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Learn about how your brain is affected by drugs
FORWARD Your brain, weighing about three pounds, controls almost everything you do, even when you are sleeping! The brain is made up of many parts which work together to make sure your body is running smoothly. When drugs enter the brain, it can actually affect how the brain performs its many jobs. When the brain changes from drugs, it leads to compulsive drug use, which can ends up in addiction.
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR, NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) NIDA’s mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
NIDA acknowledges that there are different levels of use and abuse when it comes to drugs.
Levels of Use:
Abstinence: nonuse
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR, NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) NIDA’s mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
NIDA acknowledges that there are different levels of use and abuse when it comes to drugs.
Levels of Use:
Experimentation: use is for curiosity with no subsequent drug-seeking behavior
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR, NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) NIDA’s mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
NIDA acknowledges that there are different levels of use and abuse when it comes to drugs.
Levels of Use:
Social/Recreation: sporadic infrequent drug-seeking behavior with no established pattern
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR, NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) NIDA’s mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
NIDA acknowledges that there are different levels of use and abuse when it comes to drugs.
Levels of Use:
Habitual: established pattern of use; does not have any major negative consequences
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR, NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) NIDA’s mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
NIDA acknowledges that there are different levels of use and abuse when it comes to drugs.
Levels of Use:
Abuse: continued use despite negative consequences
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR, NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) NIDA’s mission is to lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
NIDA acknowledges that there are different levels of use and abuse when it comes to drugs.
Levels of Use:
Addiction: compulsion to use, inability to stop use, major like dysfunction with continued use
THE BRAIN CHARACTER FLAW DECISIONS
THE BRAIN CHARACTER FLAW DECISIONS
THE BRAIN HOW DOES SOMEONE BECOME ADDICTED TO DRUGS? IS DRUG ADDICTION A VOLUNTARY BEHAVIOR?
To send a message, a brain cell releases a chemical, called a neurotransmitter, into the space separating two cells, called a synapse. The neurotransmitter crosses the synapse and attaches to proteins (receptors) on the receiving brain cell. This causes changes in the receiving brain cell, and the message is delivered.
Which parts of the brain are effected by drugs of abuse?
NEURONS: Your brain contains about 100 billion neurons – nerve cells that work nonstop to send and receive messages. Within a neuron, messages travel from the cell body down the axon to the axon terminal in the form of electrical impulses. From there, the message is sent to other neurons with the help of transmitters.
THE BRAIN HOW DOES SOMEONE BECOME ADDICTED TO DRUGS? IS DRUG ADDICTION A VOLUNTARY BEHAVIOR?
To send a message, a brain cell releases a chemical, called a neurotransmitter, into the space separating two cells, called a synapse. The neurotransmitter crosses the synapse and attaches to proteins (receptors) on the receiving brain cell. This causes changes in the receiving brain cell, and the message is delivered.
Which parts of the brain are effected by drugs of abuse?
NEURONS: Your brain contains about 100 billion neurons – nerve cells that work nonstop to send and receive messages. Within a neuron, messages travel from the cell body down the axon to the axon terminal in the form of electrical impulses. From there, the message is sent to other neurons with the help of transmitters.
HOW DOES SOMEONE BECOME ADDICTED TO DRUGS? How do you feel when something good happens? That is your limbic system at work. Because natural pleasures in our lives are necessary for survival, the limbic system creates an appetite that drives you to seek out those things that make you feel good. If you choose to, the first time you use a drug of abuse, you experience unnaturally intense feelings of pleasure. The reward circuitry is activated, with dopamine carrying the message. Of course, drugs have other effects, too; a first-time smoker also may cough and feel nauseated from toxic chemicals in a tobacco or marijuana cigarette. The brain starts changing as a result of the unnatural flood of neurotransmitters. Because they sense more
IS DRUG ADDICTION A VOLUNTARY BEHAVIOR? You may start out taking drugs voluntarily, but as time passes and drug use continues, something happens that will make you go from being a voluntary drug user to a compulsive drug user. Why? Because the continued use of drugs changes how your brain functions. It impairs your ability to think clearly, to feel OK without drugs, and to control your behaviors. These all contribute to the compulsive drug seeking and use that is addiction.
