Drugs & Addiction

Psychoactive Drugs

• Mood altering drugs that affects brain activity. Most abused drugs are psychoactive.

• Many psychoactive drugs typically create a pleasurable feeling that the user wants to repeat.

• This can often leads to addiction

Addiction & The Brain

• Brain releases a chemical called dopamine with normal, pleasurable activities.

• It releases extra amounts when using drugs. This is dangerous because it makes the user have intense cravings for the drug.

• After a while, the brain doesn’t respond to normal levels of dopamine because it damages the dopamine receptors and the user no longer feels pleasure from normal activities.

• In addition abnormal levels of dopamine is associated with diseases like schizophrenia and Parkinson disease.

• Serotonin is another chemical in the brain affected by drug use. Serotonin influences many psychological and bodily functions like: mood, appetite memory, learning, social behavior, temperature regulation and sexual desire.

• Drugs increase serotonin levels and motivates a person to take the drug because it’s associated with pleasure.

• Drugs also make it difficult to process serotonin and causes problems with the user with all the things serotonin influences.

Factors Influencing Addiction

Risk Factors• Family: poor family

relationships, absence of supervision, genetics

• Social: peer pressure, role models, competitive pressure, exposure

• Personal: stress, low self-esteem, poor coping skills

Protective Factors• Family: strong family

bonds, parental awareness, clear and enforced rules

• Social: drug free friends, supportive and accepting friends, strong bonds at school and in community

• Personal: strong values and beliefs, healthy self esteem, commitment to academic success and extracurricular activities

Drug Classifications(Chapter 17)

Drugs are categorized according to their actions and

effects on the body.

Stimulants(Includes: Amphetamines, Methamphetamines, Cocaine, and

Nicotine)

Stimulants speed up the body’s activities

(page 442 443)

Immediate Effects• Heart rate• Breathing• Blood pressure• Alertness & insomnia• Dilate pupil• Decrease appetite• Heart attack & stroke

Long Term Effects • Anxiety & delusions• Hyperactivity &irritability• Weight loss &malnutrition• Irreversible brain damage• Aggression• Paranoia• Depression• heart irregularities and

respiratory failure

Types of Stimulants

PrescribedCalled Amphetamines when

Prescribed

RX for:• Appetite Suppressant

(diet pills)• Narcolepsy• ADD/ADHD

Not prescribed but legal• Caffeine• Nicotine

Illegal• Cocaine• Crack Cocaine (stronger,

more concentrated cocaine

• Methamphetamine– Speed or Crystal when

swallowed or sniffed– Crank when injected– Ice or Glass when smoked

Methamphetamine

• Made in Meth labs using otc cold meds and allergy pills

• Other chemicals include: fertilizer, cat litter, battery acid, drain cleaner, and break cleaner.

• Chemical are explosive and can cause harm or death to the lab operators and neighbors.

• Chemicals are often dumped into streams, rivers, drains, and fields causing toxicity to the area and community, endangering the health of others and costing a lot of money to clean up.

Physical Effects of Meth…..

Depressants(includes barbiturates, CNS Depressants, Opiates, and Alcohol)

Depressants slows down body functions.Two categories:

Barbiturates(also called sedatives)

• Relax a person• RX sleeping pills, but rare

because of high addiction rate• Effects when abused: slow,

slurred speech, loss of motor skills and reflexes. Withdrawal can be fatal.

• Risk: overdose, respiratory failure, coma, death

• Long term effects: sleepiness, irritability, confusion

CNS Depressants(also called tranquilizers)

• Slows nerve activity, relax muscle tension, lower alertness, and can causes drowsiness & slurred speech

• Not as strong as barbiturates so more commonly prescribed

• RX for anxiety, sleep disorders, muscle spasms, seizures, and convulsions

• Long term effects: blood and liver disease

Mixing two depressants can result in accidental overdose and is linked to suicide. A synergistic effect below….

Opiates(also called narcotics)

Made from compounds in the seed pods of poppy plants

Opiates have depressant effects but also act to dull senses, relieve pain, and induce sleep.

