking

Consuming five drinks in a row for males and four for females, which can lead to aggressive behavior, poor grades, sexual promiscuity, and serious accidents.

Detoxification

The process of removing from the body the substance that caused physiological dependence, which takes about a week and should be conducted under medical supervision.

Narcotics

Drugs derived from the opium poppy.

Opioids

Drugs that have a similar chemical structure to opiates but are synthetically derived, with heroin discussed as an example.

Conscious (Freud)

The level of consciousness where we are aware of our thoughts and feelings.

Preconscious (Freud)

The level of consciousness containing thoughts and feelings we are not currently aware of but can readily recall.

Unconscious (Freud)

The level of consciousness consisting of thoughts and feelings we are unaware of, associated with repression and suppression.

Barbiturates

Depressants that relieve anxiety, tension, and pain, used to treat epilepsy, high blood pressure, and insomnia, which can rapidly lead to physiological and psychological dependence.

Methadone

A synthetic opioid used to reduce withdrawal symptoms during treatment for opioid dependence.

LSD

A substance that produces vivid, colorful hallucinations, with flashbacks associated with hallucinogen persisting perception disorder.

Ritalin

Methylphenidate, a stimulant used to treat attention-deficit disorder.

Tolerance

The body's habituation to a substance, meaning higher doses are required to achieve similar effects.

Withdrawal

Noticeable effects that occur when substance use suddenly decreases or stops, which include anxiety, tremors, restlessness, weakness, rapid pulse, high blood pressure, and delirium tremens (DTs).

Stimulants

Substances that increase activity in the nervous system, examples of which include amphetamines, cocaine, and nicotine.

Medical Uses of Marijuana

Therapeutic applications consisting of treating glaucoma and relieving nausea associated with chemotherapy.

Nicotine

A stimulant that stimulates adrenaline release, enhances memory and attention, improves performance on simple repetitive tasks, enhances mood, reduces stress, suppresses appetite, and raises metabolic rate.