Substance Use Disorders - Affected Consciousness Class Notes

Substance Use Disorders -Substance use disorder is a compulsive patiern of drug use despire negative consequences (DSM-5 definition) → involves physical + psychological dependence • physiological dependence: involves changes in normal bodily functions + withdrawal upon cessation of use psychological dependence: emotional need for tre drug Tolerance: occurs when a person requires more and marc of a drug to achieue effects previously expenenced @ lower doses; linked to pysic logical dependence Windrawal: negatine symptoms expenenced wren druguse is discontinued Drug Categories 1. Stimulants 2. depressants 3. opiates 4, hallucinogens Depressants Depressants- drugs that suppress the central nervas system activity usually GABA agonists which have a quieting effect on the brain • work by binding to GABA receptors which make the neuron less likely to fire Include : - alcohol - barbiturates (anticonvuisant medication) - benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety meaication) Alconol: decreases reaction time + visual activity • lowers levels of alertness -reduces behquoral control - can result in complete loss of consciousness GABA •the GABA-gated Chionde (Cl-) channel 15 embeddad in tue cell membrane of certain neurons • the channel has multiple receptar sites where alconol, baraturates, and benzodiaz epinos bind to exert their effects this opens the chloride Channel, allowing negatively charged chioriae ions (CI-) into tue neurons cell body changing its charge in a negative direction pusnes the nevron away from firingi thus, acHivating a GABA neuron has a quieting effect on the brain Stimulants Stimulants: increase overall levels of neural actuity usually dopamine agonists which work by preventing tue reuptake of dopamine capamine acturty is associated win rewara+craung, tveretore these drugs can be highly addictive Include: • cocaine • amphetamine Cathinones (batn saits) • MDMA - side effects can inciude nausea, elevated blood pressure, Increased neart rate, anxety feelings, hallucinatons + parancia Dopamine rapnists • as are of tueir mechanisms of action, cocaine and amphetamines black tue reuptake of dopamine from tue synapse into tue presynaptic cell • this results in a larger amount of dopamive in synapse Dopamine diagram Nicotine + Cafferine - caffeine+ nicotine are also stimurants Caffeine: increases evan gaden sae astarty NIcotine: - interacts wi acetylcholine receptors - higny addictine - plays a role in arasal + reward mechanism Opiods • serves as analgesics (decrease pain) througn their effects on tue endogenous opiod neurotransmitter system -highiy addictive Incudes: - heroine - morphine - metnadone - codeine Hallucinogens can cause changes in sensory + perceptual experiences •can invale vivid halluanagens • Variable wI regaras to tue specific neurotransmitter systems they affect antagonists) Hypnosis - hypnosis is an extreme focus on tue self that involves suggested changes of benavior + experence clinicians may use relaxation + suggestion in an attempt to alter the thoughts + perceptions of a patient → has been used to draw out information believed to be buried in someone's memory → unlike portrayals in the media, naividuas undergoing hypnosis are in control of teir oun behauras I people vary in tueir ability to be hypnotized Lures include pam management, depression treatment and anxiety, quiting smoking+ weight loss Meditation • the act of focusing on a single target such as breath or a repeated sound te increase awareness of the moment • meditation invomes relaxed, vet focused, awareness • shows promise in stress management, sleep quality, pain management + treatment of mood + anxiety disorder