DRUG MISUSE: PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS

Psychoactive or mind altering drug- a drug that influences a persons perceptions, emotions and behavior.
DRUG MISUSE- is used in preference over drug abuse
- refers to the use of drug to a point at which such use is significantly detrimental to a
persons physical health or physical functioning in any important area of our life., such as
interpersonal relationship, love, work, or play.
DRUG ABUSE- refers to the use of drug that is not allowed by ones social group

The detrimental aspect of psychoactive drugs lies in the fact that they are addictive.
Addictive drugs produce a physical and psychological dependence in the user.

PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE- occurs when the body becomes so accustomed to functioning in the presence of
the drug, that it cannot function anymore in its absence.
- is evidence by the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms when the use of the drug
is stopped.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE- consists in a reliance on the drug to achieve or maintain a particular
psychological state or mood.
- the user feels that he cannot go on anymore without the drug and he
becomes preoccupied , even obsessed, with obtaining and using it.
DRUG TOLERANCE- as times goes by, larger and larger doses of drug are required to produce the same
physical/ psychological effects.
The effects of a drug on a user are in function of several factors:

The chemical properties of the drug: tranquilizers are different from hallucinogens.
The way the drug is taken: intravenous injection is more direct and powerful than sniffing.
The persons expectations (set) as to what the effects will be.
The external variables (setting) that influence the perceived effect of a drug, like the physical location,
the atmosphere, the people present, etc.

PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS:
1. DOWNERS/ depressants/ tranquilizers
2. UPPERS/ stimulants
3. PSYCHEDELICS/ hallucinogens
DOWNERS- people take mainly to relax, to reduce tension, to forget their worries, and to achieve calmness
and peace.
- they slow down body functions and nervous system activity.
- do enable people to forget their troubles, but only temporarily.
- the effects of these drugs are very short- lived, a person must keep taking them to maintain a
calm and relative state.
- tolerance to them develops rapidly, becoming psychologically and physically dependent on
them is particularly easy.
- as tolerance and dependence grow , relaxation becomes almost impossible.
- anxiety often increases to a level much greater than it was before the person began taking the
drug.
GROUPINGS:
- BARBITATURES the real sleeping pills
- NON- Barbiturate hypnotic sedatives- the real tranquilizers.
- Non Barbiturate minor tranquilizers like valium and Librium.
- Narcotics- in addition to increasing relaxation, also relieve pain and anxiety.
- example: morphine and heroin- both derived from opium ( orally or injected)
ALCOHOL- most common depressant
- used more people than any other drug.

Most people claim that it increases their sense of sociability and well being.

The discrepancy between the actual and the perceived effects of alcohol lies in initial effects: release of
tension, feelings of happiness and loss of inhibitions.
As the dose of alcohol increases, the depressive effects becomes clearer- people feel emotionally and
physically unstable; they show poor judgment; their memories are impaired; their speech slurs, and they
become incoherent and may eventually fall into stupor (state of unconsciousness)

UPPERS- people take it to feel more alert, more energetic, and more capable.
- stimulants act on the central nervous system to produce excitation, alertness, wakefulness, and to
reduce hunger.
- temporarily increases the level of alertness and stamina.
- they cannot and do not generate energy, but they give the impression of increasing energy by d
decreasing the feeling of fatigue.
- they are also taken to increase endurance, primarily by postponing fatigue and increasing alertness.
- effects are short- lived- when the action of the stimulant wears out, extreme exhaustion follows.
- once caught in the addictive cycle of stimulants for certain period of time, the likelihood of a
psychological breakdown is increased, and paranoid thinking and aggressive feelings become very
frequent.
CATEGORIES:
1. Caffeine- present only in coffee
- an important ingredient of tea, soft drinks, and chocolate
- the major behavioral effect of caffeine is an increase in attentiveness and a decrease in
reaction time.
- Too much caffeine can result in nervousness, irritability and insomnia.
2. Nicotine- found in tobacco
- is a stimulant , even when smokers often characterized its effects are relaxing- this is
probably because if one is anxious or nervous, any habitual behavior, particularly a
behavior that requires frequent and- and mouth activity, is experienced as relaxing whether
it is physiologically relaxing or not.
3. Cocaine- is isolated in coca leaves.
- when taken in small quantities, cocaine produces feelings of profound psychological wellbeing, increased confidence and alertness.
- This drug is very addictive and users soon become obsessed with obtaining it.
- Long term use leads to physical and mental deterioration, losing weight and becoming
extremely suspicious (cocaine psychosis)
- Hallucinations (most common: as if insects are crawling over ones body) can appear.
4. Shabu (ice)- considered to be the poor mans cocaine.
- it is a laboratory- produced substance with the official name of methamphetamine
hydrochloride.
- It is a crystallized white powder which, wrapped in aluminum foil, is burned and directly
sniffed.
5. Amphetamines- like Dexedrine, Benzedrine and others
- strong stimulants popularly known as speed.
- In small quantities,, amphetamines bring about a sense of energy, talkativeness and
heightened confidence.
- Fatigue is reduced , while concentration is increased- over a longer period of time, a
general sense of suspiciousness appears which can lead to a full- blown paranoia
- Taken in too much amount of quantity, it causes too much stimulation of the central
nervous system that convulsions and death can occur.
6. Ecstacy (E-pill)- one of the most recent drugs, especially on the Asian markets.
- it is a synthetic drug composed of methylene-dioxymetamphetamine or MDMA
- it can be smoked, sniffed, or injected
- it increases the frequency of brainwaves and produces a hyper- arousal state and sensory
overload.
- It causes spontaneous activity of the retina, so users often see after image or ghosts of
things before, on top of what they see in the present.
- It causes synesthesia- where colors are heard and sounds seen.
- Commonly called the hug drug because of its emphathogenic effects.
- Users report an increase in personal closeness and a breakdown of communication barriers

Evidence tells that regular users have poorer short- term memories and symptoms of
premature senility.

PSYCHEDELICS
- Drugs that produce hallucinations or changes in the perceptual process
1. Marijuana- the most common hallucinogen in widespread use today
- found in a common weed cannabis
- it is usually smoked.
- Effects vary from one person to person, but they typically consist of feelings of
euphoria(ecstasy) and a general well being.
- Sensory experiences seem more vivid and intense, and a persons sense of self- importance
seems to grow, memory is often impaired.
- Individuals who take marijuana when feeling depressed can end up feeling even more
depressed, since the drug tends to magnify both good and bad feelings.
- The long term effects of heavy marijuana use present some potential hazards.
- There are some pieces of evidence that heavy use decreases, at least temporarily, the
production of the male sex hormone testosterone, potentially affecting sexual activity and
sperm count.
- Heavy use affects the ability of the immune system to fight off germs, and increases stress
on the heart.
- The short- term effects of marijuana use appear to be relatively minor if users follow
obvious cautions, such as avoiding driving or using machines.
2. LSD and PCP
LSD ( lysergic acid diethylamide)
- commonly known as acid
- produces vivid hallucinations
- perception of colors, sounds, and shapes are altered so much that even the simplest experience such
as looking at the knots in a wooden table- can seem exciting and moving.
- users report a better understanding of the world, but for others, the experience brought can be
terrifying, particularly if users have had emotional difficulties in the past
- people can experience flashbacks, in which they hallucinate long after the initial drug usage.

PCP (phencyclidine)
- commonly referred to as angel dust
- the potential side effects associated with its use make the drug even more dangerous than LSD
Large doses may cause paranoid and destructive behavior, and in some cases, users become violent
toward themselves and others.