Physiological/Psychological Effects of Drugs Flashcards

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1
Q

What is tolerance?

A

The adaptation of the body as a result of the repeated exposure to a drug. The person needs to use more of the drug to attain the desired effect.

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2
Q

What is withdrawal?

A

Refers to the physical impact of stopping the use of a drug. Functioning will overcompensate in the sudden absence of the drug.

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3
Q

What is physical dependence?

A

The adjustment of bodily tissues in response to the continued presence of a drug.

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4
Q

What is psychological dependence?

A

An emotional or mental drive to continue to take a drug because the user feels that he/she needs the drug to maintain a sense of well-being.

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5
Q

What is addiction?

A

Most experts feel that it is related to dependent patterns of drug use although there is much debate over a formal definition.

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6
Q

What are Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants?

A

Alcohol, barbiturates, inhalants/solvents, minor tranquilizers.

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7
Q

What are hallucinogens?

A

Cannabis, LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, MDA, MDMA.

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8
Q

What are opiates?

A

Heroin, morphine, codeine, methadone, oxycodone, percocet/percodan.

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9
Q

What are stimulants?

A

Nicotine, caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines, khat, mephedrone.

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10
Q

What is marijuana?

A

Comes from the plant named Cannabis Sativa. The active ingriedient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

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11
Q

How is marijuana administered?

A

Smoking, eating, drinking, inhaling in a vaporizer.

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12
Q

What does the experience of marijuana depend on?

A

Experience of the user, amount of THC administered, expectations of the user, route of administration, environment.

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13
Q

What are some short term effects of marijuana?

A

May feel euphoric, excited or more relaxed. Increased heart rate and blood pressure. Impaired body movement. Dry mouth/throat/respiratory difficulty. Increased hunger, slowed reaction time. Difficulty with thinking/problem-solving.

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14
Q

What are some long-term effects of marijuana?

A

Additive features such as withdrawal issues are presented by psychological symptoms. Stacking effect (half life is 4 days), amotivational syndrome: impaired ability for sequencing, weakened immune system.

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15
Q

What are some factors to consider when thinking about side effects of alcohol?

A

How fast you drink, if you ate before/while drinking, your body size/build, male or female, what other drugs you have consumed.

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16
Q

What are some short term effects of alcohol?

A

More calm and relaxed, more talkative and less shy, warm, less co-ordinated.

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17
Q

What are some short term effects of alcohol when taken in higher amounts?

A

Blackouts, slurred speech, difficulty walking, feeling sleepy or loss of consciousness, more likely to have falls/other accidents.,

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18
Q

What are some long term effects of alcohol?

A

Brain and nerve damage, high blood pressure and strokes, liver disease, damage to the fetus for pregnant women, cancer, low sex hormones.

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19
Q

What are some withdrawal symptoms of alcohol?

A

Feel nervous/jumpy, sleeping problems, tremors, seizures, hallucinations.

20
Q

What is the lethality of alcohol?

A

Acute Alcohol poisoning signs are mental confusion, stupor, coma, vomiting, seizures, slow breathing, hypothermia.

21
Q

What should you not do in the event someone has alcohol poisoning?

A

Leave someone to sleep it off. Give them a coffee. It will dehydrate them even more which can cause permanent brain damage. Make them sick, their gag reflex won’t work properly which means they could choke on their vomit.

22
Q

What should you do if someone has alcohol poisoning?

A

Try to keep them awake and sitting up. Give them water if they can drink it. Lie them on their side in the recovery position if they have passed out. Check if they are breathing properly. Keep them warm. Stay with them to monitor their symptoms and get medical assistance.

23
Q

What is MDMA?

A

AKA ecstasy. Taken in pill form. Similar to amphetamine, but with hallucinogenic properties. Like most drugs it impacts the user by mimicking or causing the surge of different neurotransmitters.

24
Q

What should you know to understand the effects of MDMA?

A

It works by increasing the activity of 3 different neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin. Serotonin plays a significant role in mood.

25
Q

Serotonin plays a significant role in mood. What does serotonergic activity lead to the release of?

A

Oxytocin and vasopressin. These hormones play a role in feelings of trust, wellbeing, sexual arousal, and love.

