2019 New Student Independent Study Packet - Unit 5-States of Consciousness

STUDENT PACKET– STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS – CHAPTER 5
STUDENT INDEPENDENT
STUDY PACKET
Unit 5
Modules 22 – 25
Chapter 5 Assignments
Assignments Point
Value
1 Set up new section in folder (Unit 5 – States of Consciousness)
2 Do “Fact or Falsehood?” H/O #22.1-25.1 5

3 Watch film Videocassette: Discovering Psychology, Updated Edition: The Mind Awake and Asleep 14
(Annenberg/CPB Project, 28 minutes)
• Answer questions for video
MODULE 22 0
4. Read States of Consciousness pg. 223 0
Read and take notes: Understanding Consciousness and Hypnosis pg. 224-228 (1 f/b) includes pg 223 20
Complete Learning Targets 22.1 – 22.3 30
Complete Vocabulary 1-4 4
Complete FRQ pg 230 (3) 3
Watch “The Brain” . Hypnotic Dissociation and Pain Relief- Module 2 / Take notes (1/2 pg) 5
http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
Watch Crash Course #8 Consciousness – take notes (1 f/b) 20
MODULE 23 0
5. Read and take notes: Sleep Patterns and Sleep Theories pg. 231-238 (2 f/b) 40
Complete Vocabulary 5-13 (9) 9
Complete the Test to Determine Morning Versus Evening People at
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/are-you-morning-or-evening-person
Click Launch Interactive / Print out a screen shot of your results 5
MODULE 24 0
6 Read and take notes: Sleep Deprivation, Sleep Disorders & Dreams pg. 241-251 (2 f/b) 40
Complete Dream Survey H/O #7-2 5
Complete How Good Are My Sleep Strategies? 5
Video - The Brain, 2nd ed., Module 14: Sleep and Brain Functions 20
&
The Brain, 2nd ed., Module 15: REM Sleep and Dreaming / Take notes (1 pg f/b)
http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html
Watch Crash Course #9 – Sleep and Dreams – take notes (1 f/b) 20
Complete PsychSim 5: EEG and Sleep Stages 24
MODULE 25 0
7 Read and take notes: Psychoactive Drugs pg. 253-263 (2 f/b) 40
Watch Crash Course #10 – Altered States – complete notes sheet in packet 30
Complete “Drugs and Consciousness” worksheet 62
Read “Alcohol Consumption Among College Students” & annotate 5
Complete Psychsim5 “Your Mind on Drugs” 27
Complete HANDOUT 25–4 The Internet Addiction Test (scoring & information follow) 5
Put your score on your handout
TOTAL 595
HANDOUT 22.1 – 25.1
Fact or Falsehood?
Read each statement and circle T if you believe it is true and F if you believe it is false.
Handout 22.1
T F 1. Hypnosis is a state of deep sleep.

T F 2. People who are highly suggestible are most likely to be successfully
hypnotized.
T F 3. Courts allow hypnotically refreshed memories as legitimate evidence in trials.
T F 4. Hypnosis is most effective in controlling pain.
T F 5. While under hypnosis, people can perform tasks that are otherwise
impossible.
Handout 23.1
T F 6. “Morning people” tend to do better in school.

T F 7. It typically takes less than 20 minutes to cycle through the distinct sleep stages.
T F 8. People rarely snore during dreams.
T F 9. The older you get, the fewer hours of sleep you need.
T F 10. Exposure to bright light (such as spending the day outdoors) can help reset one’s biological
clock.
Handout 24.1
T F 11. When we leave sleep unhindered, most adults will sleep at least 9 hours a
night.
T F 1 2. Sleep deprivation can make you gain weight.
T F 13. Sleeping pills and alcohol are effective ways to combat insomnia long-term.
T F 14. Snoring can be a sign of a sleep disorder.
T F 15. For both women and men, dreams are rarely marked by negatives events or
emotions.
Handout 25.1
T F 16. A drug’s effect is not only determined by the physical effects,
but also by a person’s expectations of how it will affect them.
T F 17. In small amounts, alcohol is a stimulant, causing people to act
out in public.
T F 18. If you experience headaches and irritability when you do not
consume caffeine, you are likely addicted to it.
T F 19. The original recipe for Coca Cola included an extract from the
coca plant, which is the origin of the drug cocaine.
T F 20. Whether provoked to hallucinate by drugs, loss of oxygen, or extreme sensory
deprivation, the brain hallucinates in basically the same way.
Chapter 5 – States of Consciousness

DIRECTIONS: On separate sheets of paper, respond to each of the following objectives. This will serve as a note-
taking guide for this chapter.
PG # LEARNING TARGETS & TOPICS
UNDERSTANDING CONSCIOUSNESS AND HYPNOSIS

222-230 22-1 Describe the place of consciousness in psychology’s history.
22-2 Define hypnosis, and describe how a hypnotist can influence a
hypnotized subject
22-3 Discuss whether hypnosis is an extension of normal consciousness or
an altered state.
SLEEP PATTERNS AND SLEEP THEORIES

231-240 23-1 Describe sleep as a state of consciousness.
23-2 Describe how our biological rhythms influence our daily

functioning.
23-3 Describe the biological rhythm of our sleeping and
dreaming stages.
23-4 Explain how biology and environment interact in our sleep patterns.
23-5 Describe sleep’s functions.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION, DISORDERS AND DREAMS
241-252 24-1 Describe the effects of sleep loss, and identify the major sleep disorders.
23-2 Describe the most common content of dreams, and identify the functions
theorists have proposed for dreams.
PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS
253-264 25-1 Describe substance abuse disorders.
25-2 Discuss the roles that tolerance and addiction play in substance use disorders, and how the
concept of addiction has changed.
25-3 Identify the depressants, and describe their effects.

25-4 Identify the stimulants, and describe their effects.
25-5 Identify the hallucinogens, and describe their effects.
Discovering Psychology: The Mind: Awake and Asleep Video Questions / Notes
Directions: Look for the answers to following as you watch…
1. The consistent pattern of cyclical body activities that last approximately 24 hours; also known as the
biological clock, is called the _________________ rhythm.
2. Our awareness of the world is also known as__________________________.
3. An alternate state of consciousness at the onset of sleep, and the perceptions, fantasies, and energy
levels provoked by that state as the:
a. Circadian rhythm
b. somnambalist state
c. hypnagognic state
4. At the end of the 19th century, Wilhelm Wundt explored the thoughts and feelings of the human mind.
Edward Titchner said concentrate on what’s on your mind.
This brand of psychology---the view that all human mental experience can be understood as the combi
nation of simple events or elements---- is known as __________________________.
5. William James said focus on the functions of the mind. His perspective on mind and behavior that
focused on the examination of the organism's interactions with its environment, is known
as:________________________.
John B. Watson said studying consciousness was a waste of time. Only external behavior can be studied
. In the 1950s, cognitive psychologists became dominant.
6. Don Broadbent gave subjects headphones and had them pay attention to stories. The subjects could
not remember what they ignored. This is the concept of:
a. daydreaming
b. unconsciousness
c. selective attention
d. nothingness
7. Daydreaming occurs when you are bored. Daydreaming is good for us because:
a. it helps us keep mentally active
b. it can improve our creativity
c. it can help our brains operate efficiently
d. all of these are correct
In 1937 it was found that the brain is very active with the BRAIN WAVES changing during the sleep cycle.
8. Ernest Hartmann says sleep has a ________________ function involving restoration of the brain
processes and putting together new material with old material, making connections.
“Sleep...knits up the raveled sleave of care." —William Shakespeare
a. symbolic
b. lucid
c. restorative
d. regenerational
9. Every 90 min., during _____________sleep, we dream, for about 2 ½ hrs. each night.
10. What do dreams mean? Freud said dreams are significant because they reveal deep secrets---many of
them sexual---- in the _______________ mind.
a. conscious
b. subrosa
c. unconscious
d. none of these
11. McCarley and Hobson say that the brain turns off and on, with meaning built into the dream, not
intrinsically part of the dream. The idea that during sleep, an automatic activation system in the brain
produces a series of random electrical discharges that the sleeper roughly ties together by creating a
storyline is known as:
a. Freudian dream theory
b. the activation synthesis theory of dreams
c. Tangerine Dream
d. none of the above
12. According to Stephen LaBerge, why don’t we act out our dreams?
a. your muscles are paralyzed during sleep
b. your heart rate is held down by the parasympathetic nervous system
c. both of these are correct
13. Dr. LaBerge says that when you are sleeping, the state of being consciously aware that you are
dreaming is known as:
a. REM dreaming
b. symbolic dreaming
c. lucid dreaming
d. none of these
14. Zimbardo says, other mind-altering experiences of our consciousness include:

a. psychoactive drug use
b. hypnosis
c. multiple personality
d. all of these
HANDOUT 7-2
The Revised Sleep and Dream Information Questionnaire
Respond to each of the following items by circling “T” for true or “F” for false.
T F 1. When people sleepwalk, they are experiencing a dream that they are walking.
T F 2. The term “night terrors” refers to extremely scary nightmares.
T F 3. Melatonin is an effective treatment for a number of sleep-related problems.
T F 4. Dreaming occurs only in a stage of sleep referred to as REM sleep.
T F 5. Most people report dreaming in black and white.
T F 6. Adults dream more than children.
T F 7. Some people require as few as 4 hours of sleep a night to feel well rested.
T F 8. Most scientists believe all humans dream.
T F 9. More than half of American adults have suffered from insomnia in the past year.
T F 10. During sleep your body rests.
T F 11. Some people suffer from attacks of sleep during the day.
T F 12. Barbiturates can induce a sleep that is just like natural sleep.
T F 13. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are effective in treating sleep problems such as insomnia.
T F 14. Bedwetting (enuresis) is usually due to the effects of dream content.
T F 15. Although in most people REM sleep is associated with muscle paralysis, some people actually act
out their dreams during REM sleep.
T F 16. Memory consolidation is a primary function of REM sleep.
T F 17. An animal’s size is a key determinant of the amount of time the animal sleeps.
T F 18. A campaign called “Back to Sleep” has led to a significant reduction in deaths due to sudden
infant death syndrome (SIDS).
T F 19. Snoring can be a symptom of a serious medical condition.
T F 20. Fetuses as young as 30 weeks begin to show brain activity consistent with REM sleep.
Source: Palladino, J. J., & Bloom, C. M. (2004, May). SDIQ revised: Enhancing the teaching of sleep and dreams. Paper presented
at the 16th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Society, Chicago, IL.
HANDOUT 24-5
How Good Are My Sleep Strategies?
Directions: Please circle T (true) or F (false) for each of the following statements.
1. I go to bed at different times during the week and on weekends, depending on my T F

schedule and social life.
2. I get up at different times during the week and on weekends, depending on my schedule T F
and social life.
3. My bedroom is warm or often noisy. T F
4. I never rotate or flip my mattress. T F
5. I have caffeinated coffee, tea, colas, or chocolate after 6 P.M. T F
6. I do not exercise on a regular basis. T F
7. I smoke. T F
8. I regularly take over-the-counter or prescription medication to help me sleep. T F
9. When I cannot fall asleep or remain asleep, I stay in bed and try harder. T F
10. I often read frightening or troubling books or newspaper articles right before bedtime. T F
11. I do work or watch the news in bed just before turning out the lights. T F
Source: Maas, J. B., & Wherry, M. L. (1998). Power sleep: The revolutionary program that prepares your mind
for real performance. New York: Villard Books.
PsychSim 5: EEG AND SLEEP STAGES
This activity provides an explanation of the measurement of brain activity, as well as the presence of different
sleep patterns and their respective functions.
EEG
• How is the brain’s electrical activity recorded?
Stages of Sleep
Complete the following table:
Characteristic EEG Pattern (draw it)

Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
REM Sleep
Sleep Thoughts vs. True Dreams

• If people have vivid, realistic dreams during REM sleep, why don’t they act out those dreams, perhaps
injuring themselves or others?
Purpose of Sleep
• What are the two main purposes of sleep?
Afternoon Naps
The afternoon siesta has been common in many cultures around the world,
particularly those in tropical climates. Wilse Webb and David Dinges report that the
practice wanes with industrialization. In some cases, governments even outlaw
them. Surveys of Americans of all ages have found that they average one or two
naps a week; although about one-quarter of people never nap, one-third nap four
or five times a week. Napping is most common in groups such as college students
and retirees whose schedules may provide an opportunity for napping. Most
afternoon naps are between 30 and 90 minutes. There are some notable
exceptions, however. According to historical legend, Leonardo da Vinci slept a mere
90 minutes a day, in catnaps of 15 minutes every four hours. Similarly, Salvador Dali
liked to doze off, sitting up with a spoon in his hand. As he fell asleep the spoon would fall and clatter to the ground, and
he would wake rejuvenated. Other famous people, such as Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill, also seemed to thrive
on catnaps. President Lyndon Johnson put on his pajamas in the middle of the day and slept for 30 minutes. Bill Clinton
naps 5, 10, 20 minutes in cars, buses, trains, and planes. He claims he can sleep leaning against a wall. More remarkable,
he reportedly bounces up again, clear of eye and mind. He jokes that Arkansans might come naturally to sleeping
anywhere because “most of us don’t have to go very far back to find a family without a bed.”
Are afternoon naps a sign of laziness or at best a social artifact? Research suggests neither. The body’s built-in sleep-
wake cycle seems to include a major period of sleep at night and a smaller period of sleep in the afternoon. For example,
volunteers who spent weeks in an underground room isolated from
all clocks tended to sleep in two periods, one a long period at night
and the other a shorter period of one or two hours in the
afternoon. On average, the naps began about 12 hours after the
middle of the main period of sleep. Other lines of evidence also
point to the need for naps. Babies who begin by sleeping frequently
throughout the day usually develop the habit of a single afternoon
nap just before they give it up entirely at school age. Ask your
students when they have most difficulty staying awake. A survey of
27 young adults indicated that drowsiness was greatest between 3
and 5 P.M. Interestingly, this time corresponds with a well-
documented drop in people’s performance at work and a
simultaneous increase in accidents. Although some have argued that midafternoon drowsiness is brought on by a heavy
lunch, studies indicate that the dip in alertness occurs whether or not people have eaten. Naps seem to sharpen the
capacity to give sustained attention to a task and to make complicated decisions. Improvement in mood is an additional
benefit, particularly in the large number of people who sleep too little at night.
Researcher Claudio Stampi of Boston’s Institute for Circadian Physiology put a 27-year-old volunteer, who ordinarily
slept eight hours a night, on a schedule of 30-minute naps every four
hours, for a total of three hours a day. The schedule was maintained for
two months. His own reports of his mood and alertness were good. His
objective performance on a variety of tests—reaction time, mental
arithmetic, crossing out particular letters in running text—dipped a bit
during the first month but then actually rose above his pre-experiment
performance. David Dinges of the University of Pennsylvania, working with
researchers at the Federal Aviation Administration, studied napping in
pilots flying intercontinental routes. One group took a 20-minute nap early
in their 9- to 12-hour flights. Another group did not nap. Kinges monitored
the pilots’ alertness through a reaction-time task, and he found that those who napped did vastly better.
In The Promise of Sleep, William Dement suggests that napping is the most
important and effective tool for coping with sleep crises. He reports laboratory
experiments at Stanford University that show selective, strategic naps improve
performance and measurably decrease subsequent sleep tendency. The longer the
nap, the greater the benefit. A 45-minute nap improved alertness for 6 hours after
the nap. Other researchers report improvement in alertness for 10 hours after a 1-
hour nap. Consistent with Dement’s analysis, Sara Mednick and her colleagues
have demonstrated that “burnout” marked by frustration, irritation, and poorer
performance on a mental task increases as the day wears on. Their research
participants performed a visual task in which they reported the horizontal or
vertical orientation of three diagonal bars on a computer screen. Scores worsened over the course of four daily practice
sessions. However, allowing subjects a 30-minute nap after the second session prevented any further deterioration, and
a 1-hour nap actually boosted performance in the third and fourth sessions back to morning levels.
Blonston, G. (1993, April 8). Clinton’s executive privilege: Any time is nap time. Detroit Free Press, pp. 1A, 13A.
Dement, W. C., & Vaughan, C. (1999). The promise of sleep. New York: Delacorte Press.
Dolnick, E. (1993, September). Snap out of it. Health, 85–90.
Goleman, G. (1989, September 24). Researchers cite need for afternoon naps. Grand Rapids Press, p. B6.
Mednick, S. D., et al. (2002) The restorative effect of naps on perceptual deterioration. Nature Neuroscience, 5, 667–681.
Crash Course #10 – Altered States Drugs Notes

1. ___________________________ – chemicals that affect perceptions or moods
(can be legal, alcohol and antidepressants, or illegal, marijuana and cocaine)
2. _______________________ – requiring a larger amount of the drug to get the

same effect
3. ______________________ – Discomfort associated with disuse of the drug

(physical or psychological)
4. Drug addiction – loss of __________________ over drug-taking, even in the face of adverse
_________________, personal, or _________________ consequences.
5. What is happening at the synapses during drug use?
- Most psychoactive drugs alter transmission of ______________________. There are several methods.
- For each, indicate if the drug would be an agonist or antagonist.
o Block transporters (“reuptake vacuum”) _________________

o Mimic NT _____________________
o Block receptor for NT ________________________
o Stimulate excess release of NT ___________________
o Disable enzymes that break down NT ___________________________
Drug Use:
Over time, cells respond by down-regulating receptors. This means they place fewer receptors on the surface of
the post-synaptic cell. This can lead to tolerance.
Tolerance:
Withdrawal:
Three classes of drugs (all three stimulate reward center of brain to elicit sense of euphoria)
1. ________________________ – increase sympathetic nervous system response (increased heart rate, increased
breathing, pupils dilate, blood sugar rises, appetite diminishes, increased self-confidence). Examples include:
amphetamines, _________________, cocaine, __________________
2. ______________________ – depress sympathetic nervous system response (opposite effect of stimulants).
Examples include: alcohol, barbiturates, opiates (heroin and morphine)
3. ________________________ – distort perceptions and evoke vivid images or hallucinations. Examples include:
LSD, ___________________, Ecstasy; usually affect ________________________ transmission.
Additional notes:
Alcohol _____________________ inhibitions, impairs _____________________, and ______________________
emotions. It also suppresses REM sleep and interferes with memory formation
Opiates (heroin, morphine, oxycodone) mimic ______________________
Common LSD hallucinations: geometric forms, ______________________________, past emotional

experiences, ____________________________________________
__________________ is the active ingredient in marijuana. Marijuana decreases inhibitions, impairs

coordination and disrupts memory formations. It also elicits medically useful functions such as
_______________________, pain inhibition, and alleviation of _____________________. THC is metabolized
very slowly (takes about a month) and thus creates a “reverse tolerance”.
Take additional notes (10 points):

HANDOUT 25–4
The Internet Addiction Test
Directions: In answering the following questions, only consider the time you spent on-line for nonacademic or non-job-
related purposes. Answer the questions below using the following scale:
1 = Rarely
2 = Occasionally
3 = Frequently
4 = Often
5 = Always
_____________How often do you find that you stay online longer than you intended?
_____________How often do you neglect household chores to spend more time online?
_____________How often do you prefer the excitement of the Internet to intimacy with your partner?
_____________How often do you form new relationships with fellow online users?
_____________How often do others in your life complain to you about the amount of time you spend online?
_____________How often do your grades or schoolwork suffer because of the amount of time you spend online?
_____________How often do you check your e-mail before something else that you need to do?
_____________How often does your job performance or productivity suffer because of the Internet?
_____________How often do you become defensive or secretive when anyone asks you what you do online?
_____________How often do you block disturbing thoughts about your life with soothing thoughts of the Internet?
_____________How often do you find yourself anticipating when you will go online again?
_____________How often do you fear that life without the Internet would be boring, empty, and joyless?
_____________How often do you snap, yell or act annoyed if someone bothers you while you are online?
_____________How often do you lose sleep due to late-night log-ins?
_____________How often do you feel preoccupied with the Internet when off line, or fantasize about being online?
_____________How often do you find yourself saying “just a few more minutes” when online?
_____________How often do you try to cut down the amount of time you spend online and fail?
_____________How often do you try to hide how long you’ve been online?
_____________How often do you choose to spend more time online over going out with others?
_____________How often do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you are offline, which goes away once you
are back online?
Source: Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the Net: How to recognize the signs of Internet addiction and a winning strategy
for recovery. New York: Wiley. Reprinted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and the Center for On-line Addiction,
P.O. Box 72, Bradford, PA 16701.
The Internet Addiction Test Scoring & Information
To obtain a total score, students should simply add the numbers they have placed before the 20 questions.
Total scores can range from 20 to 100.
• Young suggests that a score of 20–49 points indicates that you are an average on-line user. You may surf the
Web a bit too long at times, but you have control over your usage.
• A total of 50–79 points indicates that you are experiencing occasional or frequent problems because of the Inter
net and should consider its full impact on your life.
• Scores from 80–100 indicate that Internet usage is causing significant problems in your life that need to be
addressed.
Young, the author of Caught in the Net: How to Recognize the Signs of Internet Addiction and a Winning Strategy for
Recovery, suggests that Internet addiction can injure children’s lives, destroy friendships and marriages, and cost jobs.
The heavy users Young interviewed often indicated that Internet usage was part of an addictive pattern. In fact, 52
percent were in recovery programs for other addictions, and 54 percent had a history of depression. Young also establis
hed the Center for On-Line Addiction, in 1995, which is the “world’s first consultation firm, training institute, and treatm
ent center for Internet addiction.” www.netaddiction.com serves as the Web-based division for the center. It provides e
ducational resources, referral links, a news link, and a variety of self-tests.
Young’s test and claims have been controversial. Critics have raised questions not only about the validity and reliability
of her test but also about the way the term addiction is used. As the text notes, an addiction has traditionally meant “a
craving for a substance with physical symptoms—such as aches, nausea, and distress—that follow sudden withdrawal.
However, behavioral addictions—such as gambling, working, and, perhaps, spending time on the Internet— become
compulsive and dysfunctional, much like abusive drug-taking. Should we extend the addiction concept to cover such
behaviors? Have students share their thoughts on this question. (Note that internet addiction is not included in the
latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Therapist Thalia Ferenc states, “Addictions come
from deficits in people’s lives they are trying to fill. There is often loneliness or they have interpersonal relationships that
are in trouble. The Internet is an easy way to fulfill these needs since you don’t have to meet anyone face to face.” She s
uggests setting a limit to the amount of time you spend online. “If you keep your conviction to only spend so much time
each week, then you know you’re still in control. If you exceed those controls, then you need help in looking at your over
all life. You need help to shore up what is lacking so you can be a more balanced person.”
Additional Drug Handouts Follow

Read to extend your knowledge
Depressants
Historically, people of almost every culture have used chemical agents
to induce sleep, relieve stress, and allay anxiety. While alcohol is one of
the oldest and most universal agents used for these purposes,
hundreds of substances have been developed that produce central
nervous system (CNS) depression. These drugs have been referred to
as "downers," sedatives, hypnotics, minor tranquilizers, anxiolytics,
and antianxiety medications. Unlike most other classes of drugs of
abuse, depressants, except for methaqualone, are rarely produced in
clandestine laboratories. Generally, legitimate pharmaceutical
products are diverted to the illicit market.
Although a number of depressants (i.e., chloral hydrate, glutethimide, meprobamate and methaqualone) have
been important players in the milieu of depressant use and abuse, two major groups of depressants have
dominated the licit and illicit market for nearly a century, first barbiturates and now benzodiazepines.
What Are Barbiturates?

