Transcript What is Psychology? - Warren Wilson College

Consciousness and Drugs
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Drugs and Consciousness
• Psychoactive Drug
– a chemical substance that alters perceptions and
alters mood, and sometimes alters behavior
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Physical dependence
• Tolerance
Drug
effect
– diminishing effect with
regular use of the same
dose of a drug
Response to
first exposure
• Withdrawal
After repeated
exposure, more
drug is needed
to produce
same effect
– discomfort and distress
that follow discontinued
use of a psychoactive
drug
Drug dose
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Types of drugs
– Based on their effects (in the CNS)
– Quiz:
• barbiturates, nicotine, heroin, Ecstasy,
methylphenidate, oxycontin, diet pills,
“magic mushroom,” solvents, Xanax
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Depressants
• Reduce neural activity and slow body functions
– Alcohol
• Bar study (video)
– Barbiturates
– Opiates
• opium and its derivatives (morphine and heroin)
• depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and
anxiety
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Molecular Similarity of Opiates &
Endorphins
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Opiates
Molecular
Similarity of
Opiates &
Methadone
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Stimulants
• Drugs that excite neural activity and
speed up body functions
• caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines
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The physiological effects of
nicotine
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Cocaine Euphoria and Crash
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Hallucinogens
– drugs that distort
perceptions and evoke
sensory images (in the
absence of sensory
input)
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Hallucinogens
• LSD
– lysergic acid diethylamide (acid)
• Shrooms
• PCP
• THC
– active ingredient in marijuana
– triggers a variety of effects, including mild
hallucinations
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