26
Q

After ingesting MDMA, when do you start feeling the effects and how long does it last?

A

Usually experienced within an hour of ingesting. Sensations typically last between 3-6 hours.

27
Q

What are some short term side effects of MDMA?

A

General sense of well-being. Reduction or elimination of worry. Sense of empathy/caring towards others. Enhanced sensory perception.

28
Q

What are some less favorable side effects of MDMA?

A

Chills, nausea, jaw-clenching/teeth grinding, increased body temperature (hyperthermia), sweating, dehydration, increased blood pressure.

29
Q

What is the lethality of MDMA?

A

In some cases, the side effects can combine to produce arrhythmia, kidney failures, heart failures.

30
Q

What are the withdrawal symptoms of MDMA?

A

Poor appetite, depression, fatigue, anxiety, difficulty with concentration.

31
Q

What are some long-term effects of MDMA?

A

Increased risk of depression from prolonged use, neurons that use serotonin may be damaged, at risk for memory impairment.

32
Q

What are opiates?

A

A general term used to describe drugs that can be used to treat pain. Most are derived from opium which comes from the poppy plant. Some are also synthetic instead.

33
Q

How do opiates work?

A

They attach to opioid receptors in different locations brain and nervous system including the limbic system, the brain stem, and the spinal chord.

34
Q

How do opiates effect the nervous system?

A

Limbic System: controls emotions, can create feelings of pleasure and relaxation.
Brainstem: Controls things your body does automatically. Can slow breathing, stop coughing, reduce feelings of pain.
Spinal chord: Decreasing feelings of pain, even after serious injuries.

35
Q

What do the sensations of opiates depend on?

A

Route of administration, experience of user, environment, how body prepares itself from external cues, amount. If injected or snorted, the impact is felt quickly and more intensely. Not so if taken in pill form.

36
Q

What are some kinds of opiates?

A

Codeine, vicodin, morphine, oxycontin, percocet, percodan, heroin.

37
Q

What are some short term effects of opiates?

A

Relaxation, drowsiness, itching, sweating, dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, decreased appetite, slowed breathing.

38
Q

What are some long term effects of opiates?

A

Depression, insomnia, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis from injection usage, decreased concentration, decreased pain threshold, secondary health issues from poor nutrition and general health practices.

39
Q

What is the lethality of opiates?

A

Overdose by this drug is extremely lethal although users can overdose many times before they actually die. The person’s respiratory rate slows to the point that organs don’t get the oxygen they need.

40
Q

What are some withdrawal symptoms of opiates?

A

Not fatal, but can last for a week to a month. Low energy, anxiety, agitation, insomnia, runny nose, hot/cold sweats, muscle aches, pains, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea.

41
Q

What is cocaine?

A

A stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant. Perceived to be a powerfully addictive drug. Suppliers cut it with other powder like substances to make more profit.

42
Q

What is cocaine’s effect a result of?

A

Increased levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain circuits regulating pleasure/motivation system. Largely experienced in the limbic system of the brain. Cocaine interferes with the re-uptake of dopamine. Therefore there is a buildup.

43
Q

Over time what happens to a user of cocaine?

A

The user’s dopaminergic system is negatviely impacted. The results is that the person no longer experienced the pleasure that they once did.

44
Q

What are some short term effects of cocaine?

A

Euphoria, feeling energetic, talkative, mentally alert, increased sensitivity with respect to sight, sound and touch. Dilated pupils. Increased body temperature. Paranoia, increased heart rate.

45
Q

What are some long term effects of cocaine?

A

Anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure), depression, insomnia, nasal and bowel issues if snorting, respiratory issues if smoking, track marks and infection from injecting, various secondary health issues from poor nutrition and general health practices.

46
Q

What is the lethality of cocaine?

A

Death from this is possible and fairly unpredictable. Can result from the impact on the heart, or on the respiratory system. Most often a result of regular, long-term use. However some people have a sensitivity to it and their physiological response is stronger and sometimes fatal.

47
Q

What are some withdrawal symptoms of cocaine?

A

Agitation, restless behavior, depressed mood, fatigue, generalized malaise/ahendonia, increased appetite, slow movement, vivid unpleasant dreams.