Abstract
In Understanding Addiction, we learn about the six major drug classes (Stimulants, CNS Depressants, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, Cannabinoids, and Narcotics) and what they do to the body and brain, and how history has affected drug use today. We also learned about cultural differences of drug use. To understand addiction, we need to understand how drugs work and what they do. Understanding Addiction Final Research Paper
Stimulants
In the six major drug types, stimulants are considered “uppers” as they increase your energy. Methamphetamines, cocaine, caffeine, and ecstasy are all stimulants. Stimulants destroy the transporters in the brain that recycles dopamine which then causes receptors to hide. When this happens you have a harder time getting that “high” you got when you tried it for the first time making you increase the dose and further abusing the drugs. Stimulants are also used as dietary supplements and to treat depression. Some amphetamines are used medicinally to treat narcolepsy and hyperactive disorders, but can easily be abused like methamphetamine which is typically injected into the body. Cocaine is typically snorted and can increase adrenaline levels causing risk of cardiac arrest, heart palpitations, and tremors. Ecstasy is a designer amphetamine that is ingested by pill form. It gives the brain more of the psychedelic “high” which makes it popular at “raves.” And caffeine, which is a legal stimulant, is used to fight tiredness and can help open the airways of people with respiratory problems such as asthma. You can find caffeine in chocolate, tea, coffee and soft drinks. From 1932-1949, Benzedrine inhalers were available over-the-counter to help with nasal congestion, but it wasn’t until 1971 that they were pulled from store shelves. Stimulants started getting abused during World War II to fight fatigue. Nowadays, most uses of stimulants are abused and highly illegal. I believe it was due to the fact that it was a common over-the-counter drug in the 1930-1970s. CNS Depressants CNS depressants are mostly prescribed by doctors for sleep problems and extreme anxiety as it reduces brain activity. They are used as sedatives and hypnotics. Some common CNS depressants include benzodiazepines, antihistamines, barbiturates, and chloral hydrate. Benzodiazepines are used as sedatives and generally combined with other drugs for a more intense “high.” Benzos such as Rohypnol, the “date rape drug,” are typically ingested. Antihistamines are most commonly used to treat the symptoms of the common cold and allergies. Antihistamines block acetylcholine receptors to produce sleep. These are rarely abused and are ingested in pill form. Barbiturates are used to treat insomnia and anxiety. They alter the body’s sleep cycle and decrease the body’s blood flow and consistency of urination. Chloral hydrate is used to cause unconsciousness and is slipped into people’s drinks, similar to Rohypnol. Benzodiazepines were first advertised in the 1950s to treat anxiety, replacing barbiturates. During the 1970s and …show more content…
Common drugs associated with this class of drugs include mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and phencyclidine (PCP). These drugs can be snorted, smoked or ingested. Prior to 1960, mescaline could be accessed without restrictions in which federal regulatory agencies then took …show more content…
This brought controversies of its use. In 1966, Timothy Leary created a religion to the use of LSD. Today, psychoactive drugs are used most by young adults.
Inhalants
Inhalants are most commonly used among older children and pre-teens because they are not expensive and can be found among most household products. Some of these are aerosols, gasoline, nitrous oxide, and leather cleaner. They are inhaled and give a short time high that makes you feel intoxicated. Inhalants can cause damage to the brain, liver, heart, kidney and bone marrow. There is also the risk of “Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome” which can occur in the first use or one hundredth use. Abuse of inhalants was widely publicized in the 1950s. The use may have gone down but is still a high risk to kids today.
Cannabinoids
The class of cannabinoids primarily consists of marijuana use, but synthetic cannabinoids, such as K2, Spice, and Blaze were created for similar effects. These drugs are typically smoked. The brain processes cannabinoids the same as it would anandamides, which the brain naturally produces by activating the brain’s reward
In Understanding Addiction, we learn about the six major drug classes (Stimulants, CNS Depressants, Hallucinogens, Inhalants, Cannabinoids, and Narcotics) and what they do to the body and brain, and how history has affected drug use today. We also learned about cultural differences of drug use. To understand addiction, we need to understand how drugs work and what they do. Understanding Addiction Final Research Paper
Stimulants
In the six major drug types, stimulants are considered “uppers” as they increase your energy. Methamphetamines, cocaine, caffeine, and ecstasy are all stimulants. Stimulants destroy the transporters in the brain that recycles dopamine which then causes receptors to hide. When this happens you have a harder time getting that “high” you got when you tried it for the first time making you increase the dose and further abusing the drugs. Stimulants are also used as dietary supplements and to treat depression. Some amphetamines are used medicinally to treat narcolepsy and hyperactive disorders, but can easily be abused like methamphetamine which is typically injected into the body. Cocaine is typically snorted and can increase adrenaline levels causing risk of cardiac arrest, heart palpitations, and tremors. Ecstasy is a designer amphetamine that is ingested by pill form. It gives the brain more of the psychedelic “high” which makes it popular at “raves.” And caffeine, which is a legal stimulant, is used to fight tiredness and can help open the airways of people with respiratory problems such as asthma. You can find caffeine in chocolate, tea, coffee and soft drinks. From 1932-1949, Benzedrine inhalers were available over-the-counter to help with nasal congestion, but it wasn’t until 1971 that they were pulled from store shelves. Stimulants started getting abused during World War II to fight fatigue. Nowadays, most uses of stimulants are abused and highly illegal. I believe it was due to the fact that it was a common over-the-counter drug in the 1930-1970s. CNS Depressants CNS depressants are mostly prescribed by doctors for sleep problems and extreme anxiety as it reduces brain activity. They are used as sedatives and hypnotics. Some common CNS depressants include benzodiazepines, antihistamines, barbiturates, and chloral hydrate. Benzodiazepines are used as sedatives and generally combined with other drugs for a more intense “high.” Benzos such as Rohypnol, the “date rape drug,” are typically ingested. Antihistamines are most commonly used to treat the symptoms of the common cold and allergies. Antihistamines block acetylcholine receptors to produce sleep. These are rarely abused and are ingested in pill form. Barbiturates are used to treat insomnia and anxiety. They alter the body’s sleep cycle and decrease the body’s blood flow and consistency of urination. Chloral hydrate is used to cause unconsciousness and is slipped into people’s drinks, similar to Rohypnol. Benzodiazepines were first advertised in the 1950s to treat anxiety, replacing barbiturates. During the 1970s and …show more content…
Common drugs associated with this class of drugs include mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and phencyclidine (PCP). These drugs can be snorted, smoked or ingested. Prior to 1960, mescaline could be accessed without restrictions in which federal regulatory agencies then took …show more content…
This brought controversies of its use. In 1966, Timothy Leary created a religion to the use of LSD. Today, psychoactive drugs are used most by young adults.
Inhalants
Inhalants are most commonly used among older children and pre-teens because they are not expensive and can be found among most household products. Some of these are aerosols, gasoline, nitrous oxide, and leather cleaner. They are inhaled and give a short time high that makes you feel intoxicated. Inhalants can cause damage to the brain, liver, heart, kidney and bone marrow. There is also the risk of “Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome” which can occur in the first use or one hundredth use. Abuse of inhalants was widely publicized in the 1950s. The use may have gone down but is still a high risk to kids today.
Cannabinoids
The class of cannabinoids primarily consists of marijuana use, but synthetic cannabinoids, such as K2, Spice, and Blaze were created for similar effects. These drugs are typically smoked. The brain processes cannabinoids the same as it would anandamides, which the brain naturally produces by activating the brain’s reward