psych test 3 Flashcards
chapter 5-7
psychoactive drugs
chemicals that influence consciousness or behaviour by altering brains chemical message system
3 categories of psychoactive drugs
depressants, stimulants & psychedelics
what’s the major active ingredient in marijuana
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)
drug tolerance
the body learns the drugs effects and becomes less effective over time which leads people to want higher doses to feel the same effect
withdrawal
physical dependence on the drug needs drugs to function more or less normally
psychological dependence
strong desire to use the drug again even after withdrawal symptoms fade
drug addiction
strong compulsion to use a substance even though doing so causes problems for the user (health, relationships, responsibilities)
what are Americans developing addictions to
pain killers, heroin & fentanyl
in what situations is addiction more common
coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, depression
what can help recovery
meditation, support from friends, family, is other members or social network also quit
depressants
psychoactive drugs that decrease activity in the nervous system
effects of high doses of depressants
decreases nervous system activity which impairs thinking, induce coma or stop breathing
what happens when you become physically dependent on depressants
exacerbate the problem the people took the drug to correct “rebound effect”
what’s the most common used depressant
alcohol
what’s happens when someone thinks they’re drinking alcohol but they aren’t
they truly feel intoxicated and act accordingly