IS BECOMING ADDICTED TO A DRUG JUST A CHARACTER FLAW? WHAT IS ADDICITON? MARIJUANA TOBACCO
If you choose to use drugs of abuse, the first time you use, it’s usually a conscious decision you’ve made. But once you become addicted, you are dealing with a brain disease. Each drug of abuse has its own individual way of changing how the brain functions. But in most cases, it doesn’t really matter which drug you are addicted to; many of the effects it has on the brain are similar. The fact is that our brains are wired to make sure we will repeat activities, like eating, by associating those activities with pleasure or reward.
ALCOHOL UPPERS DOWNERS ALL AROUNDERS
IS BECOMING ADDICTED TO A DRUG JUST A CHARACTER FLAW? WHAT IS ADDICITON? MARIJUANA TOBACCO
If you choose to use drugs of abuse, the first time you use, it’s usually a conscious decision you’ve made. But once you become addicted, you are dealing with a brain disease. Each drug of abuse has its own individual way of changing how the brain functions. But in most cases, it doesn’t really matter which drug you are addicted to; many of the effects it has on the brain are similar. The fact is that our brains are wired to make sure we will repeat activities, like eating, by associating those activities with pleasure or reward.
ALCOHOL UPPERS DOWNERS ALL AROUNDERS
WHAT IS ADDICTION? Whenever this reward circuit is activated, your brain notes that something important is happening that needs to be remembered, and teaches you to do it again and again, without thinking about it. Because drugs of abuse stimulate the same circuit, you learn to abuse drugs in the same way. So while the initial decision to take drugs is a choice for some, a physical need replaces that choice. This is what’s known as addiction.
MARIJUANA
Marijuana comes from a Cannabis plant. A typical plant will produce one to five pounds of buds and smokable leaves, which contain high concentrations of THC, a psychedelic resin. Hahish comes from the sticky resin of the Cannabis plant, which contains most of the psychoactive ingredients. DESIRED EFFECTS VERSUS SIDE EFFECTS Marijuana can help with relaxation, anxiety and nausea control. It can also help you get away from your worries. Marijuana can cause physical relaxation or sedation, some pain control and increased alertness. However, it can cause blood-shot eyes, coughing from lung irritation, increased appetite (known as “the munchies�), moderately increased heart rate, decreased blood and eye pressure, impaired tracking ability, drowsiness and aloof feeling, difficulty concentrating, giddiness and major distortions of time, color and sound. It exaggerates your mood and personality and it will keep you mentally separated from from your environment.
TOBACCO
Tobacco, also known as nicotine, is a central nervous system stimulant. Eighty percent of smokes believe that cigarette smokingcauses cancer, yet they still smoked. 393,000 smokers die permaturely and 50,000 of people die from secondhand smoke each year.
METHODS OF ABUSE
Chewing Tobacco
Tobacco is either smoked or chewed. When smoked, the nicotine is absorbed into the capillaries. When tobacco is chewed–it is either moist snuff, powder snuff or loose-leaf. Moist snuff is finely chopped tobacco that is stuck in the mouth next to the gums. Powder snuff, also known as dry snuff, is fine powder that is most often sniffed into the nose or rubbed onto the gums. Loose-leaf is stuffed into the mouth and chewed to allow the nicotineladen juice to be absorbed.
ALCOHOL
Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. Approximately two billion people consume alcohol each year. Animals became drunk on alcohol, before humans ever had a sip, by drinking the fermented fruit of the South African marula tree.
