Drugs and Their Effects on Consciousness| Narcotics| Depressants| Stimulants| Hallucinogens

Drugs and Their Effects on Consciousness:

Most drugs that affect behavior act through the nervous system, including the biochemical aspects of that system (example: neurotransmitters), or less commonly, through the endocrine system. Drugs are a part of almost all cultures, and have been used for centuries. The drugs that will be discussed here are psychoactive drugs, or drugs that produce changes in consciousness. In America, the three most widely used psychoactive drugs are caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.

Narcotics:

Opiate drugs occur either naturally or are produced synthetically and have properties similar to opium. These drugs include morphine, heroin, and codeine. Narcotics are often used as pain killers, but heroin is also the major opiate of drug abusers. The risk level of using these drugs is very high, and consequently, narcotic has come to mean "a habit-forming drug." Additionally, it is often associated with sleazy and degenerate life-styles. Yet, narcotics can be extremely valuable tools for health related fields.

Drug Addiction:

There are two types of addiction, physiological addiction, and psychological addiction. Prolonged usage of any narcotic can result in physiological addiction. This is because the body recognizes the addition of the opiate to the body and reduces its own production of endorphins, thus causing a dearth of pain killers when the opiate is removed. Those who are addicted must experience withdrawal before they can be rid of their need for the drug. Withdrawal symptoms include chills, sweating, cramps, and nausea. Psychological addiction, on the other hand, is a drug addiction based completely upon the pleasure experienced or because of a desire to avoid to avoid pain. The two kinds of addiction are not easily separated, obviously.

Depressants:

The most widely used depressant is alcohol. Depressants are drugs that have a general sedative effect on the central nervous system. Alcohol clearly has this effect, although initially alcohol reduces a person's inhibitions through action on the brain stem. Continuous drinking leads to reduced alertness and impaired motor functioning. Dependency on alcohol is known as alcoholism. Withdrawal from alcohol is characterized by delirium tremens, "the DTs," including symptoms such as hallucinations, hyperactivity, irritability, headaches, fever, and nausea. Other depressants include barbiturates, strong CNS depressants used to reduce anxiety or irritability.

Stimulants:

Drugs known as stimulants have the principal effect of increasing arousal by facilitating CNS release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine. Stimulants primarily include amphetamines and cocaine.

Amphetamines:

Dexedrine, Benzedrine, and others are included in this group. These are known as "speed" or "uppers". Amphetamines are used to stay awake, suppress appetite, relieve depression, and provide a sense of well-being. After prolonged use, tolerance develops, and the high becomes more and more difficult to establish. Additionally, some negative side effects, such as muscular aches, develop at this point. Eventually, the person usually "crashes," in which they sleep for up to several days, and upon awakening are usually depressed, apathetic, and fatigued. Chronic users run the risk of brain damage, thought disturbances, hallucinations, high fever, convulsions, and even death, usually from cardiovascular failure.

Amphetamines work by affecting serotonin and catecholamines three ways. First, they mimic the action of the transmitter by causing the transmitter to leak out through the synaptic vesicles into the synaptic cleft. Then, as the neuron is activated, the amount of the transmitter released by the change in electric potential increases in volume. So, as a signal travels the axon, more of the transmitter becomes available postsynaptically. Finally, amphetamines deactivate monoamine oxidase, the enzyme that breaks down catecholamines, resulting in the transmitter staying in the cleft longer, causing neural activation and behavioral stimulation.

Cocaine:

Effects of cocaine are similar to amphetamines, but it works principally by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, and lasts less time than amphetamines-usually 1 or 2 hours. It is sniffed into the olfactory epithelium of the naval passages, and takes effect within 10 - 20 minutes.
Methods created to increase the psychoactive properties of the drug include:

Caffeine and Nicotine:

Caffeine and nicotine have typically slight power in altering consciousness, but their effects vary among individuals. Caffeine is consumed as part of coffee, tea, and cola. Nicotine is consumed via smoking, is not necessarily the most harmful substance involved in smoking. However, nicotine produces an addiction that is both psychological and physiological. Withdrawal symptoms include increased irritability, lack of concentration, tremors, and heart palpitations.

Hallucinogens:

Hallucinogens are substances that radically distort the perception of reality, producing vivid hallucinations. This category of drugs includes LSD, MDMA (ecstasy), PCP (Angel dust), and Marijuana (to a lesser extent). How these drugs work is not fully understood, although there is evidence that they interfere with the neurotransmitter serotonin. Continued use of hallucinogenic drugs leads to tolerance.

Problems with LSD:

A number of deaths have been attributed to its use when users have jumped off buildings thinking they could fly, etc. Some users report spiritually natured experiences, but some also report no effects at all. Some people experience terrifying hallucinations and suffer psychological disturbances after the effects of the drug have worn off. Also, hallucinations may return after the drug use has stopped. These reoccurances of hallucinations are called flashbacks.

MDMA:

MDMA is a "designer drug" invented by a major drug house, also called Ecstacy. It did not come onto the drug scene until the 1960s. MDMA is reported to induce a sense of warmth and well-being, but was later found to produce toxic side effects, and even death. The drug was later banned, which did not stop the illegal use of it.

PCP:

First used as anesthetic for humans, but later used strictly for animals because of the hallucinations and disorientation caused in humans. The most common symptom experienced in moderate doses is depersonalization, which causes the person to feel estranged from others and from the environment. Violent behavior in PCP users is not uncommon, even in people who are inherently non-violent.

Marijuana:

Marijuana is without a doubt the most popular hallucinogen, also known as "pot", "grass", and "weed." In 1962, 4% of the population had used Marijuana, but by 1980, 68% had used it at one point or another. The drug comes from the plant Cannabis sativa, which grows in most parts of the world. Effects from the drug vary according to its quality, or THC content. Low to moderate doses do not produce hallucinations, only high dosages do. Instead, the person typically reports feelings of calmness, increased sensory awareness, changes in space and time, and increased appetite, often craving sweets. At higher dosages, however, the person may experience thought disturbances, rapid emotional changes, a loss of attention, and a sense of panic.

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