Barbiturates are actually known as CNS depressants or central nervous system depressants and are in this class of
drug along with benzodiazepines. This means that they reduce activity in the CNS to create effects that span the
gamut from sedation to anesthesia. And though benzodiazepines have mostly replaced barbiturates in medical
use, the former can still be found in hospitals across the country.
Barbiturates were very popular in the first half of this century. In moderate amounts, these drugs produce a state
of intoxication that is remarkably similar to alcohol intoxication. Symptoms include slurred speech, loss of motor
coordination and impaired judgment. Depending on the dose, frequency, and duration of use, one can rapidly
develop tolerance, physical dependence and psychological dependence on barbiturates. With the development
of tolerance, the margin of safety between the effective dose and the lethal dose becomes very narrow. That is,
in order to obtain the same level of intoxication, the tolerant abuser may raise his or her dose to a level that can
produce coma and death. Although many individuals have taken barbiturates therapeutically without harm,
concern about the addiction potential of barbiturates and the ever-increasing numbers of fatalities associated
with them led to the development of alternative medications. Today, only about 20% of all depressant
prescriptions in the United States are for barbiturates.
How Do Barbiturates Affect the Body?

Barbiturates typically produce pleasant effects in the body such as reduced tension and calm. High doses can
result in anesthesia or drowsiness. However, use over a prolonged period of time can cause you to build up a
tolerance to the drug and require higher doses in order to achieve the same sort of effects. And while this drug
may be prescribed by a doctor, it is still very possible to become addicted.
When used regularly, your doctor may prescribe a higher dose in order to help you achieve the same feelings once
a tolerance begins to develop. However, this can result in dependence and both a psychological and physical
addiction to the substance.
How Do Barbiturates Affect the Body When Abused?

Once addicted, a user of barbiturates will often seek out the drug to obtain the same kind of high as achieved
before. However, doing this requires more and more of the drug. And this is where things get dangerous, because
the higher the dose of the barbiturate you take, the more likely it is that you will overdose.
Barbiturate addicts abuse the drug to feel an extreme calm and contentedness. However, when "high" on this
drug, you will experience many different symptoms including respiratory depression, low blood pressure, fever,
confusion, impaired judgment, sedation and fatigue.
How Are Barbiturates Dangerous?
Unfortunately, abuse of this substance could lead to respiratory arrest, one of the primary causes of death in
barbiturate abusers. Overdose symptoms include confusion, slurred speech, drowsiness, and fatigue and may
even result in coma or death. If the drug is stopped suddenly, there is a high risk for withdrawal symptoms, which
are very uncomfortable and even painful.
Benzodiazepines were first marketed in the 1960s. Touted as much safer depressants with far less addiction
potential than barbiturates, these drugs today account for about 30% of all prescriptions for controlled
substances. It has only been recently that an awareness has developed that benzodiazepines share many of the
undesirable side effects of the barbiturates. A number of toxic CNS effects are seen with chronic high dose
benzodiazepine therapy. These include headache, irritability, confusion, memory impairment, depression,
insomnia and tremor. The risk of developing over-sedation, dizziness and confusion increases substantially with
higher doses of benzodiazepines. Prolonged use can lead to physical dependence even at recommended dosages.
Unlike barbiturates, large doses of benzodiazepines are rarely fatal unless combined with other drugs or alcohol.
Although primary abuse of benzodiazepines is well documented, abuse of these drugs usually occurs as part of a
pattern of multiple drug abuse. For example, heroin or cocaine abusers will use benzodiazepines and other
depressants to augment heir "high" or alter the side effects associated with over-stimulation or narcotic
withdrawal.
There are marked similarities among the withdrawal symptoms seen with all drugs classified as depressants. In it
mildest form, the withdrawal syndrome may produce insomnia and anxiety, usually the same symptoms that
initiated the drug use. With a greater level of dependence, tremors and weakness are also present, and in its most
severe form, the withdrawal syndrome can cause seizures and delirium. Unlike the withdrawal syndrome seen
with most other drugs of abuse, withdrawal from depressants can be life-threatening.
Street names
Barbs, Benzos, Downers, Georgia Home Boy, GHB, Grievous Bodily Harm, Liquid X, Nerve Pills, Phennies, R2, Reds,
Roofies, Rophies, Tranks, Yellows
Looks like
Depressants come in the form of pills, syrups, and injectable liquids.
Methods of abuse
Individuals abuse depressants to experience euphoria. Depressants are also used with other drugs to add to the
other drugs’ high or to deal with their side effects. Abusers take higher doses than people taking the drugs under
a doctor’s supervision for therapeutic purposes. Depressants like GHB and Rohypnol® are also misused to facilitate
sexual assault.
Affect on mind
Depressants used therapeutically do what they are prescribed for to put you to sleep, relieve anxiety and muscle
spasms, and prevent seizures. They also: cause amnesia, leaving no memory of events that occur while under the
influence, reduce your reaction time, impair mental functioning and judgment, and cause confusion. Long-term
use of depressants produces psychological dependence and tolerance.
Affect on body
Some depressants can relax the muscles. Unwanted physical effects include slurred speech, loss of motor
coordination, weakness, headache, lightheadedness, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, low blood
pressure, and slowed breathing. Prolonged use of depressants can lead to physical dependence even at doses
recommended for medical treatment. Unlike barbiturates, large doses of benzodiazepines are rarely fatal unless
combined with other drugs or alcohol. But unlike the withdrawal syndrome seen with most other drugs of abuse,
withdraw drugs or alcohol. But unlike the withdrawal syndrome seen with most other drugs of abuse, withdrawal
from depressants can be life threatening.
Drugs causing similar effects

Some antipsychotics, antihistamines, and antidepressants produce sedative effects. Alcohol’s effects are similar
to those of depressants.
Overdose effects
High doses of depressants or use of them with alcohol or other drugs can slow heart rate and breathing enough
to cause death.
Legal status in the United States

Most depressants are controlled substances that range from Schedule I to Schedule IV under the Controlled
Substances Act, depending on their risk for abuse and whether they currently have an accepted medical use. Many
of the depressants have FDA-approved medical uses. Rohypnol® is not manufactured or legally marketed in the
United States.
Common places of origin

Generally, legitimate pharmaceutical products are diverted to the illicit market. Teens can obtain depressants
from the family medicine cabinet, friends, family members, the Internet, doctors, and hospitals.
Rohypnol—A Date Rape Drug

Rohypnol and GHB emerged in the early 1990s as 'drug-assisted assault' or 'date rape' drugs. They are predominantly central
nervous system depressants. They are colorless, tasteless, odorless, and can be slipped into a drink and unknowingly ingested.
It is often used by teens and young adults frequenting the club scene.
Estimated to be seven to ten times more potent than valium, Rohypnol produces profound, prolonged sedation, a feeling of
well-being, and short-term memory loss. Legally prescribed in England and 26 other countries for insomnia and as a
preoperative anesthetic, it has never been approved for use in the United States. However, in the mid-1990s it became
increasingly popular among U.S. teens and young adults as a “party drug.” Tasteless, odorless, and colorless, it became a
tool of predators who spike the drinks of unsuspecting young women and then rape them. Since 1999, Rohypnol tablets
that turn blue in a drink to increase visibility have been approved and marketed in 20 countries. In response to these
reformulated blue tablets, people who intend to commit a sexual assault facilitated by Rohypnol are now serving blue
tropical drinks and punches in which the blue dye can be disguised. The drug causes sedation within 15 minutes and the
effects are boosted further by alcohol or marijuana. In some cases, women report passing out and awakening briefly to find
themselves being sexually assaulted. In other cases, they have no memory of being raped, although there is evidence of it.
There seems to be a common thread of “I can’t remember what happened to me.”
There are about a dozen other date rape drugs, but none seem to have the exact characteristics of
Rohypnol, mainly deep memory loss and paralysis of the victim’s extremities, and the fast-acting nature of the drug.
Prosecution for date rape is already difficult; this drug compounds the problem because the victims do not recall what
happened.
What Are the Effects of Rohypnol?

The drug effects the central nervous system and creates a drugged or drunk feeling.
What Are the Hazards off Rohypnol?

It can cause blackouts, disorientation and can inhibit one's ability to speak or move. It also can produce
"anterograde amnesia," which means victims under the effects of the drugs may not recall events they
experienced. If mixed with alcohol or other depressants it can be lethal.
Smuggled into the United States from Mexico or Colombia, the drug has gone by various street names,
including “roofies” or “roches.” It has been widely available on campuses for $1 or $2 a pill. In Mexico, it
costs about 50 cents a pill. Gangs are known to have used the drug in rapes of minors. To combat the sharp
increase in trafficking and possession of the drug, in late 1996 the DEA declared Rohypnol a Schedule 1 drug
thereby placing it in the same category as heroin and LSD. This provides a minimum 10-year prison term for
simple smuggling offenses. And the Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996 adds up to 20
years to the prison sentence of any rapist who uses a drug to incapacitate a victim.
The Rape Treatment Center of the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical

Center offers the following helpful guidelines for young women to
protect themselves from date rape drugs:
1. Don’t drink a beverage you did not open yourself.