DESIRED EFFECTS VERSUS SIDE EFFECTS Alcohol quenches thirst, relaxes muscle tenstion, stimulates appetite, reduces the incidence of heart disease and plaque, helps you fall alsspe, lowers inhibitions, increases self-confidence, and prompts sociability. However, if you abuse alcohol, you will have obstructive sleep; your upper breaking passage will narrow during sleep and the second half of the sleep period will be disturbed. Negative emotions may deepen and depressant effects can occur.
ALCOHOL
Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. Approximately two billion people consume alcohol each year. Animals became drunk on alcohol, before humans ever had a sip, by drinking the fermented fruit of the South African marula tree.
METHODS OF ABUSE Alcohol is consumed by drinking. Sometimes, people consume alcohol through their eye or through feminie products being inserted in private parts, which is extremely dangerous, uncommon, and not recommended.
ALCOHOL
Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. Approximately two billion people consume alcohol each year. Animals became drunk on alcohol, before humans ever had a sip, by drinking the fermented fruit of the South African marula tree.
NORMAL Healthy levels of brain activity
ALCOHOLIC Darker color indicates depressed brain activity
HOW ALCOHOL EFFECTS THE BRAIN The effects of psychoactive drugs, such as alcohol, is absorbed into the bloodstream and partially metabolized by the liver. This allows it to be quickly distributed throughout the body. Once the alcohol passes through the bloodbrain barrier, the psychoactive effects begin.
UPPERS
There are many types of uppers, such of cocaine and amphetamines. Uppers keep you awake and alert. They keep you awake or “up”, hense the name. Most uppers are illegal drugs and are made in other countries besides the United States. Colombia grows about two-thirds of the world’s coca crop. DESIRED EFFECTS VERSUS SIDE EFFECTS Raised heart rate
Uppers are stimulizers. They energize the user, counter low blood preassure, reduce the need for sleep, and surpress appetite. However, uppers prevent reabsorption of neurotransmitters, increasing concentrating in the synapse and intensifying the effects of the drug. Uppers are associated with increased aggressive violence, raised heart rate, constricted blood vessles, stroke, lack of ability to feel pleasure, emotional depression, loss of motivation, unpleasent dreams, and craving for the drug.
DOWNERS
Downers depress the overall functioning of the central nervous system, causing sedation, muscle relaxation, drowsiness, and if abused, a coma.
METHODS OF ABUSE There are many types of downers which various methods of abuse. Downers can be smoked, injested, chewed, snorted and shot into the bloodstream,. The different methods allow the drugs to be metabolized at different rates and stay in the body for periods of time.
Drug shot into bloodstream
ALL AROUNDERS
There are many types of all arounders, such of LSD, PCP and Ecstacy. All arounders can produce any of the qualities of uppers or downers, or sometimes, both at different parts of the “high” of the drug.
HOW ALL AROUNDERS EFFECT YOUR BRAIN This blockage can lead to a bad “trip” , a bad reaction to the drug.
All arounders interact with serotonin receptors. The drug chemcials block the sensory messages sent to the central nervous system, which can contribute to delivering a bad trip.
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOU HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMEONE HAS A DRUG PROBLEM?
There are many reasons for experimenting with drugs, whether it is your way of coping with the environment around you, or your curiosity and availability. We are not here to tell you, “Don’t do drugs.” Instead, we want to educate you about how drugs affect your brain. If you are going to experiment with drugs, you should have all the facts, so you can make the right decision for you.
FOR DRUG TREATMENT TO WORK, DOESN’T THE PERSON HAVE TO REALLY WANT IT? DO YOU HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM? SHOULD TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTION BE A ONE SHOT DEAL? LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK?
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR YOU HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMEONE HAS A DRUG PROBLEM?
There are many reasons for experimenting with drugs, whether it is your way of coping with the environment around you, or your curiosity and availability. We are not here to tell you, “Don’t do drugs.” Instead, we want to educate you about how drugs affect your brain. If you are going to experiment with drugs, you should have all the facts, so you can make the right decision for you.
