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Cognitive Domain. Drugs. Introduction. Psychoactive Drugs. Chemical substance that alters perceptions, mood, or behavior Three common psychoactive drugs: Caffeine Alcohol Nicotine Induce an altered state of consciousness. Drug addiction is an unpredictable disease
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Psychoactive Drugs • Chemical substance that alters perceptions, mood, or behavior • Three common psychoactive drugs: • Caffeine • Alcohol • Nicotine • Induce an altered state of consciousness
Drug addiction is an unpredictable disease • Roughly 10% of all people who experiment with drugs become addicted • A combination of environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors influence the likelihood of addiction
Tolerance • Reduced responsiveness to a drug, prompting the user to larger dosages to achieve the same pleasurable effects previously obtained by lower doses
Dependence • State of physiological, psychological or both types of need to take more of a drug after continued use. • Withdrawal follows if the drug is discontinued
Withdrawal • Discomfort and distress that follow when a person who is dependent on a drug discontinues the use of that drug • Withdrawal symptoms are usually the reverse of the drug’s effects.
Depressants • Reduce neural activity and slow body functioning • Produce drowsiness, sedation, or sleep • Relieves anxiety • Lowers inhibitions
Alcohol (ethyl alcohol) • Found in beer, wine, and liquor • The second most used psychoactive drug (caffeine first) • Impairs physical activity such as muscle coordination and balance • Impairs cognitive abilities such as concentration, memory, and speech
Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) • A measure of how much alcohol is in a person’s bloodstream • BAC of .8 considered legal intoxication in most states
Euphoric Affects of Alcohol • Alcohol impairs the parts of the brain responsible for controlling inhibitions and making judgments • Increases harmful and helpful tendencies • The urges you feel when sober are the ones you will more likely act upon if intoxicated. • Focuses one’s attention on the immediate situation and away from any future consequences • A drug’s psychological effect are powerfully influenced by the user’s expectation
Alcohol, Memory, and Sleep • Studies have shown that alcohol impairs memory by suppressing the processing of events into long term memory. • Alcohol impairs REM sleep, further disrupting memory storage. • Paired with sleep deprivation, alcohol becomes a potent sedative
Barbiturates • Depressant drugs that reduce anxiety and promote sleep • Can cause death in sufficient doses • Often used as the drug of choice for suicide
Opiates • Opium and drugs like it (morphine and heroin) • Depress neural functioning – pupils constrict, breathing slows and the user becomes lethargic • A few hours of blissful pleasure is replaced by pain and anxiety • Can die from overdose • Week-long withdrawl
Stimulants • Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions • Increase heart and breathing rates, pupils dilate, appetite diminishes, energy and self-confidence rises • Include: caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine
Caffeine • Stimulant found in coffee, chocolate, tea, and some soft drinks • Provides user with a sense of increased energy, mental alertness, and forced wakefulness • Blocks neurological receptor sites that, if activated, sedate the central nervous system
Nicotine • Stimulant found in tobacco • Effects similar to those of caffeine • Very addictive and does not stay in the body very long • Every year, tobacco kills about 4 million of its 1.2 billion consumers • One cigarette will shorten your life by 12 minutes
Nicotine contd. • Smoking correlates with higher rates of depression, chronic disabilities, and divorce • Why do people start? • Begins in early adolescence • Correlations with those who get low grades, drop out of school, and feel less competent and in control of their future. • Triggers the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine which boosts alertness and mental efficiency • Calms anxiety and reduces sensitivity to pain
Cocaine • Stimulant derived from leaves of the coca plant • Between 1896 and 1905 Coca-Cola had cocaine in its recipe • Creates a “rush” of euphoria that lasts 15-30 min. • This rush depletes the brain’s supply of neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine • Dependency is quick and severe; places extreme strain on cardiovascular system • Users experience emotional disturbances, suspiciousness, convulsions, cardiac arrest, or respiratory failure • Crack – cocaine crystals • Works faster than cocaine and produces a shorter but more intense high
Amphetamines • Drugs that stimulate neural activity, speeding up body functions • Releases serotonin and blocks its re-absorption, thus prolonging serotonin’s feel-good flow • Include increased energy and mood changes • Includes: ecstasy, speed, uppers, and methamphetamines • Mimics adrenaline • Immediate effect is dehydration which can cause overheating, increased blood pressure and death • Can cause irreversible changes in mood
Hallucinogens • Psychedelic drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input • Include: LSD and ecstasy • Sometimes called “psychedelics” meaning mind-manifesting
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) • Powerful hallucinogenic drug • Also known as “acid” • The effects vary from person to person • Users can be dangerous to themselves and others.
Ecstasy • Hallucinogenic drug that produces lower inhibitions, pleasant feelings, and greater acceptance of others • Also called MDMA • Even moderate users may experience permanent brain damage.
Marijuana • Leaves and flowers form the hemp plant that, when smoked, lower inhibitions and produce feelings of relaxation and mild euphoria • Mild hallucinogen – amplifies sensitivity to colors, sounds, tastes, and smells • Impairs motor coordination, perceptual skills, and reaction time • Disrupts memory formation and interferes with immediate recall of information learned only a few minutes before • THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the active ingredient
Therapeutic uses • Can relieve pain, nausea, and severe weight loss associated with AID • Unlike alcohol, which the body eliminates within hours, THC and its by products linger in the body for a month or longer • Not as addictive as cocaine or nicotine, but it does change brain chemistry as much as cocaine and heroin does. • Can not overdose from marijuana • Can cause lung cancer
