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7.3 Drugs and Consciousness

7.3 Drugs and Consciousness. Psychoactive Drugs : chemicals that affect the nervous system and result in altered consciousness. Drug Tolerance. A person has developed the need to take greater doses of the drug to get the same effect initial doses had. Drug Dependency.

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7.3 Drugs and Consciousness

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  1. 7.3 Drugs and Consciousness • Psychoactive Drugs: chemicals that affect the nervous system and result in altered consciousness.

  2. Drug Tolerance • A person has developed the need to take greater doses of the drug to get the same effect initial doses had

  3. Drug Dependency • A person now needs to take the drug to prevent withdrawal symptoms of NS

  4. Withdrawal • Painful physical and psychological symptoms that occur after a drug-dependent person stops using the drug

  5. Stimulants Amphetamines • Speed, crank, crystal, ice • Methamphetamine (new twist---not pill form, but smoked or snorted, for a faster high) • Increase blood pressure, heart rate, enhanced mood, alertness, and energy

  6. Stimulants cont. Amphetamines (cont.) • Leads to excessive restless behavior, repetitive beh., depression, agitation, insomnia, paranoia • Brain damage, NS destruction

  7. Stimulants Cocaine • Horse, snow, crack • Increased physiological and psychological arousal (energy, alert) • Appetite suppression, insomnia, irritation, nose damage, hallucinations, bugs---circle of depresssion, fatigue, withdrawal, craving

  8. Stimulants cont. Cocaine (cont.) • Usually only lasts 30 minutes or so • Impaired decision-making, analysis of self and abilities • Brain damage, NS destruction

  9. Legal Stimulants Caffeine • Physiological arousal---hyper feeling, energy, improved reaction time • Psychological arousal---decreased feeling of fatigue and drowsiness, alertness, improved mental reaction time

  10. Legal Stimulants Nicotine • Physiological effects---lung cancer, heart and vascular disease, emphysema • Psychological arousal---improves attention, concentration, and short-term memory in low doses

  11. Opiates • Opium, morphine, heroin • Reduce pain, create euphoria (like state between waking and sleeping), constipation • One of the fastest “tolerance” drugs

  12. Opiates (cont.) • Dependence leads to: • Hot and cold flashes • Sweating • Muscle tremors • Stomach cramps • Overdose leads to: • Respiratory failure

  13. Hallucinogens • Psychoactive drugs that produce strange perceptual, sensory, and cognitive experiences • The person sees or hears things that he knows are not realistic • Cultural uses

  14. Hallucinogens (cont.) • LSD (lycergic acid diethylamide) • Visual hallucinations, perceptual distortions, increased sensory awareness, and intense psychological feelings • “Tripping” is dependent on user’s state of mind

  15. Hallucinogens (cont.) • LSD dangers include: • Psychotic paranoia (can require hospitalization) • Uncontrolled frightening flashbacks of the trip • Tolerance develops quickly, but no reports of dependence

  16. Hallucinogens (cont.) • Psilocybin (mushrooms) • Pleasant and relaxed state (low dose) to perceptual distortions in time and space (med. dose) to hallucinations, body image distortions, etc. • Tripping is like an “awake dream”

  17. Hallucinogens (cont.) • Psilocybin dangers include: • Psychotic states last long and are unpredictable • Accidental poisoning from bad ‘shrooms

  18. Hallucinogens (cont.) • Designer drugs • Manufactured or synthetic drugs designed to mimic existing illegal psychoactive drugs / effects • Ecstasy (MDMA) is an example

  19. Hallucinogens (cont.) • Ecstasy (MDMA) • Resembles both mescaline (hallucinogen) and amphetamine (upper) • Increases emotional awareness and intimacy, and alters visual perceptions • Lowers inhibitions (aphrodisiac)

  20. Hallucinogens (cont.) • Ecstasy (MDMA)dangers include: • Jitteriness, anxiety, jaw clenching, fear and insomnia (low doses) • Panic, rapid heartbeat, paranoia, and psychotic episodes (med. dose) • Confusion, fatigue, depression, severe nausea (high, prolonged dose)

  21. Hallucinogens (cont.) • Ecstasy (MDMA)dangers include (cont): • Physically damages neurons over time which can lead to an uncountable number of neurological problems

  22. Alcohol • Psychoactive drug • Depressant: depresses CNS activity • Seems like a stimulant first, but later depresses many physio / psycho responses

  23. Alcohol (cont.) • Few drinks = friendliness and loss of inhibitions • Several drinks = interferes with ability to understand events around them • Many drinks = Impairs motor coord, cognitive abilities, decision making, speech

  24. Marijuana • Psychoactive drug (THC in the leaves creates the effect) • One of the few drugs where no deaths are caused by its direct biological effects • 5-10 minute effect after inhalation • Dose indicates type of high

  25. Marijuana (cont.) • Low dose = mild euphoria • Moderate dose = perceptual and time distortion • High dose = hallucinations, delusions, and distortions of the body image

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