FOR DRUG TREATMENT TO WORK, DOESN’T THE PERSON HAVE TO REALLY WANT IT? DO YOU HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM? SHOULD TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTION BE A ONE SHOT DEAL? LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK?
HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMEONE HAS A DRUG PROBLEM?
There are questions people can ask to assess whether or not a person has a drug problem. These do not necessarily indicate that someone is addicted, but answering yes to any of these questions may suggest a developing problem, which could require follow-up with a professional drug treatment specialist.
THINK YOU NEED HELP? TAKE THIS QUIZ
DO YOU HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM? Have you ever ridden in a car driven by someone (including yourself ) who had been using alcohol or drugs? Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to relax, to feel better about yourself, or to fit in? Do you ever use alcohol or drugs when you are alone? Do you ever forget things you did while using alcohol or drugs? Do family or friends ever tell you to cut down on your use of alcohol or drugs? Have you ever gotten into trouble while you were using alcohol or drugs? SUBMIT
DO YOU HAVE A DRUG PROBLEM? Have you ever ridden in a car driven by someone (including yourself ) who had been using alcohol or drugs? Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to relax, to feel better about yourself, or to fit in? Do you ever use alcohol or drugs when you are alone? Do you ever forget things you did while using alcohol or drugs? Do family or friends ever tell you to cut down on your use of alcohol or drugs? Have you ever gotten into trouble while you were using alcohol or drugs? SUBMIT
FOR DRUG TREATMENT TO WORK, DOESN’T THE PERSON HAVE TO REALLY WANT IT? Most people go into drug treatment either because the court ordered them to do so, or because loved ones urged them to seek treatment. The good news is that, according to scientific studies, people who enter drug treatment programs in which they face “high pressure” to deal with their addiction can benefit from treatment, regardless of the reason they sought treatment.
SHOULD TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTION BE A ONE SHOT DEAL? No—it’s like treating a broken bone. Like diabetes and even asthma, drug addiction typically is a chronic disorder. Some people can quit drug use “cold turkey,” or they can quit after receiving treatment just one time at a rehabilitation facility. But most who have become addicted to drugs need longer term treatment and, in many instances, repeated treatments—much like a person who has developed asthma needs to constantly monitor changes in medication and exercise. The important point is that even when someone relapses, they should not give up hope. Rather they need to go back to treatment or modify their current treatment. In fact, setbacks are likely. Even people with diabetes may go off their diet or miss an insulin injection, and their
SEEK TREATMENT Know someone who needs help? Do you need help?
SHOULD TREATMENT FOR DRUG ADDICTION BE A ONE SHOT DEAL? No—it’s like treating a broken bone. Like diabetes and even asthma, drug addiction typically is a chronic disorder. Some people can quit drug use “cold turkey,” or they can quit after receiving treatment just one time at a rehabilitation facility. But most who have become addicted to drugs need longer term treatment and, in many instances, repeated treatments—much like a person who has developed asthma needs to constantly monitor changes in medication and exercise. The important point is that even when someone relapses, they should not give up hope. Rather they need to go back to treatment or modify their current treatment. In fact, setbacks are likely. Even people with diabetes may go off their diet or miss an insulin injection, and their
SEEK TREATMENT Know someone who needs help? Do you need help?
LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK? Like the way you look? This is how you will look over time if you abuse drugs. Now it is up to you to decide what you want to do, or not do, with drugs of abuse.
AGE ME
LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK? Like the way you look? This is how you will look over time if you abuse drugs. Now it is up to you to decide what you want to do, or not do, with drugs of abuse.
AGE ME
LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK? Like the way you look? This is how you will look over time if you abuse drugs. Now it is up to you to decide what you want to do, or not do, with drugs of abuse.
AGE ME
LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK? Like the way you look? This is how you will look over time if you abuse drugs. Now it is up to you to decide what you want to do, or not do, with drugs of abuse.
AGE ME
LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK? Like the way you look? This is how you will look over time if you abuse drugs. Now it is up to you to decide what you want to do, or not do, with drugs of abuse.