Transcript MyersExpPsych7e_IM_Module 17 garber edits

Drugs and
Consciousness
Module 17
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States of Consciousness Overview
Drugs and Consciousness
 Dependence and Addiction
 Psychoactive Drugs
 Influences on Drug Use
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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: Upon stopping use of a
drug users may experience undesirable
side effects.
2. Dependence: Absence of a drug may
lead to a feeling of physical pain, intense
cravings (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
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Psychoactive Drugs
Psychoactive drugs are divided into three
groups.
1. Depressants
2. Stimulants
3. Hallucinogens
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Depressants
Depressants are drugs that reduce neural activity
and slow body functions. They include:
1. Alcohol
2. Barbiturates
3. Opiates
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Depressants
1. Alcohol affects motor skills, judgment, and
memory…and increases aggressiveness while
reducing self awareness.
Daniel Hommer, NIAAA, NIH, HHS
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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.
http://opioids.com/timeline
Heroin Crisis at Nat Geo 45:46
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Stimulants
Stimulants are drugs that excite neural activity and
speed up body functions. Examples of stimulants
are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Caffeine
Nicotine
Cocaine
Ecstasy
Amphetamines
Methamphetamine (speed/crack)
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Caffeine & Nicotine
Caffeine and nicotine increase heart and
breathing rates and other autonomic functions to
provide energy. Link 2yo smoker
http://www.tech-res-intl.com
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Why Do People Smoke?
People smoke because it is socially
rewarding.
Russel Einhorn/ The Gamma Liason Network
Link We love Cigarettes 49:17
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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.
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Ecstasy
Ecstasy or
Methylenedioxymethamphet
amine (MDMA) is a
stimulant and mild
hallucinogen.
Greg Smith/ AP Photos
It produces a euphoric high
and can damage serotoninproducing neurons, which
results in a permanent
deflation of mood and
impairment of memory.
(Croft 2001)
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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
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Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are
psychedelic (mindmanifesting) 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
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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
http://static.howstuffworks.com
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Near-Death Experiences
(From “Hallucinations” by R.K. Siegel. Copyright
© 1977 Scientific American, Inc. All rights reserved.)
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 highschool seniors reporting their use of alcohol,
marijuana, and cocaine from the 70s to the late 90s.
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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
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