2. Don’t exchange or share drinks with anyone.
3. Don’t accept a drink from a punch bowl.
4. Don’t drink from a container that’s being passed around.
5. Don’t leave your drink unattended.
6. Don’t drink anything that has an unusual taste or appearance.
7. If someone orders you a drink from a bar, accompany the person
who orders the drink and watch it being poured. Carry the drink yourself.
Friend, T. (1996, June 20). ‘Monster’ drug soon to be on same list as LSD, heroin. USA Today, pp. 1A, 2A.
Manning, A. (1996, October 29). Memory loss makes cases tough to prove. USA Today, pp. 1D, 2D.
Caffeine—Is It Harmful?
Caffeine is perhaps the most popular, as well as one of the most ancient, drugs. Nearly
everyone ingests this drug every day in the form of coffee, tea, cocoa, soft drinks, or
headache remedies. The drug occurs naturally in more than 60 plants and trees that have
been cultivated by humans since the beginning of recorded history. Caffeine is one of the
methylxanthines that stimulate certain neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.
It can temporarily increase heart rate, metabolism, and stomach-acid secretion. In
addition, it dilates some blood vessels and constricts others, it wards off drowsiness, and
it increases alertness. Research has indicated that caffeine shortens reaction time but has
little effect on verbal fluency, numerical reasoning, or short-term memory. Although
some researchers have claimed that caffeine may enhance an athlete’s endurance,
evidence is inconclusive. Some research suggests that caffeine may help prevent
Parkinson’s disease and Type 2 diabetes. Using data from an 18-year health study of
125,000 men and women, Meir Stampfer of the Harvard School of Public Health reported
that coffee drinkers had a lower incidence of both diseases. He cautions that his research
is preliminary, especially in light of other findings suggesting that caffeine worsens
diabetes in people who already have it. Caffeine can produce trembling, chronic muscle tension, throbbing headaches,
depression, and insomnia, depending on weight and physical condition, as well as the amount consumed.
Many of the inconsistencies in the literature on the effects of caffeine may be explained by failure to distinguish between
habitual caffeine consumers and the volunteer who only ingests large doses over the course of an experiment. A dose of
250 milligrams (about two cups of brewed coffee), for example, may have no effect on a regular coffee drinker but may
temporarily raise the blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose concentration, and cholesterol level of a nonuser.
Does caffeine have lasting adverse effects on a person’s health? At one time or another caffeine has been accused of
causing pancreatic cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, and birth defects. A review of
the literature concludes that a healthy adult can continue to enjoy coffee or tea with very little negative effect In its review
of the research on caffeine, Consumer
Reports on Health stated that America’s favorite drug poses health risks only for certain susceptible people.
Here is a brief summary:

• For those with hypertension, ingesting the drug before exercise or during stressful periods may accentuate the temporary
boost in blood pressure produced by caffeine.
• Consuming caffeine in moderation does not seem to produce abnormal heart rhythms. Still, people who experience
palpitations should try to avoid caffeine to see whether that helps.
• Women who regularly consume more than 300 mg of caffeine daily may reduce their chances of becoming pregnant and
increase their chances of having a miscarriage or delivering an underweight baby.
• Caffeine may cause bone loss in postmenopausal women who have a low intake of calcium, that is, less than 800 mg per
day. Even if they get enough calcium, those postmenopausal women who have other risk factors for osteoporosis may
want to play it safe and avoid large doses of caffeine.
• Consuming coffee or soda tends to stimulate the secretion of gastric acid, which can trigger heartburn in some people and
aggravate an existing ulcer.
• Some research suggests that people who suffer from anxiety problems tend to feel better when they avoid caffeine.
Kluger, J. (2004, December). The buzz on caffeine. Time, 52.

Staff. (1997, September). What caffeine can do for you—and to you. Consumer Reports on Health, 97, 99–101.
Staff (1988, July). Caffeine update: The news is mostly good. University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, 4–5.
The LSD Experience

The relatively brief text treatment of LSD—suddenly the drug of choice in the early to mid-1990s—can be readily extended
in class. As the text indicates, the first “acid trip” was taken in 1943 by chemist Albert Hofmann, the creator of LSD. Here is
his report of his experience following the accidental ingestion of a small amount of the substance:
Last Friday, April 16, 1943, I was forced to stop my work in the laboratory in the middle of the
afternoon and to go home, as I was seized by a particular restlessness associated with a
sensation of mild dizziness. On arriving home, I lay down and sank into a kind of drunkenness
which was not unpleasant and which was characterized by extreme activity of imagination.
As I lay in a dazed condition with my eyes closed (I experienced daylight as disagreeably
bright) there surged upon me an uninterrupted stream of fantastic images of extraordinary
plasticity and vividness and accompanied by an intense kaleidoscope-like play of colors. The
condition gradually passed off after two hours.
Variously called acid, sugar, big D, trips, or microdots, LSD is an extremely potent
hallucinogen. The average dosage that will produce changes in consciousness, or
what are called psychomimetic effects, is approximately 0.5–1.0 micrograms of LSD
per kilogram of body weight. So if you weigh 150 pounds, 1/20,000 of a gram will have an effect. Even more remarkable is
that if such a dosage is taken orally, only
about 1 percent of it will ever reach the brain. Although the use of LSD probably does not produce either physical or
psychological dependency, the user does develop a tolerance for the drug very quickly. Dosage levels become effectual
after three or four days of use.
Psychologist Timothy Leary described his experiences with the drug as being religious-like and believed that the drug made
him more creative. He argued that LSD gave him insights into daily life, religion, and philosophy that he would not
otherwise have had. After advocating that his students try it, he was relieved of his academic responsibilities at Harvard
University. As the text notes, one’s mood and mental set color the LSD experience. When applied to a sugar cube and
ingested, LSD takes 30 to 45 minutes to show effects. Then for a period of 8 to 10 hours, the user experiences changes in
sensory perception and great variations in emotion, including feelings of depersonalization and detachment. These
changes are most acute between the second and fourth hour of the LSD experience.
Vision seems to be the sense most affected by the drug. Although there is a feeling of perceptual sharpness, illusions
develop as both people and objects in the immediate environment seem to change shape and color, walls and other
objects become wavy, and bizarre shapes and designs that have no basis in reality appear to the user. One type of sensory
experience may also be translated into another, as music is perceived visually or red is seen as “warm” or blue as “icy”
feeling. Time perspective may change. Some individuals are unable to distinguish between past, present, and future.
Although early proponents of the drug suggested that it helped them to achieve personal insight—particularly of their
“place in the universe”—and enhanced their creative activity, critics have noted that the drug disrupts the balance
between intuition and analytic reasoning that is required for genuine creation. Moreover, it affects motor abilities,
preventing the user from communicating new insights. The experience is also accompanied by elevated heart rate, body
temperature, and blood pressure, and faster, more erratic breathing. Some experiences, referred to as “bad trips,” can be
harrowing and traumatic. Hallucinations, even of one’s own body image, can be grotesque and threatening. People may
feel completely out of control or believe they can fly, walk on water, or perform some other amazing feat. There may be a
feeling of paranoia and fear not only of strangers but also of friends and relatives. Depression and
acute anxiety may lead to dangerous acts, the most extreme being suicide.
A small minority continue to experience mental confusion, perceptual distortions, and poor
concentration for days after the experience. In very rare cases, individuals have complained of
disturbances years after being exposed to LSD. Finally, some experience “flashbacks”—
spontaneous, involuntary recurrences of perceptual distortions—months later. These are
reportedly every bit as vivid as those experienced during the original trip. Unprepared for this
recurrence, people may react with fear, anxiety, and, in some cases, psychotic behavior.
Wallace, B., & Fisher, L. (1991). Consciousness and behavior (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Is Marijuana Good Medicine?

In 1996, public opinion polls typically found that more than 60 percent of American people
support legal access to medical marijuana. California became the first state to allow
marijuana to be used for medical purposes. Since then, nine other states have approved its
use to curb pain and nausea. Still other states are actively considering such action. At the
same time, the U.S. Justice Department continues to prosecute marijuana law violators,
including some medical users, at a record pace. State and local police make approximately
700,000 marijuana arrests in the United States each year. Even if only one percent of those
arrested were using marijuana for medical purposes, then there are more than 6000
medical marijuana arrests annually. In 1998, by a vote of 310 to 98, the U.S. House of
Representatives opposed state “efforts to circumvent” federal laws by legalizing marijuana
“without valid scientific evidence.” The Senate concurred.
Is marijuana good medicine? In early 1999, the National Academy of Sciences reported in a
study commissioned by the White House that marijuana can be effective in treating chronic pain, nausea, and AIDs-related
weight loss. The study also rejected the common notion that marijuana use leads to the abuse of other drugs. At the same
time, the report argued that marijuana is no wonder drug. Its effects “on the symptoms studied are generally modest, and
in most cases, there are more effective medicines available.” The report also soundly criticized the delivery system.
University of Michigan researcher Stanley Watson, a co-director of the study, stated that “marijuana has potential as a
medicine, but it is undermined by the fact that patients must inhale harmful smoke.” Finally, the report called for further
research.
Interestingly, there are several U.S. citizens who have won federal government approval to smoke marijuana. Irvin
Rosenfeld, a 43-year old Florida stockbroker, is one. He smokes 10 to 15 cigarettes daily to control pain from a rare form of
cancer that was contracted when he was 10. “There’s not as much tension, not as much pain,” says Rosenfeld, whose
muscles and blood vessels stretch over tumors on the ends of his arm and leg bones.
However, marijuana is used illicitly by many glaucoma and AIDS sufferers who rely on it to control their symptoms. In a
1991 study of oncologists, 48 percent said they would prescribe marijuana if they could, and 44 percent said they had
recommended it to patients. The 1999 National Academy of Sciences report did not support proponents who claim
marijuana is helpful in combating glaucoma, migraine headaches, and movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
What are the arguments against its legalization, at least for medical purposes? Federal government officials fear that any
sanctioned use would lead to further liberalization of drug laws, which could in turn lead to increased drug use. Others
argue that newer drugs and therapies do what marijuana once did particularly for nausea from chemotherapy. Moreover,
smoking marijuana is harmful to the lungs and may produce both hormonal and reproductive problems.
Under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the Justice Department ruled that the federal Controlled Substances Act bars any
medical use of marijuana. In late 2002, two seriously ill medical marijuana patients in California charged the federal
government, Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson, and Attorney General John Ashcroft with violating
the Fifth, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. On December 17, 2002, a hearing was held in United
States District Court on the motion for a preliminary injunction against Ashcroft. On March 5, 2003, the Court denied the
preliminary injunction, despite finding that “the equitable factors tip in the plaintiff’s favor.” On December 16, 2003, the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a preliminary injunction to stop the federal government, which in turn appealed the
decision to the Supreme Court. Oral arguments were heard on November 29, 2004. On June 6, 2005, the Supreme Court
ruled that the federal government can ban possession of marijuana in states that have eliminated sanctions for its use in
treating symptoms of illness. By a vote of 6 to 3, the court stated that Congress’ constitutional authority to regulate the
interstate market in drugs extends to small, homegrown quantities of doctor-recommended marijuana consumed under
California’s Compassionate Use Act. Although the ruling did not overturn laws in California and other states that permit
medical use of marijuana, it does mean that those who use marijuana as a medical treatment risk legal action by the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration. State laws provide no defense.
Lane, C. (2005, June 7). A defeat for users of medical marijuana. Washington Post, p. A01.
McMahon, P. (1999, March 18). Panel: Pot can be medicine. USA Today, 1A.
Rogers, A. (1997, January 13). Seeing through the haze. Newsweek, 60.
Marijuana: Facts for Teens
SEE FOR UPDATED FACTS :https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/marijuana
Marijuana Fact: Most teenagers do not use marijuana.

