AT

(10) 1.7 Psychoactive Drugs

  • Psychoactive Drug

    • A chemical substance that alters perceptions & mood

  • Tolerance

    • Diminshing effect w/ regular use of the same drug

  • Addiction

    • Craving & using the substance despite its negative effects

  • Withdrawl

    • Discomfort & distress after stopping an addictive drug

  • Depressants

    • Drugs that calm neural activity & slow body functions

      • Alcohol - Slow neural processing & sympathetic system

        • Memory disruption

        • Reduced self-awareness & self-control

      • Barbiturates - Tranquilizers

        • Helps induce sleep or reduce anxiety

        • Impair memory & judgement

      • Opiods

        • Short term: pleasure replaces pain

        • Long term: extremely addictive

        • Brain stops producing endorphins

  • Stimulant

    • Excite & neural activity & speed up functions

      • Caffeine

        • Increased alertness & wakefulness

        • Anxiety, restlessness, & insomnia

    • Nicotine

      • Most addictive stimulants —> arousal, relaxation, sense of well-being

    • Cocaine

      • Rush of confidence, energy

      • Cardiovascular stress, suspiciousness, depressive crash

      • Depletes the mind of dopamine

    • Methamphetamine

      • Triggers dopamine

      • After effects: irritability, insomnia, hypertension, seizures, depression, violent outburts

    • Ecstasy (MDMA)

      • Triggers dopamine —> Releasing stores serotonin & blocking its reuptake

      • High energy & emotional elevation

  • Hallucinogen

    • Disorts perceptions & evokes images in the absence of sensory input

      • LSD

        • Emotions vary from euphoria to detachment to panic

        • Hallucinations

      • Marijuana

        • Impairs motor skills, perceptual skills, & reaction time

        • Disrupts memory formation

        • Pain relief