Altering Consciousness Through Drugs PDF

ALTERING CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH DRUGS  Psychoactive Drugs Chemical substances that act on the brain to affect emotional or mental states. Affect mood, thoughts processes, perceptions, & behavior. Some are illegal AKA illicit – cocaine, heroin etc. Others are legal – c...

ALTERING CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH DRUGS  Psychoactive Drugs Chemical substances that act on the brain to affect emotional or mental states. Affect mood, thoughts processes, perceptions, & behavior. Some are illegal AKA illicit – cocaine, heroin etc. Others are legal – caffeine, others are legally available with restrictions – alcohol, tobacco & in some states marijuana.  Psychoactive Drug Statistics About half of adult Americans have used an illicit drug at some point in life – marijuana being the most popular. About 1 in 10 Americans over 12 yrs. old currently use an illicit drug. Marijuana use is rising – more high school seniors report using marijuana than smoking cigarettes. About 1 in 10 Americans will develop a drug abuse or dependence disorder at some point in their lives.  Drug Abuse When repeated use causes or aggravates personal, occupational or health-related problems. Polyabusers – using more than one drug at a time.  Drug Abuse Drug abuse often leads to drug dependence characterized by impaired control over the use of a drug. Strongly compelled to use, powerless to stop use even when they know the use is ruining their lives.  Dependence Physiological dependence – person’s body chemistry changes as the result of repeated use of a drug so that the body comes to depend o having a steady supply of the drug. Withdrawal Syndrome AKA Abstinence Syndrome – unpleasant/sometimes dangerous symptoms with stopped use. Tolerance – need to increase amount of a drug to have the same effect.  Dependence Drug Addiction – AKA Chemical Addiction – a pattern of drug dependence accompanied by physiological dependence. People often feel powerless to control their drug use & have developed signs of physiological dependence. Psychological Dependence – pattern of compulsive or habitual use that serves a psychological need – lessening anxiety, escaping stress, coping.  Drugs There are 3 categories of psychoactive drugs Depressants – calm neural activity & slow down body functions ex. Alcohol Stimulants – temporarily excite neural activity & arouse body functions. Ex. Caffeine, cocaine, meth Hallucinogens – distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input. Ex. Marijuana, LSD, Ecstasy  Most widely abuse depressant. Alcohol Intoxicant – a chemical substance that induces a state of drunkenness. Women tend to get intoxicated at lower doses for several reasons, less muscle mass, less weight, less of an enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the stomach so more pure alcohol reaches the bloodstream. Directly affects the brain clouding judgement, impairing concentration & attention, & ability to weigh consequences of behavior – making them more likely to do/say things they typically would not do – ex. unsafe sex.  Alcohol Decreases inhibitions leading to aggressive or impulsive behavior. Nearly 90,000 people in US die each year from alcohol-related causes – motor vehicle accidents, liver & heart disease. Cirrhosis of the liver – irreversible scarring of liver tissue accounts for about 30,000 US deaths each year. Alcohol impairs depth perception making driving particularly dangerous. Alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of death among young people ages 17-24. Play a role in about 1 in 3 suicides & accidental deaths.  College Drinking About 6 in 10 college students drink about once a month – most being underage. College students tend to drink more than their peers who do not attend college. 1,800 college students die each year due to overdoses & alcohol-related vehicle accidents. Alcohol plays a role in nearly 700,000 physical assaults & nearly 100,000 sexual assaults annually in the US.  College Drinking Binge-Drinking – 5 or more drinks for men, 4 or more for women on one occasion. On the rise among college & high school students. Damages health but also associated with poorer academic performance, missing class, falling behind in work, receiving lower grades, increases risk of developing alcohol & drug-related problems.  College Drinking Binge-Drinking & drinking games can be very risky. Places drinkers at risk of coma, death, black-outs, seizures. Choking on one’s own vomit is a frequent cause of alcohol- induced deaths – drug’s depressant effects on the central nervous system can interfere with the normal vomiting response & vomit can accumulate in air passages which can lead to asphyxiation & death. NEVER LEAVE A PERSON WHO IS UNRESPONSIVE OR UNCONSCIOUS ALONE!  Barbiturates & Tranquilizers Barbiturates – calming or sedating drugs that have several legitimate medical uses – regulate high blood pressure, block pain during surgery, control epileptic seizures. Highly addictive Used illicitly to induce euphoria & relaxation Ex. amobarbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, secobarbital. Overdose can lead to convulsions, coma, death. Particularly dangerous when combined with alcohol.  