Drugs & The Brain

Do Now What is a “risk factor”? What are some “risk factors” for drug use and abuse?

Risk Factors Definition: anything that increases the likelihood of injury, disease, or other health problems. Family status Lack of supervision Genetics Drug availability Aggressive behavior at an early age Un-educated Mental health issues Social difficulties

Protective Factors Definition: anything that keeps a person from engaging in harmful behavior Self control Self confidence Parental monitoring Doing well in school

WHY do individuals abuse drugs?? Curiosity LOW Self-Esteem Peer Pressure Boredom Alienation Individuals that feel unwanted and unloved…. Some people believe drugs provide an outlet to their problems

Drugs & The Brain Your brain creates your *these are POWERFUL changes Thoughts Perceptions of the world Personality Physical responses *these are POWERFUL changes Drugs that affect your brain can change all of these things.

How Drugs That Affect the Brain Work

If drugs that affect the brain in the previous ways are taken over a long period of time, they can create the powerful changes in feelings and behavior that lead to ADDICTION. Addiction = a condition in which a person can no longer control his or her drug use.

“No one starts using drugs to become an addict “No one starts using drugs to become an addict. But every addict starts as someone experimenting with drugs.”

The Pathway to Addiction DRUG USE TOLERANCE DEPENDENCE ADDICTION

Drug Use Addicts move from experimentation to a more regular pattern of abuse What does this look like?

Tolerance Develops after repeated drug use The user needs more of the substance to get the same effect they had in the beginning what does this look like?

Dependence Cannot function without the drug physical dependence – the body relies on the drug in order to function “normally” What does this look like?

Addiction Loss of control of their behavior Addict becomes obsessed with How to get drugs How to take drugs How to lie and steal to get them Addict becomes paranoid Use drugs to deal with emotional problems What does this look like? Withdrawal: uncomfortable physical and psychological symptoms produced when a physically dependent drug user stops using drugs

Treatments Interventions Rehab centers Therapy

Classwork: Chapter 9; Section 3 Vocabulary Terms Section 3 Review: Pg. 234 Questions 1-10