Fewer than 1 in 5 high school seniors are current marijuana users.
What is marijuana? Aren't there different kinds?

Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). You
may hear marijuana called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. There are more
than 200 slang terms for marijuana.
Sinsemilla (sin-seh-me-yah; it's a Spanish word), hashish ("hash" for short), and hash oil are stronger forms of marijuana.
All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. This means they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-
tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. But there are also 400 other chemicals in the marijuana
plant.
How is marijuana used?

Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (called a joint or a nail) or in a pipe or a bong. Recently, it has appeared in cigars
called blunts which are larger and, therefore, more dangerous.
How long does marijuana stay in the user's body?

THC in marijuana is strongly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces (metabolites) of THC can be
detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. However, in heavy chronic users, traces
can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.
How many teens smoke marijuana?

Contrary to popular belief most teenagers have not used marijuana and never will. Among students surveyed in a yearly
national survey, about one in six 10th graders report they are current marijuana users (that is, used marijuana within the
past month). Fewer than one in five high school seniors are current marijuana users.
Why do young people use marijuana?

There are many reasons why some children and young teens start using marijuana. Most young people use marijuana
because they have friends or brothers and sisters who use marijuana and pressure them to try it. Some young people use it
because they see older people in the family using it.
Other users may think it's cool to use marijuana because they hear about it in music and see it used in TV and movies.
But no matter how many shirts and caps you see printed with the marijuana leaf, or how many groups sing about it, you
should know this fact: You don't have to use marijuana just because you think everybody else is doing it. Most teens (four
out of five) do not use marijuana!
Marijuana Fact: Marijuana can mess you up.

Your performance in school, sports and other activities will suffer if you're high.
What happens if you smoke marijuana?

The effects of the drug on each person depend on:
• the user's experience, as well as:
• how strong the marijuana is (how much THC it has);
• what the user expects to happen;
• the place where the drug is used;
• how it is taken; and
• whether the user is drinking alcohol or using other drugs.
Some people feel nothing at all when they smoke marijuana. Others may feel relaxed or high. Sometimes marijuana makes
users feel thirsty and very hungry--an effect called "the munchies."
Some users can get bad effects from marijuana. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts.
This is more likely to happen when a more potent variety of marijuana is used.
What are the short-term effects of marijuana use? A: The short-term effects of marijuana include:
• problems with memory and learning;

• distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch);
• trouble with thinking and problem-solving;
• loss of coordination; and
• increased heart rate, anxiety, panic attacks.
These risks are even greater when other drugs are mixed with the marijuana; and users do not always know what drugs are
given to them.
Does marijuana affect school, sports, or other activities?

One of the biggest hazards of marijuana for teens is this: The drug can make you mess up in school, in sports or clubs, or
with your friends. If you're high on marijuana, you are more likely to make stupid mistakes that could embarrass or even
hurt you. If you use marijuana a lot, you could start to lose energy and lose interest in how you look and how you're getting
along at school or work. In addition, there is a strong link between drug use and unsafe sex and the spread of HIV, the virus
that causes AIDS.
What are the long-term effects of marijuana use?

Findings so far show that regular use of marijuana or THC may play a role in some kinds of cancer and in problems with the
respiratory, immune, and reproductive systems.
Cancer. It's hard to know for sure whether regular marijuana use causes cancer. But it is known that marijuana smoke
contains some of the same, and sometimes even more, of the cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco smoke. Studies show
that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who
smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.
Lungs and airways. People who smoke marijuana often tend to develop the same kinds of breathing problems that
cigarette smokers have. They suffer frequent coughing, phlegm production, and wheezing, and they tend to have more
chest colds than non-users.
Immune system. Animal studies have found that THC can damage the cells and tissues that help protect people from
disease.
Reproductive system. Heavy use of marijuana can affect both male and female hormones. Young men could have delayed
puberty because of THC effects. Young women may find the drug disturbs their monthly cycle (ovulation and menstrual
periods).
Does marijuana lead to the use of other drugs?

Long-term studies of high school students and their patterns of drug use show that very few young people use other illegal
drugs without first trying marijuana. Using marijuana puts children and teens in contact with people who are users and
sellers of other drugs. So there is more of a risk that a marijuana user will be exposed to and urged to try more drugs.
However, most marijuana users do not go on to use other illegal drugs.
How can you tell if someone has been using marijuana?

If someone is high on marijuana, he or she might:
• seem dizzy and have trouble walking;

• seem silly and giggly for no reason;
• have very red, bloodshot eyes; and
• have a hard time remembering things that just happened.
• Marijuana Fact: Marijuana and driving do not mix.
Users often have delayed responses to sights and sounds drivers need to notice.
How does marijuana affect driving?
Marijuana has serious harmful effects on the skills needed for driving a car. Timing, coordination, alertness, and
performance are all affected. For instance, the marijuana user may have trouble judging distances and may have delayed
reactions to sights and sounds that drivers need to notice.
There are data showing that marijuana has played a role in crashes. A study of patients who had been in traffic accidents
revealed that 15 percent of those who had been driving a car or motorcycle had been smoking marijuana, and another 17
percent had both THC and alcohol in their blood.
If someone is pregnant and smokes it, will marijuana hurt the baby?
Doctors advise pregnant women not to use any drugs because they could harm the growing fetus.
Some scientific studies have found that babies born to marijuana users were shorter, weighed less, and had smaller head
sizes than those born to mothers who did not use the drug. Smaller babies are more likely to develop health problems.
There are also research data showing nervous system problems in children of mothers who smoked marijuana.
Researchers are not certain whether a newborn baby's health problems, if they are caused by marijuana, will continue as
the child grows.
What does marijuana do to the brain?

THC disrupts the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed. This makes it hard for the user to recall
recent events, and so it is hard to learn while high. A working short-term memory is required for learning and performing
tasks that call for more than one or two steps.
Some studies show that when people have smoked large amounts of marijuana for years, the drug takes its toll on mental
functions. Researchers are still learning about the many ways that marijuana affects the brain.
Can people become addicted to marijuana?

Yes. While not everyone who uses marijuana becomes addicted, when a user begins to feel that he or she needs to take the
drug to feel well, that person is said to be dependent or addicted to the drug. About 100,000 people seek treatment for
marijuana use each year, showing they need help to stop using.
Some frequent, heavy users of marijuana develop a tolerance for it. "Tolerance" means that the user needs larger doses of
the drug to get the same desired results that he or she used to get from smaller amounts.
What if a person wants to quit using the drug?

Up until a few years ago, it was hard to find treatment programs specifically for marijuana users.
Now researchers are testing different ways to help marijuana users abstain from drug use. There are currently no
medications for treating marijuana dependence. Treatment programs focus on counseling and group support systems.
There are also a number of programs designed especially to help teenagers who are abusers. Family doctors are also a good
source for information and help in dealing with adolescent marijuana problems.
For more information on marijuana and other drugs, contact:
National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information

P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, MD 20847
1-800-729-6686
Opiates
What is an opiate?
An opiate is a narcotic analgesic that directly depresses the central nervous system. Natural opiates
are derived from the dried "milk" of the opium poppy, while synthetic opiates are manufactured in
chemical laboratories with a similar chemical structure. Natural and synthetic opiates are
collectively known as opioids. The most commonly abused opioid is heroin.
How do opioids work?

Opioids attach to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal
cord, and gastrointestinal tract. When the drugs attach to certain opioid receptors, they block the
transmission of pain messages to the brain. Opioids tend to induce euphoria by affecting the brain
regions that mediate pleasure. Users generally report feeling warm, drowsy, and content. Opioids
relieve stress and discomfort by creating a relaxed detachment from pain, desires, and activity.
Opioids also tend to produce drowsiness, reduce heart rate, cause constipation, cause a widening
of blood vessels, and depress coughing and breathing reflexes.
How are opioids used?

Many opioids are prescribed for their analgesic, or pain-relieving, properties. Morphine, codeine, and related drugs that fall
within this class are sometimes referred to as narcotics. Morphine is often used before or after surgery to alleviate severe
pain. Codeine is used for milder pain. Other examples of opioids that can be prescribed to alleviate pain include oxycodone
(OxyContin), propoxyphene (Darvon), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and meperidine (Demerol). In
addition to their pain-relieving properties, some opioids - for example, codeine and diphenoxylate (Lomotil) - are used to
relieve coughs and diarrhea.
Pupil Size
Opiate substances tend to constrict the pupil of the eye via actions on the parasympathetic nerves that provide input to the
eye. Tolerance to this doesn't develop, which is why physicians often look at the pupils of someone with an altered mental
state; often the presence of constricted pupils can hint at possible opiate abuse.
Effects on the Respiratory System

These side effects tend to be some of the most severe effects of opiate abuse. Opiates tend to depress the respiratory
system via actions on the brainstem that regulate breathing rhythm and drive. This effect is dependent on dose and is the
primary method of death in opiate overdose.
Effects on the Cardiovascular System

The dominant effect of opiates on the heart is to decrease heart rate, which is known as bradycardia. It can also cause
certain body cells to release a chemical known as histamine; this results in dilation of the blood vessels and can result in
lower blood pressure (also known as hypotension).
Effects on the Gastrointestinal System

Opiates tend to decrease the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, which is one of the reasons they are used as anti-
diarrhea medications (such as Immodium for example). They can also cause spasm of the gallbladder duct, which results in
possible extraneous release of bile from the gall bladder. Nausea and vomiting is also common, resulting both from delayed
emptying of the stomach contents and from direct actions on brain vomiting centers. Constipation is also one of the most
common effects of opiate abuse, and tolerance to the constipating effect does not develop.
Symptoms
There are a cascade of symptoms of opiate addiction. While not all individuals struggling with opiate addiction will display
all of the symptoms, the most common symptoms someone is struggling with an opiate addiction are:
Mood symptoms: Behavioral symptoms: Physical symptoms: Psychological symptoms:

Mood swings Forging prescriptions for opiates
Depression Stealing narcotics from friends and Exhaustion Addiction
Anxiety family Pain relief Memory problems
Robbing pharmacies and other Respiratory depression Hallucinations
Euphoric mood for a few
medication dispensaries
hours Sedation Delusions
Not fulfilling familial and other
Irritability Muscle spasms Paranoia
responsibilities
Decreased performance at job or school Vomiting Worsening of mental
Preoccupation with obtaining, using, and Insomnia health
recovering from usage of opiates Constipation Decrease in emotional
Lying to others to cover the amount of Itching wellbeing
drug taken Nausea Increase in symptoms of
Withdrawing from once-pleasurable Vomiting mental illness
activities Sweating
Social isolation
Seizures
Restlessness
Coma
Lethargy
Death
What are some common opioids?

