Drugs

Question 1

psychoactive drugs

Answer 1

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

contains depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens

Question 2

depressants

Answer 2

alcohol, barbituates, and opiates- slow down neural activity and slow body functions

Question 3

barbituates

Answer 3

depress NS activity, prescribed to induce sleep or reduce anxiety, can impair memory and judgement, can be lethal when combined with alcohol

Question 4

opiates

Answer 4

• blissful pleasure replaces pain and anxiety
• pupils constrict, breathing slows, lethargy sets in… v addictive
• impairs memory and judgement
• death by opiod overdose increased 10 times from 2013 to 2017

heroin, methadone, codeine, OxyCotin, Vicodin, Morphine, fet

methadone is a medically prescribed substitute for heroin, pain relief narcotics are the rest

Question 5

stimulants

Answer 5

• pupils dilate, heart and breathing rates increase, blood sugar increases, appetite reduces
• energy and self confidence rises
• mild dose lasts 3-4 hours and can impair sleep when taken in evening
• used to feel alert, lose weight, boost mood or athletic performance
• can be addictive and are known for fatigue, headaches, irritabiliy, and depression during withdrawl

caffeine, nicotine, cocain, amphetamines, meth, and ecstasy

Question 6

nicotine

Answer 6

• withdrawals include insomnia, craving, anxiety, irritability, and distractibility
• mind wanders 3x normal rate when trying to focus on task when quitting
• CNS releases epinephrine and norepinephrine that diminish appetite and boost alertness and mental efficiency
• Dopamine and opiods will temporarily calm anxiety and reduce sensitivity to pain
• smoking correlated w divorce, chronic disabilities, and depression

stimulant

Question 7

cocaine

Answer 7

• enters bloodstream quickly, producing rush of euphoria that depletes dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine
• within an hour a crash of agitated depression follows, then the craving wanes after several hours (but returns after a few days)
• powerfully stimulates brain reward pathways
• reuptake inhibitor/agonist

Question 8

meth

Answer 8

• user energy rises and mood soars
• amphetamines are the parent drug, meth is chemically similar but w greater effects
• dopamine released that enhances energy and mood
• 8 hours of euphoria
• after effects include irritability, insomnia, hypertension, seizures, social isolation, depression, and violent outburts
• can reduce baseline dopamine levels

Question 9

Ecstasy (MDMA)

Answer 9

a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen that produces euphoria and social intimacy
-triggers dopamine release and releases stored serotonin and blocks its’ reuptake, prolonging serotonin’s feel good flood
-dehydrating, overheating, increased blood pressure
-leaches brain serotonin and can damage serotonin producing neurons