4.4 Psychoactive Drugs

tranquilizers

Depressant drugs that relieve anxiety.

caffeine

a mild stimulant found in coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate

cocaine

a natural drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant. produces intense euphoria, mental alertness, and self-confidence

physical dependence

a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued

ecstasy

a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. Produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short-term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition.

Psychoactive Drugs

chemical substances that can alter arousal, mood, thinking, sensation, and perception.

PCP and ketamine

dissociative anesthetics that produce feelings of detachment and depersonalization. distortions of space, reality, and time are common. stimulates the release of endorphins in the brain.

Marijuana

drug derived from the hemp plant.

barbiturates

drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

amphetamines

drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing sped-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes.

mescaline

hallucinogenic substance found naturally in the peyote cactus.

LSD

powerful hallucinogenic drug manufactured from lysergic acid

stimulant-induced psychosis

schizophrenia-like symptoms develop.

nicotine

stimulant drug in tobacco that increases heart rate and blood pressure

drug abuse

the ingestion of a drug to the extent that it impairs the user's biological or psychological well-being.

alcohol

the most frequently used and abused CNS depressant in most cultures; its use affects mood, judgment, cognition

withdrawal symptoms

unpleasant physical or psychological effects following discontinued use of a drug, can include shakes or tremors, vomiting, blood pressure/heart rate changes

drug rebound effect

withdrawal from a drug makes you manifest the opposite symptoms that the drug produced.

4 Categories

~ depressants (depress/inhibit brain activity) ~ opiates (morphine agonist; painkillers/euphoria) ~ stimulants (stimulate/exite brain activity) ~psychedelic drugs (distort sensory perceptions)

Stimulants

~Caffeine ~nicotine ~amphetamines ~cocaine

Designer Drugs

~MDMA (ecstasy) ~PCP (angel dust) ~ketamine

Psychedelic Drugs

~Mescaline ~LSD ~Marijuana

Depressants

~alcohol ~barbiturates ~tranquilizers

Opiates

~natural (opium, morphine, codeine) ~synthetic (heroin, methadone, oxycontin) opiates mimic endorphins, reduces brains perception of pain.