Drugs Influences Drugs and Consciousness Psychoactive drugs are

Drugs & Influences

Drugs and Consciousness • Psychoactive drugs are chemicals that change perceptions and moods through their actions, via our neurotransmitters • Though many of these types of drugs are illegal, some are legal, and maybe consumed in this classroom! • If someone uses a drug continually, they will produce a tolerance of that drug, forcing them to use higher doses to experience the same effect

• When a physical dependence is formed, the user will experience withdrawal if they do not get to use the drug • Others can be psychologically dependent on a drug, meaning they use to relieve negative emotions, but aren’t physically dependent • An addiction can form when the user has a compulsive craving for a substance, despite adverse consequences, and can have physical symptoms occur quickly due to withdrawal

Psychoactive Drugs • Depressants: drugs that calm neural activity and slow body functions o Alcohol: causes disinhibition, slowed neural processing, memory disruption, reduced selfawareness and selfcontrol, and expectancy effects

o Barbiturates: depresses the nervous system, similar effects to alcohol o Opiates: depresses neural functioning, produces a blissful painfree experience, though highly addictive

• Stimulants excite neural activity and speed up body functions o Methamphetamine: produces up to 8 hrs of heightened energy and euphoria, one of the most addictive/dangerous drugs

o Caffeine: legal, the most commonly used psychoactive substance, can produce a tolerance and cause people to have withdrawal symptoms if not taken o Nicotine: another very common, yet deadly product. Tobacco products kill about 5. 4 million people a year of a reported 1. 3 billion users.

o Cocaine: goes from “euphoria” to “crash” very quickly, forcing heavy users to keep using often. o Ecstasy: both a stimulant and a mild hallucinogen, producing a strong emotional elevation, leads to dehydration easily

• Hallucinogens distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input o LSD: “acid”, reported to produce shapes, pictures, and colors that are not there. o Marijuana: relaxes, disinhibits, and produces a euphoric high. Also amplifies colors, sounds, tastes, and smells. THC lingers in the body for up to a month, which allows heavy users to reach their “high” with smaller amounts of the drug

Influences on Drug Use • People start using drugs for very different reasons • Some may be biologically pre-disposed to particular drugs, like alcohol. • There also many psychological influences that cause people to use: feelings of stress, lacking a sense of purpose, or psychological disorders

• Social influences often play a great role for people to start using drugs o The environment in which someone grew up o Cultural attitude toward drug-use o Peer influences