The most common opioids are opium, codeine, morphine, fentanyl, OxyContin, and heroin.
Opium is the dried milky juice of the unripe seedpods of the opium poppy. The chief constituents of opium are the alkaloids
codeine, papaverine, noscapine, and morphine, from which heroin is synthesized. Opium is also known as laudanum,
paregoric, big O, black stuff, block, gum, and hop.
• Codeine is an alkaloid narcotic derived from opium. It is prescribed as an analgesic, cough suppressant, and hypnotic.
Codeine can also be referred to as Empirin with Codeine, Fiorinal with Codeine, Robitussin A-C, Tylenol with Codeine,
Captain Cody, pancakes and syrup, schoolboy, and loads.
• Morphine is also derived from the seedpods of the opium poppy. It can also be referred to as Roxanol, Duramorph, M, Miss
Emma, monkey, and white stuff.
• Fentanyl is a synthetic prescription narcotic 50 times more potent than heroin. It is often used as an analgesic in surgical
procedures because of its minimal effects on the heart. Fentanyl can be injected, smoked, or snorted. It is also known as
Duragesic, Sublimaze, Actiq, China White, China Girl, TNT, Apache, and dance fever.
• OxyContin (oxycodone) is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic prescribed for chronic long-lasting pain. It contains between 10
and 160 milligrams of oxycodone in a timed-release tablet, providing several hours of relief from chronic pain. OxyContin
abusers crush the tablet and either ingest or snort it, or they dissolve it in water and inject it. Crushing or diluting the tablet
disarms the time-release action of the medication and causes a quick, powerful high. On the street, OxyContin is often
referred to as Oxy, O.C., and killer.
• Heroin is the most commonly used opioid.
Heroin
What is heroin?
Heroin is the most abused and most rapidly acting of the opioids. Processed from morphine and originally used to cure
people of morphine addiction, this substance is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as a black sticky substance
known on the street as "black tar" heroin. Most street heroin is "cut" with other drugs or with substances such as sugar,
starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Street heroin can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons.
How is heroin used?
Heroin is typically injected, sniffed/snorted, or smoked. Typically, a heroin abuser may inject up to 4 times per day.
Intravenous injection provides the greatest intensity and the most rapid onset of euphoria (7 to 8 seconds). Intramuscular
injection produces a relatively slow onset of euphoria (5 to 8 minutes). When heroin is sniffed or smoked, peak effects are
usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes.
How does heroin work?

In the brain, heroin is converted to morphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. Heroin is particularly addictive because
it enters the brain so rapidly. The rush of the drug is usually accompanied by warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a
heavy feeling in the extremities; this rush may or may not be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and severe itching. After
the initial effects of heroin have faded, abusers will be drowsy for several hours. Mental function is clouded by heroin's
effect on the central nervous system. It also slows cardiac function and breathing.
What are some negative effects of heroin use?

Withdrawal from heroin can be extremely painful and sometimes deadly. Heroin is both psychologically and physically
addictive. Withdrawal effects of heroin appear within a few hours after the last dose, reach peak intensity in 24 to 48 hours,
and usually subside within 72 hours. During withdrawal, the addict experiences anxiety, restlessness, generalized body
aches, insomnia, yawning, tearing from the eyes, runny nose, perspiration, dilation of the pupils, hot flashes, goose bumps,
vomiting, dehydration, nausea, diarrhea, elevation of body temperature and respiratory rate, abdominal and other muscle
cramps, and loss of body weight. Possible long-term effects of heroin and intravenous needle use include physical and
psychological addiction, infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C, collapsed veins, bacterial infections,
abscesses, infection of heart lining and valves, and arthritis and other rheumatological problems.
What are some other names for heroin?

Brown sugar, dope, H, horse, junk, smack, white horse, skunk, and skag are some common street names for heroin.
Opiate withdrawal
Opiate withdrawal refers to the wide range of symptoms that occur after stopping or dramatically reducing opiate drugs
after heavy and prolonged use (several weeks or more).
Opiate drugs include heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, Dilaudid, methadone, and others.
Causes
• About 9% of the population is believed to misuse opiates over the course of their lifetime, including illegal drugs like
heroin and prescription pain medications such as Oxycontin.
• These drugs can cause physical dependence. This means that a person relies on the drug to prevent symptoms of
withdrawal. Over time, greater amounts of the drug become necessary to produce the same effect (drug tolerance).
• The time it takes to become physically dependent varies with each individual.
• When the person stops taking the drugs, the body needs time to recover, and withdrawal symptoms result.
• Withdrawal from opiates can occur whenever any chronic use is discontinued or reduced.
• Some people even withdraw from opiates after being given such drugs for pain while in the hospital without realizing
what is happening to them. They think they have the flu, and because they don't know that opiates would fix the
problem, they don't crave the drugs.
Symptoms
Early symptoms of withdrawal include: Late symptoms of withdrawal include:

• Agitation • Abdominal cramping
• Anxiety • Diarrhea
• Muscle aches • Dilated pupils
• Increased tearing • Goose bumps
• Insomnia • Nausea
• Runny nose • Vomiting
• Sweating
• Yawning
Opioid withdrawal reactions are very uncomfortable but are not life-threatening. Symptoms usually start within 12 hours of
last heroin usage and within 30 hours of last methadone exposure.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Withdrawal from opiates is painful, but usually not life-threatening.
Possible Complications
Complications include vomiting and breathing in stomach contents into the lungs. This is called aspiration, and can cause
lung infection. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration and body chemical and mineral (electrolyte) disturbances.
The biggest complication is return to drug use. Most opiate overdose deaths occur in persons who have just withdrawn or
detoxed. Because withdrawal reduces the person's tolerance to the drug, those who have just gone through withdrawal can
overdose on a much smaller dose than they used to take.
Longer-term treatment is recommended for most persons following withdrawal. This can include self-help groups, like
Narcotics Anonymous or SMART Recovery, outpatient counseling, intensive outpatient treatment (day hospitalization), or
inpatient treatment.
Those withdrawing from opiates should be checked for depression and other mental illnesses. Appropriate treatment of
such disorders can reduce the risk of relapse. Antidepressant medications should NOT be withheld under the assumption
that the depression is only related to withdrawal, and not a pre-existing condition.
Treatment goals should be discussed with the person and recommendations for care made accordingly. If a person
continues to withdraw repeatedly, methadone maintenance is strongly recommended.
Stimulants
What Are Stimulants?
Stimulants are drugs such as cocaine, “crack,” and amphetamines that can cause the heart to beat faster, and blood
pressure and metabolism to increase. Stimulants often cause a person to be more talkative and anxious and to experience
feelings of exhilaration. They are often used to increase alertness and relieve fatigue.
What Are the Differences Between Cocaine and Methamphetamine?

Although cocaine is quickly removed and almost completely metabolized, methamphetamine has a much longer duration of
action. The longer presence of methamphetamine in the brain ultimately leads to prolonged stimulant effects.
Both stimulants cause an accumulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. This excessive dopamine
concentration appears to produce the stimulation and feelings of euphoria experienced by the user.
What Are the Short-Term Effects of Cocaine Use?

The short-term effects of cocaine include:
• constricted blood vessels;
• dilated pupils; and
• increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.
• In rare instances, sudden death can occur on the first use of cocaine or unexpectedly thereafter, usually because of
disrupted heart rhythms.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Cocaine Use?

Large amounts of cocaine intensify the high, but may also lead to:
• bizarre, erratic, and violent behavior.
Heavy users may experience:
• tremors,
• Vertigo (sensation of spinning)
• muscle twitches, or
• paranoia.
Some cocaine users report feelings of:
• restlessness,
• irritability, and
• anxiety.
This may result in panic attacks or even full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with reality and
hears sounds that aren’t there (auditory hallucinations).
Different ways of using cocaine can produce different adverse effects. For example, regularly snorting cocaine can lead to
swallowing problems, hoarseness, loss of the sense of smell, nosebleeds, and a chronically runny nose. Cocaine that is
eaten can cause reduced blood flow, leading to bowel problems.
How Long Can Stimulants, Such as Cocaine and Methamphetamine, Be Detected In the User’s Body?
There is no hard and fast rule for how long a drug will be detectable in one’s system. Generally, traces of these stimulants
can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after use. The exact length of time varies from person to
person and from test to test. It can also depend on the amount of drug used.
What Happens If a Person Drinks Alcohol and Uses Cocaine at the Same Time?
Taken in combination, alcohol and cocaine are converted by the body to a substance called cocaethylene. Cocaethylene
lasts longer in the brain and is more toxic than either drug alone. The mixture of cocaine and alcohol is the most common
two-drug combination that results in drug-related death.
Are Stimulants Addictive?
Cocaine, methamphetamine, and amphetamines are highly addictive. After trying stimulants, an individual may have
difficulty predicting or controlling the extent to which he or she will continue to use the drug. The stimulant and addictive
effects are thought to be primarily a result of the drugs’ ability to inhibit the reabsorption of dopamine by nerve cells.
Can a User Develop a Tolerance to Cocaine?

Many cocaine addicts report that they seek but fail to achieve as much pleasure as they did from their first experience,
suggesting tolerance to some effects of cocaine. Some users increase their doses to intensify and prolong the euphoric
effects. Users can also become more sensitive to cocaine’s anesthetic and convulsant effects over time. This increased
sensitivity may explain why some deaths occur after apparently low doses of cocaine.
Medical and Aesthetic Consequences of Stimulant Use

Cocaine:
Cocaine use has been linked to
many types of heart disease.
Cocaine has been found to trigger
chaotic heart rhythms, called
ventricular fibrillation; accelerate
heartbeat and breathing; and
increase blood pressure and body
temperature. Physical symptoms
may include chest pain, nausea,
blurred vision, fever, muscle
spasms, convulsions and coma.
Different routes of cocaine

