Vocabulary
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Drugs
refer to any substance that alters our perceptions and moods. Oftentimes these substances are illicit and can lead to and addictions. People who suffer from addiction may experience negative withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit using the substance because their body has grown accustomed to it.
Furthermore, the more they use a substance, the moretoleranttheir body becomes, causing them to have to take more and more of the substance to achieve the same high. It becomes a whole cycle of addiction that takes lots of strength to break.
We actually consume drugs more than you think! If you drink coffee, tea☕, or co*ke🥤, you are consuming the psychoactive drug called caffeine.
However, addiction differs majorly from everyday use! If the drug disrupts someone's life, daily schedule📅, or disables them to do something, it becomes a problem and should be looked👓 into by an expert.
There are three main categories of drugs:
Depressants
Depressants are one classification of drugs that reduce or slow our neural activity and body functions.A few depressants are alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates.
Alcohol
Alcohol is the most commonly used depressant in the world. You see it everywhere, at celebrations🥂, at parties🍻, basically at any social gathering. However, its effects are drastic and people often get way too carried away with the consumption of alcohol.
The main effects of alcohol include slowed🦥 neural processing, memory disruption, reduced self-awareness, and reduced self-control. Low doses of alcohol relax the drinker by slowing down the sympathetic nervous system but large doses cause all of the above.
Ever hear of blackouts? After one wakes up, they have no memory of the event. This is because alcohol suppressesREM sleep.
Addiction could lead to alcohol use disorder, which is marked by tolerance, withdrawal, and the need to continue drinking. Unfortunately, millions of people have this disorder and it has drastic effects such as shrinking the brain🧠
Barbiturates
Barbiturates are tranquilizers that suppress the activity of the . They are prescribed to reduce anxiety, induce sleep😴, and prevent seizures. However, the combined use of barbiturates and alcohol is very deadly.
Opiates
Opiates also depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety as well. Opiates, such as morphine and heroin, stop the production of endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkiller and since opiates mimic endorphins, stopping the drug could mean death by overdose. As a result of the pleasure felt by taking opiates, they are extremely addictive.
Stimulants
Stimulants are another classification of drugs that are known to excite neural activity and speed up body functions. Drugs that fall into this category include nicotine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, and MDMA.
Nicotine
Nicotine is found in the highly addictive drug, tobacco. Smokers develop a quick tolerance to nicotine and are very prone to withdrawal symptoms. Smoking has so many horrifying effects that it actually decreases life expectancy, killing off many people at a young age. It is also correlated with higher rates of depression and divorce.
- Within 7 minutes of smoking a cigarette, nicotine causes a signal to be sent to the central nervous system, telling it to release several neurotransmitters:- Epinephrine and norepinephrine diminish appetite🍔 and boost alertness😳- Dopamine and serotonin calm anxiety and reduce the ability to feel pain- These short term rewards of smoking have a long term price to the body
Cocaine
Cocaine is also a highly addictive drug, producing alertness and euphoria. Euphoria is a state of excitement that occurs as a result of the brain being depleted of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. However, within an hour of taking cocaine, a crash of depression comes upon your body. This leads to mood swings, cardiac arrest, or failure to breathe.
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are another classification of drugs that are known to distort perception and evoke sensory images without any actual sensory input.THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, is a mild hallucinogen. Other hallucinogens include LSD and psilocybin (mushrooms). Hallucinogenic experiences are often similar to the altered state of consciousness that occurs when people have a near-death experience.
**Just always remember when taking AP Psychology -- the effects of everything depend on genetics, user expectations, and social context.**
Key Terms to Review (19)
Addiction: Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes in the brain.
Alcohol Use Disorder: A chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking and preoccupation with alcohol, causing significant distress or harm to the individual.
Amphetamines: Amphetamines are a group of synthetic psychoactive drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, energy levels, alertness while decreasing appetite.
Barbiturates: Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants and can produce effects from mild sedation to total anesthesia.
Central Nervous System: The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. It is responsible for processing information received from all parts of the body.
Cocaine: Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug that increases levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and movement, in the brain's reward circuit.
Depressants: Depressants are drugs that reduce arousal and stimulation in certain areas of the brain by slowing down bodily functions and neural activity.
Ecstasy (MDMA): Ecstasy is a synthetic psychoactive drug known for its ability to induce feelings of euphoria, increased energy, emotional warmth towards others, and distortions in sensory perception.
Hallucinogens: Drugs that distort perception and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input; also known as psychedelic drugs.
Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine is an extremely potent stimulant drug that increases activity in the central nervous system causing increased heart rate, decreased appetite along with heightened focus & energy levels.
Near-Death Experience: Near-death experience refers to personal experiences associated with impending death encompassing multiple possible sensations including detachment from the body; feelings of levitation; extreme fear; total serenity, security, or warmth; the experience of absolute dissolution; and the presence of a light.
Nicotine: Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant found in tobacco that triggers complex biochemical reactions in the brain, leading to feelings of pleasure and reduced stress.
Opiates: Opiates are a group of drugs used for treating pain because they contain opium-like compounds. They work by binding to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract.
Psychoactive Drugs: Psychoactive drugs are substances that can alter perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior by changing the brain's neurochemistry.
Stimulants: Substances that increase activity in the body and brain, enhancing alertness and energy levels.
Substance Use Disorders: Substance use disorders occur when the recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs causes clinically significant impairment including health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school or home.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol): THC is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana that gives the high sensation. It affects areas of the brain related to memory, pleasure, movements, thinking, concentration, coordination and sensory and time perception.
Tolerance: Tolerance is the reduced response to a drug after repeated use, leading an individual to consume larger doses in order to achieve the same effect.
Withdrawal: Withdrawal refers to the physical and mental symptoms that occur after stopping or reducing intake of a substance such as drugs or alcohol, which the body has become dependent on.