Prescribed(pain killers)

• Morphine• Codeine• Vicodin• Oxycontin** Opiates are

extremely addicting and have severe withdrawals.**

Illegal

• Heroin– Most powerful opiate– Once prescribed– Commonly injected in

vein– Increased risk for

infections, HIV, and hepatitis C

HallucinogensOverload the brain with sensory information, causing a

distorted sense of reality. Person may hear, see, believe, and feel things that aren’t’ really there or true. May last

hours to days.

All hallucinogenic drugs are illegal and have no medical use

Types of hallucinogens• LSD (also called acid): can either stimulate or

depress CNS system, associated with unexpected flashbacks/bad trip

• Psilocybin “Shrooms”- chemical found in certain mushrooms

• PCP “Angel Dust” (once used to as a painkiller for large animals), most dangerous,

• Peyote “Cactus”

Effects on the Body(effects are unpredictable)

Immediate Effects• Hallucinations• Psychotic reactions• Decreased sensitivity to touch or pain• Coma, heart/lung failure• Self inflicted death

Long Term Effects• Irreversible brain damage• Schizophrenia• Flashbacks (bad trip) sudden hallucinations

Inhalants

Inhalants are chemicals whose fumes are sniffed or inhaled to

give an hallucinogenic high.This is the drug most

commonly used (drug of choice) for middle school kids.

Types of Inhalants

Include:• Aerosols• Glues• Spray paints• Gasoline• Other common

household products

Effects of Inhalants

• Fumes go directly to the brain causing mental confusion, dizziness, lack of coordination, and hallucinations. May only last a couple of minutes.

• Incredibly dangerous because the chemicals replace oxygen in the brain and kill brain cells.

• Can result in immediate death• Death can also be a result of passing out and

choking on vomit or by cardiac arrest.• 33% inhalant deaths are first time users

More Effects of Inhalants(these effects are long lasting and often

permanent)Short term use

• Palpitations• Headaches• Breathing difficulties• Addiction

Long term use• Liver and kidney

damage• Loss of bladder

control• Loss of smell• Brain cell death• Dangerous chemical

imbalances

Club Drugs(first gained popularity at dance clubs and raves)

Club Drugs Include• Ecstasy (X): Formally MDMA (a drug used for

depression and as an appetite suppressor) declared a class 1 drug so illegal now. It’s often combined with other chemicals. Has stimulant and hallucinogenic affects. Taken orally as a pill.

• GHB (Gammahydroybutyrate): CNS depressant, colorless, tasteless, odorless, liquid associated with date rape

• Ketamine (K or Special K): used by veterinarians as animal tranquilizers. Comes in powder form and snorted or smoked for hallucinogenic effects

Effects of Club Drugs vary. Long term effects are still not

completely known for some of these drugs.

Immediate Effects• Increased sensitivity

to touch• Hallucinations• Tingling of skin• Increased energy• Dehydration• Numbness to pain,

results in injury

Long Term & Severe Effects

• Seizures• Coma• Memory loss• Brain damage• Heart/lung failure• Death

Marijuana(comes from the leaves of the cannabis plant)

Effects of Marijuana

The effects of marijuana depends on several factors:• The user’s previous experience with the drug• How strong it is (how much THC)• What the user expects to happen• Where and how the drug is taken• Whether alcohol or other drugs are used with it

Some users feel nothing. Others may feel high or relaxed or feel hungry and/or thirsty.

Some users may suffer bad reactions and experience feelings of extreme anxiety and paranoia.

Short Term Effects

• Problems with memory and learning• Distorted perceptions (sights, sounds, touch,

time)• Problems with thinking, problem solving, and

judgment• Loss of motor control and coordination• Increased heart rate• Athletes can find their performance off due to

timing, coordination, and movement being affected

Long Term Effects

• Contains cancer causing carcinogens. Approximately 5 joints = 1 pack of cigarettes in regards to carcinogens

• Lungs and airway problems – increases infections, pneumonia, and coughing and wheezing

• Lower immune system – impairs T Cell functions• Impaired mental function on memory, learning, and

attention. Studies also show that it can cause changes in the brain similar to alcohol, cocaine, and heroin.

• Mental addiction – used to medicate their feelings. Marijuana and alcohol are the 2 most common drugs teens are in rehab.