administration can produce
different adverse effects.
Regularly snorting cocaine, for
example, can lead to loss of sense
of smell, nosebleeds, problems
with swallowing, hoarseness, and
an overall irritation of the nasal
septum, which can lead to a
chronically inflamed, runny nose.
Ingested cocaine can cause severe bowel gangrene, due to reduced blood flow. And, persons who inject cocaine have
puncture marks and “tracks,” most commonly in their forearms. Intravenous cocaine users may also experience an allergic
reaction, either to the drug, or to some additive in street cocaine, which can result, in severe cases, in death. Because
cocaine has a tendency to decrease food intake, many chronic cocaine users lose their appetites and can experience
significant weight loss and malnourishment.
Meth:
Meth reduces the amount of protective saliva around the teeth. People who use met also tend to drink a lot of sugary soda
and clench their jaws – all of which can cause what’s known as “meth mouth.” Meth users sometimes hallucinate that
insects are creeping on top of or underneath their skin (called formication). The person will pick or scratch their skin, trying
to get rid of the imaginary “crank bugs”….soon their face and arms are covered with open sores that can get infected.
Methamphetamine (also called meth, crystal, chalk, and ice, among other terms) is an extremely addictive stimulant drug
that is chemically similar to amphetamine. It takes the form of a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder.
How Is Methamphetamine Abused?
Methamphetamine is taken orally, smoked, snorted, or dissolved in water or alcohol and injected. Smoking or injecting the
drug delivers it very quickly to the brain, where it produces an immediate, intense euphoria. Because the pleasure also
fades quickly, users often take repeated doses, in a “binge and crash” pattern.
How Does Methamphetamine Affect the Brain?
Methamphetamine increases the amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine, leading to high levels of that chemical in the
brain. Dopamine is involved in reward, motivation, the experience of pleasure, and motor function. Methamphetamine’s
ability to release dopamine rapidly in reward regions of the brain produces the euphoric “rush” or “flash” that many users
experience. Repeated methamphetamine use can easily lead to addiction—a chronic, relapsing disease characterized by
compulsive drug seeking and use.
Is Meth a Prescription Drug?
Methamphetamine can be prescribed by a doctor to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other conditions,
although it is rarely used medically, and only at doses much lower than those typically abused. It is classified as a Schedule II
drug, meaning it has high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled.
People who use methamphetamine long-term may experience anxiety, confusion, insomnia, and mood disturbances and
display violent behavior. They may also show symptoms of psychosis, such as paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations,
and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects crawling under the skin).
Chronic methamphetamine use is accompanied by chemical and molecular changes in the brain. Imaging studies have
shown changes in the activity of the dopamine system that are associated with reduced motor skills and impaired verbal
learning. In studies of chronic methamphetamine users, severe structural and functional changes have been found in areas
of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems
observed in these individuals.
Some of these brain changes persist long after methamphetamine use is stopped, although some may reverse after being
off the drug for a sustained period (e.g., more than 1 year).
What Are the Other Health Effects of Methamphetamine?
Taking even small amounts of methamphetamine can result in many of the same physical effects as those of other
stimulants, such as cocaine or amphetamines. These include including increased wakefulness, increased physical activity,
decreased appetite, increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heart-beat, increased blood pressure, and increased
body temperature.
Long-term methamphetamine use has many negative

consequences for physical health, including extreme
weight loss, severe dental problems (“meth mouth”), and
skin sores caused by scratching.
Methamphetamine use also raises the risk of contracting

infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis B and C. These
can be contracted both by sharing contaminated drug
injection equipment and through unsafe sex. Regardless of
how it is taken, methamphetamine alters judgment and
inhibition and can lead people to engage in these and
other types of risky behavior.
Methamphetamine use may also worsen the progression

of HIV/AIDS and its consequences. Studies indicate that
HIV causes more injury to neurons and greater cognitive
impairment in individuals who are HIV-positive and use
methamphetamine than it does in HIV-positive people who do not use the drug.
Common Hallucinogens and Dissociative Drugs

What Are Hallucinogens and Dissociative Drugs?
Hallucinogens are a class of drugs that cause hallucinations—profound distortions in a person’s perceptions of reality.
Hallucinogens can be found in some plants and mushrooms (or their extracts) or can be man-made, and they are commonly
divided into two broad categories: classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). When under the
influence of either type of drug, people often report experiencing rapid, intense emotional swings and seeing images,
hearing sounds, and feeling sensations that seem real but are not.
While the exact mechanisms by which hallucinogens and dissociative drugs cause their effects are not yet clearly
understood, research suggests that they work at least partially by temporarily disrupting communication between
neurotransmitter systems throughout the brain and spinal cord that regulate mood, sensory perception, sleep, hunger, body
temperature, sexual behavior, and muscle control.
Classic Hallucinogens*
LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide)— also known as acid, blotter, doses, hits, microdots, sugar cubes, trips, tabs, or window
panes—is one of the most potent mood- and perception- altering hallucinogenic drugs. It is a clear or white, odorless, water-
soluble material synthesized from lysergic acid, a compound derived from a rye fungus. LSD is initially produced in crystalline
form, which can then be used to produce tablets known as “microdots” or thin squares of gelatin called “window panes.” It
can also be diluted with water or alcohol and sold in liquid form. The most common form, however, is LSD-soaked paper
punched into small individual squares, known as “blotters.”
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF LSD?
The effects of LSD are unpredictable. They depend on the amount taken, the person’s mood and personality, and
the surroundings in which the drug is used. It is a roll of the dice—a racing, distorted high or a severe, paranoid1 low.
Normally, the first effects of LSD are experienced thirty to ninety minutes after taking the drug. Often, the pupils
become dilated. The body temperature can become higher or lower, while the blood pressure and heart rate either increase
or decrease. Sweating or chills are not uncommon.
LSD users often experience loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth and tremors. Visual changes are among the
more common effects—the user can become fixated on the intensity of certain colors.
Extreme changes in mood, anywhere from a spaced-out “bliss” to intense terror, are also experienced. The worst
part is that the LSD user is unable to tell which sensations are created by the drug and which are part of reality.
Some LSD users experience an intense bliss they mistake for “enlightenment.”
Not only do they disassociate from their usual activities in life, but they also feel the urge to keep taking more of
the drug in order to re-experience the same sensation. Others experience severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings, fear of
losing control, fear of insanity and death, and despair while using LSD. Once it starts, there is often no stopping a “bad trip,”
which can go on for up to twelve hours. In fact, some people never recover from an acid-induced psychosis.
Taken in a large enough dose, LSD produces delusions and visual hallucinations. The user’s sense of time and self
changes. Sizes and shapes of objects become distorted, as do movements, colors and sounds. Even one’s sense of touch and
the normal bodily sensations turn into something strange and bizarre. Sensations may seem to “cross over,” giving the user
the feeling of hearing colors and seeing sounds. These changes can be frightening and can cause panic.
The ability to make sensible judgments and see common dangers is impaired. An LSD user might try to step out a
window to get a “closer look” at the ground. He might consider it fun to admire the sunset, blissfully unaware that he is
standing in the middle of a busy intersection.
Many LSD users experience flashbacks, or a recurrence of the LSD trip, often without warning, long after taking LSD.
Bad trips and flashbacks are only part of the risks of LSD use. LSD users may manifest relatively long-lasting
psychoses or severe depression.
Because LSD accumulates in the body, users develop a tolerance for the drug. In other words, some repeat users
have to take it in increasingly higher doses to achieve a “high.” This increases the physical effects and also the risk of a bad
trip that could cause psychosis.
THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF LSD
On LSD, which is often taken in tab form, an intense, altered state transforms into disassociation and despair. Often
there is no stopping “bad trips,” which can go on for up to twelve hours.
Mental Effects Flashbacks, or a recurrence of the LSD trip,

often without warning long after taking
Delusions LSD
Visual hallucinations Severe depression or psychosis
An artificial sense of euphoria or certainty
Distortion of one’s sense of time and identity Physical Effects
Impaired depth perception
Impaired time perception, Dilated pupils
distorted perception of the size and shape of Higher or lower body temperature
objects, movements, color, sounds, Sweating or chills (“goose bumps”)
touch and the user’s own body image Loss of appetite
Severe, terrifying thoughts and feelings Sleeplessness
Fear of losing control Dry mouth
Panic attacks Tremors
Psilocybin(4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethy-ltryptamine)—also known as magic mushrooms,

shrooms, boomers, or little smoke—is extracted from certain types of mushrooms found in
tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. In the past,
psilocybin was ingested during religious ceremonies by indigenous cultures from Mexico and
Central America. Psilocybin can either be dried or fresh and eaten raw, mixed with food, or
brewed into a tea, and produces similar effects to LSD.
Dissociative Drugs
Dissociatives are a class of hallucinogen, which distort perceptions of sight and sound and produce feelings of detachment -
dissociation - from the environment and self. This is done through reducing or blocking signals to the conscious mind from
other parts of the brain. Although many kinds of drugs are capable of such action, dissociatives are unique in that they do
so in such a way that they produce hallucinogenic effects, which may include sensory deprivation, dissociation,
hallucinations, and dream-like states or trances. Some, which are nonselective in action and affect the dopamine and/or
opioid systems, may be capable of inducing euphoria. Many dissociatives have general depressant effects and can produce
sedation, respiratory depression, analgesia, anesthesia, and ataxia, as well as cognitive and memory impairment and
amnesia.
Laboratory studies suggest that dissociative drugs, including PCP, ketamine, and DXM, cause their effects by disrupting the
actions of the brain chemical glutamate at certain types of receptors—called N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors—on
nerve cells throughout the brain.10, 11 Glutamate plays a major role in cognition (including learning and memory), emotion,
and the perception of pain (the latter via activation of pain-regulating cells outside of the brain). PCP also alters the actions
of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for the euphoria and “rush” associated with many abused drugs.
PCP (Phencyclidine)—also known as ozone, rocket fuel, love boat, hog, embalming fluid, or
superweed—was originally developed in the 1950s as a general anesthetic for surgery. While it
can be found in a variety of forms, including tablets or capsules, it is usually sold as a liquid or
powder. PCP can be snorted, smoked, injected, or swallowed. It is sometimes smoked after being
sprinkled on marijuana, tobacco, or parsley.
Ketamine—also known as K, Special K, or cat Valium—is a dissociative currently used as an anesthetic for humans as well as
animals. Much of the ketamine sold on the street has been diverted from veterinary offices. Although it is manufactured as
an injectable liquid, ketamine is generally evaporated to form a powder that is snorted or compressed into pills for illicit use.
Because ketamine is odorless and tasteless and has amnesia-inducing properties, it is sometimes added to drinks to facilitate
sexual assault.
DXM (Dextromethorphan)—also known as robo—is a cough suppressant and expectorant

ingredient in some over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medications that are often abused by
adolescents and young adults. The most common sources of abused DXM are “extra-strength”
cough syrup, which typically contains around 15 milligrams of DXM per teaspoon, and pills and gel
capsules, which typically contain 15 milligrams of DXM per pill. OTC medications that contain DXM
often also contain antihistamines and decongestants.
Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a synthetic substance most commonly found in a variety of over-the-
counter (OTC) medicines as an antitussive (cough suppressant) and expectorant (an agent that
promotes the removal of mucus from the respiratory tract). Other medical uses of DXM include the
temporary relief of sinus congestion, runny nose, cough, sneezing, itching of the nose and throat,
and watery eyes caused by hay fever, allergies, cold, or flu (influenza). Approximately 70 DXM-
containing products are available to consumers. When the recommended dose is taken, DXM has
few adverse side effects, and has a long history of safety and effectiveness.
Physical and Psychological Effects of DXM
DXM is a dissociative anesthetic that at high doses can create powerful psychedelic effects. It is sometimes compared to PCP
and ketamine, which are also dissociative anesthetics. The effects caused by DXM use vary depending on the dose. Users
often describe dose-dependent 'plateaus' that range from a mild stimulant effect with distorted visual perceptions to a sense
of complete dissociation from one's body. Effects generally last for 6 hours, but will ultimately vary depending on the amount
of DXM ingested and if it is used in combination with other drugs or chemicals. Other effects can include:
Hot flashes Lethargy Tachycardia (racing, pounding

