Drugs and Consciousness

Drugs and Consciousness Many of us take drugs on a pretty regular basis.  Some for medical reasons (painkillers), some for recreational reasons (alcohol) and some just to get up in the morning (caffeinated sodas).  Although the drug business is very complex and there are literally tens of thousand of drugs out there today; for the most part they all have one thing in common- they manipulate our neurotransmitters.

Almost everything a drug does it does by tricking our neurons into firing or not firing neurotransmitters.  If you think about it, every feeling that drugs give us, is really our natural neurotransmitters in overdrive.  If you had REALLY good control over your own body you could up your own dopamine levels and feel like you are on Crack without ever taking the actual drug (actually, its not possible and probably would not be healthy).

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Psychoactive Drugs Chemicals that have psychological effects meaning that they change perceptions, moods, thinking, and behavior Sometimes called recreational drugs, though some may have legitimate medical uses

Types of Psychoactive Drugs Depressants Narcotics Stimulants Hallucinogens

Depressants – sedatives Calm neural activity and slow body functions Downers – induces relaxation Alcohol, inhalants, barbiturates (tranquilizers) Effects – relaxation, less anxiety Negative Effects – impaired coordination (messes with cerebellum) judgment and memory, depression, mood swings, drowsiness

Stimulants Temporarily excite neural activity and arouse body functions – Uppers Amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine (speed) Effects – excitation, confidence, increased alertness Neg. Effects – anxiety, restlessness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased aggressiveness, feelings of panic, paranoia (schizophrenia like symptoms), even death from overdose, extensive brain damage and tissue loss

Effects of Stimulants

Stimulants Smoking Caffiene In this clip from How Stuff Works, we get a short tutorial about how caffeine works to keep us from feeling sleepy. Caffeine inhibits the absorption of adenosine, leading to increased arousal. It starts to affect the body with doses as small as 50 milligrams, or about half a cup of coffee. What category of drugs does caffeine fall into? What are the various side effects of caffeine? This video from veriatv.com explains what happens to your body when you smoke a cigarette. It obviously is taking an anti-smoking stance, and moves on to explaining the positive effects on your health when you quit smoking. Considering all of the negative effects on the body, why do people smoke? What reasons are there besides the physical “high”?

Narcotics (Opiates) Pain reducers (analgesics) Depress the central nervous system Mimic endorphins Codeine, heroin, morphine, opium People take narcotics to induce feelings of euphoria, relieve pain, and induce sleep Very addictive and produce terrible withdrawal

You on Drugs This clip is the late 1990s follow-up to the classic “brain on drugs” campaign. The original campaign is expanded upon by Rachel Leigh Cook demolishing the kitchen with the frying pan. Her tirade continues the analogy of the effects drugs have on one’s family, friends, money, and job. What do you think of the persuasiveness of these commercials? Why did this campaign spawn so many spoofs and parodies in popular culture?

Hallucinogens - psychedelics Distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input sights, sounds, and tastes that aren’t actually there LSD, PCP, marijuana, ecstasy Effects – changed perceptions, hallucinations, euphoria, relaxation, increased awareness Neg. Effects – nausea, paranoia, anxiety, mood swings, impaired judgment, jumbled thoughts, impaired memory, sluggishness

LSD PSA

The odds of getting hooked after trying various drugs Marijuana – 9% Alcohol – 15% Cocaine – 17% Heroin – 23% Tobacco – 32 %

What can influence the effects of Psychoactive Drugs?? The amount and potency of the drug How the drug is administered How much previous experience a user has with the drug The user’s age and body weight The user’s mood, personality, and motivation The environment in which the drug is used The user’s expectations about the drug’s effects

How Psychoactive Drugs Work Psychoactive drugs work by affecting neurotransmitter function Drugs can cause more or less of a neurotransmitter to be released into synapses (agonist) Drugs can stimulate or block receptors (antagonist) Drugs can block the reuptake of a neurotransmitter (reuptake inhibitor)

The Blood Brain Barrier ("Keep Out") Protects the brain from "foreign substances" in the blood that may injure the brain prevents materials from the blood from entering the brain it allows some materials to cross, but prevents others from crossing allows the entrance of essential nutrients The concept of the blood brain barrier was first introduced by Paul Ehrlich He found that intravenous injection of dyes into the bloodstream stained all the tissues in most organs except the brain.

Chronic Use of Psychoactive Drugs

Chronic Use of Psychoactive Drugs Tolerance with repeated exposure to a psychoactive drug, the drug’s effect lessons thus it takes bigger doses to get the desired effect the user experiences neuroadaptation the brain adapts its chemistry to offset the drug effect

Chronic Use of Psychoactive Drugs Withdrawal what people experience when they stop using a drug after a long period of regular use the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug Different drugs produce different kinds of withdrawal symptoms

Withdrawal

Chronic Use of Psychoactive Drugs Physical vs. Psychological Dependence Physical Dependence the body responds to the drugs absence and the user may feel physical pain and intense cravings Psychological dependence a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions Addiction a craving for a substance despite adverse consequences and often with physical symptoms such as aches and nausea

Heroin Addicts In this National Geographic clip, a cameraman follows around heroin addicts from Oslo and the American Midwest. Joaquim and Trina sell magazines in Oslo in order to score their next fix of Afgan heroin. Included is footage of Joaquim injecting his girlfriend. Faces of addiction from the American Midwest soon follow. Why is heroin called a “dirty, back alley drug?” One speaker from the Midwest group says that he never met a recreational user of heroin. Why is this so?

So why take drugs in the first place?? Drug Use Influences So why take drugs in the first place??

Influence on Drug Use Biological genetic tendencies dopamine reward circuit a brain pleasure pathway

Influence on Drug Use Psychological Lacking sense of purpose Significant stress Psychological disorders such as depression

Influence on Drug Use Social-cultural Urban environment Belonging to a drug using cultural group Peer influences

Alcoholism is Not a Disease Addiction specialist and licensed psychologist Stanton Peeleresponds to the question “Is alcoholism a disease?” Peele argues that alcoholism as “inbred and lifelong, and not susceptible to external factors is incorrect. All factors have an impact.” Do you agree with Peele’s conclusions? What are some of the external factors which affect problem drinking? How does social class or socio-economic status affect drinking tendencies? Is there any evidence that alcoholism can be inherited?

Don’t Do Drugs!!!

Anti Drug Commercials The following public service announcements were aired on television and online as part of the Montana Meth Project. Some will consider these scenes dramatic, visually disturbing, and/or violent. Which was the most effective and least effective ad? Do you believe campaigns employing scare tactics will be effective in preventing teen and adult drug use?