HPS 178 Drug Abuse

How many million people reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs in the past year?

9.4 million Marijuana use substantially reduces a driver's ability to react and make quick decisions. Perceptual and other performance deficits resulting from marijuana use may persist for some time after the high subsides. You are two and a half times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle accident if you drive under the influence of marijuana.

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of addiction? Denial Habitual behavior Loss of control Negative consequences

Habitual behavior Habitual behavior is a repeated behavior in which the repetition may be unconscious. It can be annoying, but it can be broken without too much discomfort by becoming aware of its presence and choosing not to do it. In contrast, addiction is a mental disorder in which there is continued involvement with a substance or activity despite its ongoing negative consequences. Addictions are characterized by compulsion, loss of control, negative consequences, and denial.

Which of the following statements about cocaine is NOT true?

It can cause drowsiness, depression, and loss of appetite.

What percentage of college students report having abused prescription painkillers such as codeine, vicodin, and oxycontin in the past year?

Just over 6 percent Painkillers are among the most popular prescription drugs used on campus. Students who abuse prescription painkillers say they do so to relax or get high. Prescription drug abuse among college students has increased dramatically over the past decade. Because they are prescribed by doctors and approved by the FDA, many college students seem to perceive prescription drugs as safer and more socially acceptable than illicit drugs. Nothing could be further from the truth when these drugs are misused.

Which of the following is classified as a stimulant?

Methamphetamine A stimulant is a drug that increases activity of the central nervous system. Its effects include increased activity, anxiety, and agitation; users often seem jittery or nervous while high. Commonly used stimulants also include cocaine, amphetamines, and caffeine. Alcohol is the most widely used central nervous system depressant. Depressants slow down neuromuscular activity and cause sleepiness or calmness. Marijuana and other cannabis products are classified as cannabinoids. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. LSD is classified as a hallucinogen, a substance that is capable of creating auditory or visual hallucinations and unusual changes in mood, thoughts, and feelings.

Which of the following is NOT categorized as central nervous system depressants? Benzodiazepines Opioids Barbiturates Methamphetamines

Methamphetamines Central nervous system depressants slow down neuromuscular activity and cause sleepiness or calmness. Forms include opioids, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, although alcohol is the most widely used central nervous system depressant. In contrast, methamphetamines are central nervous system stimulants, which increase activity of the central nervous system. Effects of stimulants include increased activity, anxiety, and agitation. Other commonly used stimulants are cocaine, amphetamines, and caffeine.

Which term describes the use of a drug for a purpose for which it was not intended? Addiction Misuse Abuse Tolerance

Misuse

The psychoactive drug mescaline is obtained from which plant?

Peyote cactus

Which of the following is NOT an example of drug misuse? Regular use of increasing amounts of cocaine to get high Taking a friend's prescription medication to treat a migraine Taking an over-the-counter medication more often than is recommended Not following the instructions when taking a prescription medication

Regular use of increasing amounts of cocaine to get high This is actually a sign of drug abuse

Which of the following statements about amphetamines is true? They are stimulants. They have no known side effects. They can cause a dangerous drop in heart rate and respiratory rate. They are not addictive.

They are stimulants.

All of the choices are signs of addiction EXCEPT __________. negative consequences denial compulsion a sense of control

a sense of control

Transdermal drug administration means that a drug is __________.

absorbed through the skin

Charlotte, a college student, is a habitual drinker. She has become preoccupied with obtaining alcohol and obsessed with her need to drink. Charlotte is exhibiting __________.

compulsion

Excessive use of any drug (legal or illegal) constitutes __________.

drug abuse

An individual who knowingly tries to protect an addict from natural consequences of his or her destructive behavior is __________.

enabling

Denial is a person's __________.

inability to perceive that a behavior is self-destructive

A lack of judgment regarding whether a particular substance or behavior will be healthy or damaging to oneself is known as __________.

loss of control Loss of control is one of the four common symptoms of addiction. Another common symptom of addiction is compulsion, which is characterized by obsession, or excessive preoccupation, with the behavior and an overwhelming need to perform it. Denial, the inability to perceive that the behavior is self-destructive, is another common symptom.

The illicit drug most commonly used in the United States is __________.

marijuana

Chemicals that relay messages (impulses) from one nerve cell to another or to other cells are __________.

neurotransmitters

Rebecca takes medications for various conditions, including Prinivil (for high blood pressure), insulin (for diabetes), and Claritin (for allergy symptoms). This is an example of __________.

polydrug use Polydrug use, the use of multiple medications, vitamins, recreational drugs, or illicit drugs simultaneously, can lead to dangerous health problems. Alcohol, in particular, frequently has dangerous interactions with other drugs. Hazardous interactions include synergism, inhibition, antagonism, intolerance, and cross-tolerance.

Addiction involves an excessive __________.

preoccupation with the addictive behavior

Drugs in suppository form are absorbed into the bloodstream through the __________.

rectal or vaginal walls suppository means a solid medical preparation in a roughly conical or cylindrical shape, designed to be inserted into the rectum or vagina to dissolve.

A drug-created effect in which sensory messages are incorrectly assigned, such as "hearing" a taste or "smelling" a sound is called _______.

synesthesia Synesthesia can occur when a hallucinogen is present at a reticular formation (located in the brain stem at the upper end of the spinal cord), scrambling brain messages. Overdose of cannabinoids and excessive use of cocaine can cause paranoia. Stimulants, cannabinoids, and narcotics can cause euphoria, or a "rush." Withdrawal from depressants can cause delirium.

When increased amounts of a drug, other substance, or behavior is needed to produce the desired effect, this phenomenon is known as __________.

tolerance

Temporary physical and psychological symptoms that occur when use of an addictive substance is discontinued is __________.

withdrawal