Drugs: Types & Effects

Depressants

Alcohol

• Increases the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
• By increasing an inhibitory neurotransmitter, alcohol dampens down neural firing
• Also decreases the activity of glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter
• Person literally becomes less inhibited and feels euphoric
• An initial upper phase from the release of inhibitions, followed by a downer phases as brain centres become increasingly depressed
• A BAL increases, reaction time, eye-hand co-ordination and decision making are impaired
• Seizures
• alcohol poisoning inhibits brain function
• coma

Barbiturates/ Tranquilizers

• Barbiturates (sleeping pills)
• Tranquilizers (Valium
• Act as sedatives and relaxants
• Highly addictive
• Barbiturates trigger initial excitation, followed by slurred speech, loss of co-ordination, depression, sever memory impairment
• Many people mistakenly regard Valium as harmless, user don’t often recognize they have become dependent until they try to stop and experience serious withdrawal symptoms
• Withdrawal Effects: anxiety, insomnia, possible seizures, sudden withdrawal after heavy use can cause death
• Overdose: disorientation, unconsciousness, coma and death

Amphetamines

• Powerful stimulant
• Prescribed to reduce appetite and fatigue, decrease need for sleep, reduce depression
• Increases dopamine and norepinephrine activity
• Causes an inevitable crash because neuron’s norepinephrine and dopamine supplies have become depleted
• Heart failure, cerebral hemorrhage (stroke), brain damage, schizophrenia-like hallucinations, paranoid delusions (called amphetamine psychosis)

Cocaine

• Produces excitation, a sense of increases muscular strength and euphoria
• Increases the activity of norepinephrine and dopamine by blocking their reuptake
• Novacaine, a synthetic form of cocaine is still used in dentistry as an anaesthetic
• Crack is chemically converted form, effects are much faster and intense
• Fever, vomiting, convulsions, hallucinations, paranoid delusions, death from cardio respiratory arrest

Ecstasy (MDMA)

• Alters serotonin functioning by causing the release of serotonin and blocking the reuptake
• Once considered a safe drug for enhancing awareness of emotions and sensations
• Produces acute and reversible cognitive deficits and long-term cognitive impairment, especially on language tasks
• Causes deficits in memory and attention, causes sleep disturbances, sexual dysfunction and impaired immune responses
• MDMA is a neurotoxin, damages neurons as it acts like a poison

Crystal Meth

• Increases heart rate and blood pressure
• Causes irritability, insomnia, loss of REM sleep, hyperactivity, confusion, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, and increased aggression
• Stroke, heart attack, hypothermia, convulsions, death
• Long-term use leads to heart, liver, kidney and lung damage

Opiates

Opium

• Provide pain relief, cause mood changes, which may include intense euphoria
• Bind to and stimulate receptors normally activated by endorphins, and increase dopamine activity
• Reduce a person’s breathing rate, possible coma, death

Heroin

• Feel an intense pleasurable “rush” within several minutes of an injection
• Users feel peaceful and non-aggressive

Oxycodone

Powerful pain killer and a widely abused drug for its mood-altering effects

Hallucinogens

LSD

May cause violent outbursts, experience paranoia and panic and have flashbacks after the trip has ended

Causes a flooding of excitation in the nervous system

A dose of pure LSD no longer than the tip of a pin can affect a user for up to 8-16 hours

Decreases serotonin

Marijuana

THC is active ingredient, bind to receptors on neurons throughout the brain

Brain produces THC-like substances, called cannabinoids

Fatigue, anxiety, disorientation, sleep disruptions, irritiability, nausea and vomitting