Hypnosis Originated by Franz Mesmer in the 18

Hypnosis • Originated by Franz Mesmer in the 18 th century, it is described as being in a trancelike state of heightened susceptibility to the suggestions of others • Applications – Controlling pain – Reducing smoking – Treating psychological disorders – Assisting law enforcement – Improving athletic performance

Hypnosis • Hypnosis is an altered state of heightened suggestibility • The hypnotic state is characterized by – Narrow and focused attention – Imagination and hallucinations – Passive receptive attitude – Reduced reaction to pain – Heightened suggestibility

Myths of Hypnosis • • • People can be hypnotized against their will People will do immoral things while hypnotized Hypnosis improves memory recall Hypnotized persons have special strength Hypnosis involves a form of role playing

Physical Dependence Psychological Dependence PRIMARY FOCUS: USING AND OBTAINING THE DRUG

Addictive Personality? Factors in Drug Use • Nature of the Drug: Intense and Fast? Crack over Cocaine • Painful Withdrawal Symptoms: Continued Use • Alcoholic Parent & other Genetic Factors: Some people experience the highs/lows more intensely. • Psychological Factors: Depression, low selfesteem, powerlessness, absence of values. • Social Factors: Environment that offers few opportunities or alternative pleasures (urban slums, prisons, war zones. • Social Norms: Ok to drink in the evening on Friday with friends but not on Monday night alone.

Drug Action on Neurons

TOLERANCE

Alcohol & College • 90% of College Students drink, 75% every month • 50% had 5 or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks • College students drink more than youths who end their education at h. s. • American college students consume 4 billion cans of beer a year • D or F average = 10. 6 drinks per week • A or B average = 3 drinks per week • 95% of violent crime on campus is alcohol-related • Students in Northeast drink more than those in the South or West • 73% of the assailants and 55% of the victims of rape had used alcohol or other drugs

Date Rape Drugs What should you know? • Rohypnol: legally prescribed in 64 countries as a preoperative anesthetic. Never approved for use in the United States. • Becomes a Party Drug in 1990’s-tasteless, odorless, colorless: Within 15 minutes sedation, a feeling of wellbeing, short-term memory loss. • AKA “roofies” and “roches” for $1 or $2 a pill. • DEA: Documented 2460 federal, state, local cases in 32 states. • Schedule 1 drug: 10 yr. Prison term for smuggling.

Drug Legalization? • Anti-drug laws create a worse problem: violent crime. • $8 Billion spent on drug enforcement could be spent on education/treatment • Latin American criminals make $2 billion/yr off of U. S. Drug use. • Government has no business telling citizens what they may or may not put in their bodies. Alcohol/tobacco destroy far more people • • Legalization would produce increase in drug abuse. Costs of drug abuse would skyrocket (Currently $99 billion is spent on alcohol related problems and $50 billion on tobacco-related medical costs). Legalization would send the message that drug use/abuse is o. k. Legalizing drugs would be a death warrant for the lower socioeconomic classes. Crime would continue, users would still need money, and few addicts would hold down jobs and would turn to crime.