7.3 Drugs and Consciousness

1
7.3 Drugs and Consciousness

• Psychoactive Drugs chemicals that affect the
  nervous system and result in altered
  consciousness.

2
Drug Tolerance

• A person has developed the need to take greater
  doses of the drug to get the same effect initial
  doses had

3
Drug Dependency

• A person now needs to take the drug to prevent
  withdrawal symptoms of NS

4
Withdrawal

• Painful physical and psychological symptoms that
  occur after a drug-dependent person stops using
  the drug

5
Stimulants

• Amphetamines
• Speed, crank, crystal, ice
• Methamphetamine (new twist---not pill form, but
  smoked or snorted, for a faster high)
• Increase blood pressure, heart rate, enhanced
  mood, alertness, and energy

6
Stimulants cont.

• Amphetamines (cont.)
• Leads to excessive restless behavior, repetitive
  beh., depression, agitation, insomnia, paranoia
• Brain damage, NS destruction

7
Stimulants

• Cocaine
• Horse, snow, crack
• Increased physiological and psychological arousal
  (energy, alert)
• Appetite suppression, insomnia, irritation, nose
  damage, hallucinations, bugs---circle of
  depresssion, fatigue, withdrawal, craving

8
Stimulants cont.

• Cocaine (cont.)
• Usually only lasts 30 minutes or so
• Impaired decision-making, analysis of self and
  abilities
• Brain damage, NS destruction

9
Legal Stimulants

• Caffeine
• Physiological arousal---hyper feeling, energy,
  improved reaction time
• Psychological arousal---decreased feeling of
  fatigue and drowsiness, alertness, improved
  mental reaction time

10
Legal Stimulants

• Nicotine
• Physiological effects---lung cancer, heart and
  vascular disease, emphysema
• Psychological arousal---improves attention,
  concentration, and short-term memory in low doses

11
Opiates

• Opium, morphine, heroin
• Reduce pain, create euphoria (like state between
  waking and sleeping), constipation
• One of the fastest tolerance drugs

12
Opiates (cont.)

• Dependence leads to
• Hot and cold flashes
• Sweating
• Muscle tremors
• Stomach cramps
• Overdose leads to
• Respiratory failure

13
Hallucinogens

• Psychoactive drugs that produce strange
  perceptual, sensory, and cognitive experiences
• The person sees or hears things that he knows are
  not realistic
• Cultural uses

14
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• LSD (lycergic acid diethylamide)
• Visual hallucinations, perceptual distortions,
  increased sensory awareness, and intense
  psychological feelings
• Tripping is dependent on users state of mind

15
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• LSD dangers include
• Psychotic paranoia (can require hospitalization)
• Uncontrolled frightening flashbacks of the trip
• Tolerance develops quickly, but no reports of
  dependence

16
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• Psilocybin (mushrooms)
• Pleasant and relaxed state (low dose) to
  perceptual distortions in time and space (med.
  dose) to hallucinations, body image distortions,
  etc.
• Tripping is like an awake dream

17
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• Psilocybin dangers include
• Psychotic states last long and are unpredictable
• Accidental poisoning from bad shrooms

18
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• Designer drugs
• Manufactured or synthetic drugs designed to mimic
  existing illegal psychoactive drugs / effects
• Ecstasy (MDMA) is an example

19
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• Ecstasy (MDMA)
• Resembles both mescaline (hallucinogen) and
  amphetamine (upper)
• Increases emotional awareness and intimacy, and
  alters visual perceptions
• Lowers inhibitions (aphrodisiac)

20
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• Ecstasy (MDMA) dangers include
• Jitteriness, anxiety, jaw clenching, fear and
  insomnia (low doses)
• Panic, rapid heartbeat, paranoia, and psychotic
  episodes (med. dose)
• Confusion, fatigue, depression, severe nausea
  (high, prolonged dose)

21
Hallucinogens (cont.)

• Ecstasy (MDMA) dangers include (cont)
• Physically damages neurons over time which can
  lead to an uncountable number of neurological
  problems

22
Alcohol

• Psychoactive drug
• Depressant depresses CNS activity
• Seems like a stimulant first, but later depresses
  many physio / psycho responses

23
Alcohol (cont.)

• Few drinks friendliness and loss of inhibitions
• Several drinks interferes with ability to
  understand events around them
• Many drinks Impairs motor coord, cognitive
  abilities, decision making, speech

24
Marijuana

• Psychoactive drug (THC in the leaves creates the
  effect)
• One of the few drugs where no deaths are caused
  by its direct biological effects
• 5-10 minute effect after inhalation
• Dose indicates type of high

25
Marijuana (cont.)

• Low dose mild euphoria
• Moderate dose perceptual and time distortion
• High dose hallucinations, delusions, and
  distortions of the body image