Chapter 1: Psychoactive Drugs - Uppers, Downers, All-Arounders
What are psychiatric medications?
- Antidepressants - Antipsychotics - Antianxiety drugs
What are the physical effects of inhalants?
- CNS depression - Dizziness - Slurred speech - Unsteady gait - Drowsiness - Lowered blood pressure - Stupor - Coma - Asphyxiation
What are the physical effects of eating disorders?
- Cardiovascular problems - Diabetes - Nutritional Diseases - Obesity
What are the physical effects of small downer doses?
- Depress the CNS - Slows the heart rate - Slows respiration - Relaxes muscles - Decreases coordination - Induces sleep - Dulls the senses - Diminishes pain - Controls diarrhea (remember for next date night)
What are the mental & physical effects of all arounders?
- Distort sensory messages to and from brain stem - Intensify or alter external stimuli - Hallucinations - Delusions - Synesthesia
What are compulsive behaviors?
- Eating disorders - Compulsive gambling - Sexual compulsion - Internet addiction - Compulsive shopping - Codependency
What can prolonged use of stronger uppers cause?
- Extreme anxiety - Paranoia - Anhedonia - Mental confusion - Induced psychosis
What are the mental/emotional effects of inhalants?
- Impulsive behavior - Excitement - Mental confusion - Irritability - Rush or "high" - Large amts can cause delirium or hallucinations
What are the physical effects of sports drugs?
- Increase in muscle mass & strength - Acne - High blood pressure - Shrunken testicles - Masculinization in women
What are the mental/emotional effects of larger upper doses?
- Jitters - Anxiety - Anger - Rapid speech - Aggressiveness
What are the mental & emotional effects of mediumish doses of downers?
- Mind relaxation & dulling - Diminished anxiety - Control of some neuroses - Sometimes a sense of euphoria
What are the mental & emotional effects of psychiatric meds?
- Mood elevation w/ antidepressants (target seratonin reuptake) - Control of schizophrenic mood swings & hallucinations with antipsychotics (target dopamine) - Inhibition of anxiety-producing thoughs with antianxiety meds (target GABA)
What physical symptoms can opiates & opioids cause that is distinct from the other downers?
- Nausea - Pupil constriction - Constipation
What are the physical effects of compulsive behaviors
- Neurological and chemical changes in the brain's survival/reward pathway
What are the main categories of inhalants?
- Organic solvents (glue, gasoline, paints) - Household sprays - Volatile nitrites (Amyl, Butyl, Cyclohexyl nitrate, poppers) - Anesthetics (Nitrous oxide aka laughing gas)
What can be caused by excessive drinking, sedative-hypnotic, or opiate/oid use?
- Physical coordination disruption - Slurred speech - Digestive problems - Sexual dysfunction - tissue dependence
What are the physical effects of psychiatric meds?
- Physical side effects involving heart, blood, & musculoskeletal system - Severe adverse toxic reactions to antipsychotic drugs
What are the mental/emo. effects of sports drugs?
- Stimulant-like high - Increased confidence - Increased aggression - "Roid rage"
What are the mental and emotional effects of compulsive behaviors?
- Tolerance - Psychological dependence - Withdrawl
What are the physical effects of uppers in a small-moderate dose?
- excess CNS stimulation - energized muscles - increased alertness - insombia - increased heart rate - increased blood pressure - decreased appetite
What are the physical effects of all arounders?
- nausea - dizziness - Marijuanna increases appetite & causes bloodshot eyes - LSD raises blood pressure & causes sweating - Ecstasy & LSD act as stimulants - PCP & Ketamine act as anesthetics
What are the mental and emotional effects of small-moderate dose of uppers?
-increase in confidence - excitement - more outgoing - eager to perform - rush or "high"
What are the major uppers?
1) Cocaine 2) Amphetamine Congeners 3) Amphetamines 4) Plant stimulants 5) Caffeine 6) Nicotine & designer stimulants (i.e. bathsalts) 7) Psychostimulants
What are the main categories of all arounders?
1) Indoles (LSD & shrooms) 2) Phenylalkylamines (MDMA, molly, X) 3) Anticholinergics (Belladonna & mandrake) 4) Cannabinoids (Weed, hashish, sinsemilla, synthetic marijuana) 5) Others (ketamine, PCP, Salvia divinorum, nutmeg, dextromethorphan, bromo-dragonFLY, lion's tail, amanita mushrooms)
What are the 4 categories of downers?
1) Opiates & opioids 2) Sedative-hypnotics (benzo's, barbituates, etc.) 3) Alcohol (#lit) 4) Others (muscle relaxers, antihistamines, & over-the-counter sedatives)
What is a psychoactive drug?
Any substance that directly alters the normal functioning of the central nervous system (CNS)
What can organic solvents be directing toxic to?
Cells in the lungs, brain, liver, kidney tissues, & blood
What physical effects can downers cause in large doses or in combination with other downers?
Dangerous respiratory depression, overdose, & coma
What is a "downer"?
Depressant
What results from frequent use of stronger stimulants (cocaine, meth, bath salts)?
Exhaustion from the drugs depleting the user's body of energy chemicals
T/F Psychoactive drugs do not include compulsive behaviors that also alter the brain
FALSE (as the definition expands it may include these as well)
What are inhalants?
Gaseous or liquid substances that are inhaled and absorbed through the lungs
What physical risks do users have from chronically using large amounts of uppers or if they are extra-sensitive?
Heart, blood vessel, and seizure problems along with various cancers
What other categories of drugs are there besides uppers, downers, and all arounders?
Inhalants, sports drugs, and psychiatric meds
What is a drug's chemical name?
It's molecular structure (C2H5OH = Ethyl Alcohol)
What are the mental & emotional effects of small doses of downers?
Lower inhibitions which can lead to sometimes irresponsible behavior
What is a drug's street name?
Names used by normal people, can have more than 1 street name per drug (i.e. marijuana = cannabis, pot, weed, hash, bud, etc.)
Why has popularity of new psychoactive drugs exploded in the recent years?
New technologies, Internet, increase in street chemists and street customers
What is an "all arounder"?
Psychedelic
What are the mental/emotional effects of long-term downer usage?
Psychological or physical dependence & addiction
What are sports drugs (PED's)?
Steroids, stimulants, ephedrine, caffeine, human growth hormone, human chronic gonadotropin, herbal & nutritional supplements, therapeutic drugs (i.e. painkillers, beta blockers, diuretics)
What is an "upper"?
Stimulant
What is a drug's trade name?
The name given by the pharmaceutical manufacturer (i.e. Xanax = alprazolam)
What is tissue dependence?
When your body's organs become chemically dependent on a drug's chemicals