Barbiturates & Tranquilizers Tranquilizers – class of depressants widely used to treat anxiety & insomnia. Reduce excess nervous system activity. Xanax, Valium Particularly dangerous when combined with alcohol.  Opioids AKA Opiates Narcotics – addictive drugs with pain-relieving & sleep inducing properties. Morphine, heroin, codeine, Vicodin, OxyContin Rush of pleasurable excitement & dampen awareness of personal problems. Sometimes prescribed for pain management. About 1.6% of adults in US 12 & older report using heroin at some point.  Heroin Induces euphoric rush that lasts 5-15 min. Rush compared to orgasm. Rush fades that leads to relaxed drowsy state Problems evaporate Physical dependence develops within a few weeks of regular use. Stimulants Heighten activity of central nervous system. Amphetamines, cocaine, MDMA, nicotine, caffeine.  Amphetamines Chemicals that activate the nervous system causing increased heart rate, breathing, & blood pressure. At low doses boost mental alertness & concentration, reduce fatigue, & lessen need for sleep. At high doses can induce an intense pleasurable rush. Increases availability of norepinephrine & dopamine – keeps neurons firing to crease high levels of arousal & alertness. Directly stimulate reward pathways in the brain. About 5% US adults have used meth at some point in lives 1.5 million are regular users  Amphetamines High doses can cause extreme restlessness, loss of appetite, tremors, cardiovascular irregularities, coma, death. Amphetamine psychosis – psychotic reaction characterized by hallucinations & delusions similar to schizophrenia. Damages the brain causing deficits in learning, memory, & other functions. Can lead to stroke, liver damage, among other serious health problems.  Cocaine Derived from coca plant Produces state of pleasure by blocking reuptake of dopamine in synapse between neurons. Damages heart & circulatory system, life-threatening, fatal. Psychological issues – anxiety, depression, irritability. Cocaine Psychosis – hallucinations & delusions of persecution.  MDMA/Ecstasy 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine Produces euphoric & hallucinogenic effects. Psychological effects – depression, anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, & psychotic symptoms. Cognitive deficits – memory issues, learning ability & attention issues. Physical effects – increased heart rate, blood pressure, chattering jaw, body warmth/chills. High doses can lead to loss of consciousness, seizures, death. 1 in 15 Americans have experimented with MDMA  Nicotine Mild stimulant but highly addictive. Speeds up heart rate, dampens appetite, produces mild rush – psychological kick. Increases arousal, alertness, concentration – paradoxical effects of relaxation & mental calmness. Releases endorphins Cuts about 10 years off of a person’s lifespan. 480,000 deaths per year. 1 in 3 due to cancer Smoking damages virtually every organ in the body 16.8% Americans smoke – the lowest record level in 50 years.  Caffeine Mild stimulant found in coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, etc. Most widely used psychoactive drug. Not known to be associated with health risks when used in moderation Enhances wakefulness, mental alertness High doses - Jitteriness, nervousness.  Hallucinogens Drugs that alter sensory perceptions, producing distortions or hallucinations in visual, auditory, or other sensory forms. AKA psychedelics “mind revealing”  Lysergic acid diethylamide AKA acid Vivid hallucinations & sensory distortions Trip may last up to 12 hours. Pupil dilation, increases heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, sweating, tremors, loss of appetite, sleeplessness. Variable & unpredictable  Marijuana Alters perception & can produce hallucinations – particularly in high doses or when used by susceptible people. Lower doses – relaxed & mildly euphoric Time seems to pass more slowly, bodily sensations pronounced, anxiety, or panic. High doses – nausea, vomiting, disorientation, panic attacks, paranoia Physiological dependence remains unclear Increases heart rate, impairs motor performance & coordination Driving under influence especially dangerous Regular use impairs cognitive functioning – memory, learning, can lead to brain abnormalities.  Other Factors Unemployment is linked to drug abuse Genetic factors play a role in many addictive disorders but no single gene is responsible. Multiple genes act with environment. Some people may be genetically predisposed to reap greater pleasure from alcohol & other drugs which raises the risk. Regular drug use can damage brain circuits & impair ability to produce dopamine  Treatment Detoxification – clearing body of addictive drugs. Usually requires a hospital stay. Counselors can help confront psychological issues such as depression & low self-esteem.