Key Terms
- alcohol Also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, ethanol, fermentation alcohol. a colorless, limpid, volatile, flammable, water-miscible liquid, C 2 H 5 OH, having an etherlike odor and pungent, burning taste, the intoxicating principle of fermented liquors, produced by yeast fermentation of certain carbohydrates, as grains, molasses, starch, or sugar, or obtained synthetically by hydration of ethylene or as a by-product of certain hydrocarbon syntheses: used chiefly as a solvent in the extraction of specific substances, in beverages, medicines, organic synthesis, lotions, tonics, colognes, rubbing compounds, as an automobile radiator antifreeze, and as a rocket fuel.
- cannabis noun - any of the various parts of the plant from which hashish, marijuana, bhang, and similar mildly euphorogenic and hallucinogenic drugs are prepared.
- cocaine noun - a bitter, crystalline alkaloid, C 17 H 21 NO 4, obtained from coca leaves, used as a local anesthetic and also widely used as an illicit drug for its stimulant and euphorigenic properties.
- methamphetamine noun - a central nervous system stimulant, C 1 0 H 1 5 N, used clinically in the treatment of narcolepsy, hyperkinesia, and for blood pressure maintenance in hypotensive states: also widely used as an illicit drug.
Department of Health
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psychology
and the key words
cannabis or alcohol or amphetamine
- Department of Health. (2004). Physical and psychological dependence. Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ publications/publishing.nsf/Content/ drugtreat-pubs-front6-fa-toc~ drugtreat-pubs-front6-fa-secb~ drugtreat-pubs-front6-fa-secb-8~ drugtDependence on a drug can be physical, psychological or both. Many daily drug users demonstrate signs of both.
- Department of Health. (1994). The health and psychological consequences of cannabis use. Retrieved from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ main/publishing.nsf/content/health -pubs-drug-cannab2-ch1.htmCannabis is a generic name for a variety of preparations derived from the plant Cannabis sativa. A sticky resin which covers the flowering tops and upper leaves, most abundantly in the female plant, contains more than 60 cannabinoid substances.
Drugs and the Brain
- Cherry, K. (n.d.). Biological perspectives. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/bindex/g/biological-perspective.htmThe biological perspective is a way of looking at psychological topics by studying the physical basis for animal and human behavior. It is one of the major perspectives in psychology and involves such things as studying the brain, immune system, nervous system, and genetics.
- Teen Health. (n.d.). Drugs: What you should know. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/addictions.html?tracking=T_RelatedArticle#cat20140Drugs are chemicals or substances that change the way our bodies work. When you put them into your body (often by swallowing, inhaling, or injecting them), drugs find their way into your bloodstream and are transported to parts of your body, such as your brain. In the brain, drugs may either intensify or dull your senses, alter your sense of alertness, and sometimes decrease physical pain.
- Drugs and the brain. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://uat.twig-world.com/film/drugs-and-the-brain-1568/Explore the variety of effects of different types of psychoactive drugs - from stimulants to depressants - on the brain's chemistry and function.
- Biological Psychology. (n.d.). How drugs affect us:cells. Retrieved from http://www.psychologistworld.com/biological/cells.phpThe brain contains many billions of cells, which are joined together at synapes - junctions at which they communicate through one-way signals. These signals are transmitted within the brain and enable actions such as a movement of the arm to happen.
- National Insiture of Drug Abuse, (2014). Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brainThe brain is made up of many parts that all work together as a team. Different parts of the brain are responsible for coordinating and performing specific functions. Drugs can alter important brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining functions and can drive the compulsive drug abuse that marks addiction.
- Drug Use. (2015). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/110090Drug use, use of drugs for psychotropic rather than medical purposes. Among the most common psychotropic drugs are opiates (opium, morphine, heroin), hallucinogens (LSD, mescaline, psilocybin), barbiturates, cocaine, amphetamines, tranquilizers, and cannabis. Alcohol and tobacco are also sometimes classified as drugs.
- Drug abuse. (2015). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/middle/article/398709The use of drugs for recreational and nonmedical purposes is called drug abuse. The term refers to the use of illegal substances, such as cocaine and marijuana, as well as the use of legitimate drugs—that is, prescription and over-the-counter drugs—in excessive quantities or for nonmedical purposes. Commonly abused substances range from agents such as anabolic steroids, which some athletes use to boost their strength and performance, to psychotropic, or mind-altering, substances that produce changes in mood and feelings.
- Drug use. (2015). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/ high/article/110090The term drug abuse is normally applied to excessive and addictive use of drugs. Because such drugs can have severe physiological and psychological, as well as social, effects, many governments regulate their use.
Cannabis
- Teens Health. (n.d.). What is marijuana? Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/drugs/marijuana.html#cat20140Marijuana is a shredded, green-brown mix of dried flowers, stems, and leaves from the plant Cannabis sativa. A stronger form of marijuana, called hashish (hash), looks like brown or black cakes or balls.
