Drugs and Consciousness

Module 17 1

States of Consciousness Overview Drugs and Consciousness  Dependence and Addiction  Psychoactive Drugs  Influences on Drug Use 2

Dependence & Addiction Continued use of a psychoactive drug produces tolerance . With repeated exposure to a drug, the drug’s effect lessens. Thus it takes greater quantities to get the desired effect.

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Withdrawal & Dependence 1. Withdrawal: drug users may experience undesirable side effects.

Upon stopping use of a 2. Dependence: lead to a feeling of physical pain, intense cravings Absence of a drug may (physical dependence), and negative emotions (psychological dependence) .

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Addiction is a craving for a chemical substance, despite its adverse physical & psychological consequences.

Misconceptions About Addiction 1. Addictive drugs quickly corrupt.

2. Addiction cannot be overcome voluntarily.

3. Addiction is no different than repetitive pleasure-seeking behaviors.

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Drugs and Consciousness Psychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood (affects consciousness).

Link Psychedelic Science 47:50 7

Psychoactive Drugs Psychoactive drugs are divided into three groups.

1. Depressants 2. Stimulants 3. Hallucinogens 8

Depressants Depressants are drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions. They include: 1. Alcohol 2. Barbiturates 3. Opiates 9

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Depressants 1. Alcohol affects motor skills, judgment, and memory…and increases aggressiveness while reducing self awareness.

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Depressants 2. Barbiturates: Drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment. Nembutal, Seconal, and Amytal are some examples.

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Depressants 3. Opiates: Opium and its derivatives (morphine and heroin) depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety. They are highly addictive. Heroin Crisis at Nat Geo 45:46 16

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Stimulants Stimulants are: are drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions. Examples of stimulants 1. Caffeine 2. Nicotine 3. Cocaine 4. Ecstasy 5. Amphetamines 6. Methamphetamine (speed/crack) 18

Caffeine & Nicotine Caffeine and nicotine increase heart and breathing rates and other autonomic functions to provide energy. Link 2yo smoker 19

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Why Do People Smoke?

 People smoke because it is socially rewarding.

Link We love Cigarettes 49:17 22

Why Do People Smoke?

  Nicotine takes away unpleasant cravings (negative reinforcement) by triggering epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and endorphins.

Nicotine itself is rewarding (positive reinforcement).

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Cocaine Cocaine induces immediate euphoria followed by a crash. 24

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Ecstasy Ecstasy or Methylenedioxymethamphet amine (MDMA) is a stimulant and mild hallucinogen. It produces a euphoric high and can damage serotonin producing neurons, which results in a permanent deflation of mood and impairment of memory. (Croft 2001) 27

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Methamphetamine

• Methamphetamine increases the release, and blocks the reuptake of the neurotransmitter dopamine, leading to high levels of the chemical in the brain.

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Link Drug toxicity 6:06 31

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Hallucinogens Hallucinogens are psychedelic (mind manifesting) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.

Housewife on Acid on CNN 5:01 Another person on Acid 8:46 Leary and kids who dropped acid…creepy 1:14 34

Sacks on Hallucinations

• Link short 1.17

• http://www.ted.com/talks/oliver_sacks_what_hallucination_reveals_about_o ur_minds.html

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Hallucinogens 1. LSD: (lysergic acid diethylamide) powerful hallucinogenic drug that is also known as acid.

Inside LSD 45:24 2. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol): is the major active ingredient in marijuana that triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations. Marijuana at National Geographic 45:11 38

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Near-Death Experiences After a close brush with death, many people report an experience of moving through a dark tunnel with a light at the end. Under the influence of hallucinogens, others report bright lights at the center of their field of vision.

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Influences on Drug Use The graph below shows the percentage of US high school seniors reporting their use of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine from the 70s to the late 90s. 42

Marijuana Use The use of marijuana in teenagers is directly related to the “perceived risk” involved with the drug.

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Influences on Drug Use The use of drugs is based on biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences.

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EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY

(7th Edition in Modules) David Myers PowerPoint Slides Aneeq Ahmad Henderson State University Worth Publishers, © 2008 47

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