- Nordentoft, M., & Hjorthoj, C. (2007). Cannabis use and risk of psychosis in later life. Lancet, 370(9584), 293-294. Retrieved from the Australian New Zealand Reference CentreThe article examines the possible casual relation between cannabis use and psychotic and affective illness later in life. According to a study the risk of psychos increased roughly 40% in people who used cannabis, and that there is a dose-response effect, leading to an increase risk of 50-200% in the most frequent users.
- Marijuana. (2015). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/middle/article/383818Marijuana is a crude drug composed of the leaves and flowers of plants in the genus Cannabis.
- Kopala, M. (2007, October 9). Reefer Madness. Retrieved from the Health and Wellness Resource CentreStudies have suggested that as many as 1 in 4 cannabis users may be genetically at risk for developing schizophrenia or a related psychotic disorder. Now, a new study reveals all users are at risk.
- Fisk, J. C. (2009). Sleep Impairment in Ecstasy/Polydrug and Cannabis-Only Users. American Journal On Addictions, 18(5), 430-437. Retrieved from the Psychology and Behavioral Sciences CollectionThe results demonstrated that ecstasy/polydrug users viewed themselves as being more evening types and having poorer sleep quality than cannabis users and drug naive participants. They were also more likely to have missed a night's sleep. The reported differences in sleep type may reflect ecstasy-related serotonergic dysfunction resulting in problems with shifting circadian rhythms.
- Bloomfield, M. O. (2014). The link between dopamine function and apathy in cannabis users: an [F]-DOPA PET imaging study. Psychopharmacology, 231(11), 2251-2259. Retrieved from Psychology and Behavioral Sciences CollectionCannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, and regular use has been associated with reduced motivation, i.e. apathy.
Amphetamines
- Smith, E. (2011). Surge in crystal meth use prompts concern at mental health effects. Sydney Morning Herald, The. p. 5. Retrieved from the Australia New Zealand reference centreUse of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, by drug users in Australia has increased significantly since last year, research shows. Lucy Burns, a senior lecturer at the centre, said this was a worrying pattern because of the serious effects of ice on mental health. "Methamphetamine is associated with psychosis, aggressive behaviour and unpredictability," Dr Burns said.
- Mitchell, M., & Willingham. E. J. (2012). Amphetamines. Retrieved from the Gale Encyclopedia of Mental HealthAmphetamines stimulate the nervous system and are used in the treatment of depression, obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and narcolepsy, a disorder that causes individuals to fall asleep at inappropriate times during the day. Amphetamines are commonly abused as recreational drugs and are highly addictive.
- Amphetamine. (2015). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/7237Amphetamine, prototype of a series of synthetic drugs, all called amphetamines, that have pronounced stimulatory actions on the central nervous system.
- Dyer, K. R., & Cruickshank, C. C. (2005). Depression and other psychological health problems among methamphetamine dependent patients in treatment: Implications for assessment and treatment outcome. Australian Psychologist, 40(2), 96-108. Retrieved from tAmphetamines are second to cannabis as the most prevalent illicit drug used in Australia, and amphetamine abuse and dependence are associated with significant health and psychosocial harms.
Alcohol
- DiSalvo, D. (2102). What Alcohol Really Does to Your Brain. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2012/10/16/what-alcohol-really-does-to-your-brain/We hear many different things about how alcohol affects the brain and body, most notably that it is a depressant. That’s only part of the story. Alcohol is a depressant, but it’s also an indirect stimulant, and plays a few other roles that might surprise you.
- Alcoholism. Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, 4th Edition, Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014, pp. 50-58. Retrieved from the Health and Wellness Resource CentreAlcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are often associated with abuse of, or dependence on other substances, including nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, sedatives, and anxiolytics (anti–anxiety drugs).
- Alcoholism. (2015). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://school.eb.com.au.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/levels/middle/article/272791An overwhelming desire to drink alcohol, even though it is causing harm, is a disease called alcoholism. Alcohol is a drug. In the United States alcoholism is the most widespread form of drug abuse, affecting at least 5 million persons.
- Ravenzwaaij, D. E. (2012). A diffusion model decomposition of the effects of alcohol on perceptual decision making. Psychopharmacology, 219(4), 1017-1025. Retrieved from Psychological and Behavioural Sciences CollectionIn a simple perceptual discrimination task, even a moderate dose of alcohol decreased the rate of information processing and negatively affected the non-decision component.
- Chastain, G. (2006). Alcohol, Neurotransmitter Systems, and Behavior. Journal Of General Psychology, 133(4), 329-335. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.db.plcscotch.wa.edu.au/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pbh&AN=23436405&site=ehost-liveAlcohol affects several neurotransmitter systems within the brain. In this article, the author describes its effects on 5 major ones: glutamate, gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA), dopamine, serotonin, and opioid systems.