Nausea and dizziness Hyperactivity heart)
Lack of coordination Slurred speech Euphoria
Panic attack or seizures Hypertension (increased blood Paranoia
Disassociation from body pressure) Disorientation
Visual and auditory hallucinations Nystagmus (rapid eye movement) Tactile hallucinations
Impaired judgment and mental Vomiting Visual disturbances
performance Rashes, red blotchy skin Feelings of floating
Sweating Altered time perception
Salvia divinorum—also known as diviner’s sage, Maria Pastora, Sally-D, or magic

mint—is a psychoactive plant common to Southern Mexico and Central and South
America. Salvia divinorum (salvia) is typically ingested by chewing fresh leaves or
by drinking their extracted juices. The dried leaves of salvia can also be smoked or
vaporized and inhaled.
Street Names for Select Hallucinogenic and Dissociative Drugs
LSD Ketamine PCP

acid vitamin K angel/angel dust
blotter bump boat/love boat
dots green peace
sugar K/Special K killer weed
trips purple super grass
window pane super acid ozone
Terminology
Dextromethorphan (DXM): Tussin,
Dex, Velvet, Injectable DXM:
Dextro, X Romilar,
Drix, Coricidan Cough & Cold Pills: K
Gel, Skittles,
Groove, Triple C DXM Use:
Mega-perls, Roboing,
Poor Man's Ecstasy, DXM Capsules or Tablets: Robodosing,
Red Devils, Black Beauties, Roboting,
Robo, Brownies, Robotripping,
Rojo, Browns and Clears, Robocopping,
Rome, Dexies, Tusssin Toss
Sky, Double Trouble,
Syrup, Turnarounds
Tranquilizers
What are tranquilizers?
Tranquilizers are central nervous system depressant drugs
classified as sedative-hypnotics. Tranquilizers are classified into
two main categories: minor tranquilizers (anxiolytics, or anti-
anxiety agents) and major tranquilizers (neuroleptics), drugs used
to treat severe mental illnesses. Drugs that can be classified as
tranquilizers are barbiturates, benzodiazepines, some anti-
depressants, anti-psychotics and other drugs. Tranquilizers are
used for a variety of medical purposes in psychiatry and
anesthesiology. Some tranquilizers have a high potential for
abuse and are highly addictive.
Minor tranquilizers are used in the treatment of anxiety, tension,
panic attacks, and insomnia. Neuroleptics specifically relieve the
symptoms of mental illness, but are also used as sedatives before surgical and medical procedures; they are rarely misused
for other purposes. Minor tranquilizers are, however, frequently abused.
How are tranquilizers used?
Tranquilizers are almost exclusively ingested in pill or capsule form. They are available by prescription only.
How do tranquilizers work?
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the action of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which inhibits
anxiety by reducing certain nerve-impulse transmissions within the brain At therapeutic doses, tranquilizers generally relieve
anxiety and may in some people induce a loss of inhibition and a feeling of well-being. Many tranquilizers tend to induce
sleep. As the dose of the tranquilizer is increased, so are the degree of sedation and the impairment of mental acuity and
physical coordination.
Major Tranquilizers
Major tranquilizers, also called anti-psychotics, are used to treat mental illness. They are often prescribed in the treatment
of schizophrenia, delusional disorder, mania or any other condition in which psychosis is present. They are sometimes
prescribed to mood disorder patients in the absence of psychosis. Major tranquilizers are non-addictive and have very little
potential for abuse.
Major Tranquilizers Include: Brand Name Major Tranquilizers Include:

Phenothiazines Haldol
Thioxanthenes Thorazine
Butyrophenones Prolixin
Phenothiazines Etrafon
Piperazine compounds Compazine
Piperidine compounds
What are some of the more common minor tranquilizers?

Some minor tranquilizers are prescribed as anti-anxiety medications; others are recommended as sleeping medications.
Minor tranquilizers may include Valium (diazepam), Librium/Novopoxide (chlordiazepoxide), Halcion (triazolam), ProSom
(estazolam), Xanax, and Ativan.
Minor Tranquilizers
Minor tranquilizers are classified as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines have
many therapeutic uses including the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, seizures,
muscle spasms and alcohol withdrawal. They are frequently abused and
highly addictive. Unlike major tranquilizers, they do have the ability to
produce euphoria when abused. Users who are dependent on
Benzodiazepines suffer painful withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the
drug.
Minor
Tranquilizers Include:
Alprazolam Brand Name Minor Tranquilizers Include:
Diazepam Xanax
Fluitrazepam Klonopin
Lorazepam Valium
Ativan
What are the side effects of tranquilizer use?
When you ingest tranquilizers, you may feel several types of effects. You may feel as though you are floating. You may
become confused. Many users report:
• Decreased motivation, • loss of appetite, or increased • feel very relaxed;
• irritability, appetite • sleep for a lengthy period of time.
• nausea, • lethargy, • Decreased heartbeat and
• headaches, • drowsiness, breathing
• skin rashes, • vivid or disturbing dreams • difficulty concentrating.
• impaired sexual functioning, • dizziness . • dulled emotional responses.
• menstrual irregularities, • inability to safely operate a
• tremors, vehicle.
When coming down from tranquilizers, you may:

• have trouble sleeping normally. • You might feel abnormally active, as though you cannot
• increased anxiety, relax.
• restlessness, or • slowed reflexes can persist for days after ingesting the
• depression. drug.
Long-term effects of tranquilizers can include:

• irritability, inability to sleep well,
• aggressiveness.
This happens as your tolerance, as well as your dependency, grows.
Tranquilizer side effects also include:

• respiratory distress,
• respiratory arrest,
• cardiac arrest, and
• death, particularly if tranquilizer is combined with other drugs, such as cold
medicine, other depressants, or alcohol.
Tranquilizers can also cause rashes, dizziness, and nausea. During pregnancy,
tranquilizers can result in birth defects, such as cleft lip. Babies born to a
mother addicted to tranquilizers may be born with drug buildup in their
systems, making it hard for them to eat and sleep normally and putting them
at risk for respiratory problems.
Barbiturates
Barbiturates are another class of drugs that are sometimes referred to as tranquilizers. Barbiturates have been used in the
past for their hypnotic and anti-anxiety effects. Recently, they have been replaced by benzodiazepines for use in these
purposes because benzodiazepines have less potential for abuse, are less likely to cause a lethal overdose and have less
severe drug side effects. According to a 1984 report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, barbiturates are a factor in one
third of all reported drug-related deaths. Barbiturates are still frequently used in the treatment of seizure disorders. Drugs
in the barbiturate class include amobarbital, penobarbital, and secobarbital. Trade names include Amytal, Nembutal and
Seconal.
Abuse
Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are the most abused of all tranquilizers. Their non-medical or 'recreational' use has
become widespread. In a dangerous practice, they are sometimes taken in combination with other depressants such as
heroin. Many have died from the combination of depressants. Stimulant users often use them to ease the 'come down'- the
anxiety and discomfort that is experienced as stimulants wear off. Both barbiturates and benzodiazepines are psychological
and physically addictive. Users dependent on these substances experience withdrawal symptoms that can range from
restlessness, insomnia to convulsions and death.
Detecting sedative or tranquilizer misuse

Some signs of tranquilizer and sedative abuse include:
Memory loss Aggression or agitation Depression and fatigue
Dilated pupils Headaches
Paranoia and suicidal thoughts Dizziness
Slurred speech and a lack of coordination, which may disappear as tolerance to the drug increases
What are some common street names for tranquilizers?

Tranquilizers are sometimes called downers, sleeping pills, and candy.
DRUG FACT SHEETS
You hear about drugs on TV and in the movies, on the radio, in books and magazines, on the
Internet, and in daily conversation with friends and peers. Some of the information is accurate,
but a lot of it is not.
Here are a few realities to consider:
• You can’t predict the effect that a drug can have on you—especially if it’s the first time you try
it, and even if it’s a small amount or dose. Everyone's brain and body chemistry are different.
Everyone's tolerance for drugs is different.
• Using drugs can lead to abuse, addiction, serious health problems, and even death.
• Drugs that are legal—prescription and over-the counter (OTC) medications—can be just as
dangerous as illegal drugs.
Find out as much as you can about illegal and legal drugs and their effects on your body and
brain. The more informed you are, the more confidently you can make the right decision about
drugs. Read DEA’s Drug Fact Sheets for the latest information on the following substances.
Fact Sheets
Narcotics Hallucinogens
• Heroin • Ecstasy/MDMA
• Hydromorphone • K2/Spice
• Methadone • Ketamine
• Morphine • LSD
• Opium • Peyote & Mescaline
• Oxycodone • Psilocybin
• Marijuana/Cannabis
Stimulants
• Steroids
• Amphetamines
• Inhalants
• Cocaine
Drugs of Concern
• Khat
• Methamphetamine • Bath Salts or Designer Cathinones
• DXM
Depressants
• Salvia Divinorum
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines
• GHB
• Rohypnol®
Drugs & Consciousness

Directions: complete the graphic organizer.
Categories Description
Stimulants
Depressants
Hallucinogen
Opiates
Drug Characteristics
Drug Type Pleasurable Effect Adverse Effect
Alcohol
Barbiturates
Caffeine
Methamphetamine
Cocaine
Nicotine
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Marijuana (THC)
Heroin (opiate)
PsychSim 5: YOUR MIND ON DRUGS
In this activity you will explore the behavioral effects of some common drugs that influence the brain—producing changes in our
arousal level, our mood, our perception of our environment, and our actions.
How Do Psychoactive Drugs Work?

• What are the main ways drugs get into our bloodstream?
• What are the three phases of drug effects?
Drugs and Neurotransmitters

• How are psychoactive drugs categorized? Name one example of a drug in each of the three main categories.
• Explain the difference between drug agonists and drug antagonists.
Drug Tolerance
• What is drug tolerance? What are the two reasons for the development of tolerance?
Addiction Experiment
• After experimenting with the injection of various solutions into specific areas of a rat’s brain and observing the
subsequent bar-pressing behavior, what conclusions did you draw from the rat’s behavior?
• What type of injection seemed to be more pleasurable for the rat? Did the location of the injection make a difference?
Alcohol Consumption among College Students

You can extend the text discussion of alcohol with a review of the 2001 survey
results on drinking among college students. For example, the Harvard School of
Public Health College Alcohol study reported the following:
1. 81 percent of college students drank alcohol in the past year. Men were
slightly less likely than women to be abstainers. Percentages of abstainers
and frequent binge drinkers increased from earlier surveys and indicates
2. a polarization of drinking behavior. A sharp rise in frequent binge drinking

was noted among students attending all-women’s colleges.
3. Of those who consume alcohol, more than 48 percent say that getting drunk is an important reason for
drinking. Approximately 44 percent of all students were occasional or frequent binge drinkers (five drinks in a
row for men, four drinks in a row for women).
4. Students who were male, white, aged 23 years or younger, never married, and belonging to fraternities or
sorority houses had higher binge drinking rates than their respective counterparts.
5. Binge drinkers reported various alcohol-related problems at far higher rates than students who drank alcohol
but did not binge. Frequent bingers are more likely to miss a class, fall behind in their schoolwork, forget
where they were or what they did, get hurt or injured, and damage property.
6. Fifty-five percent of non-binge drinkers and abstainers reported at least two secondhand binge effects.
7. The most frequent problems cited were having study or sleep interrupted (60%), having to take care of a
drunken student (48%), or being insulted or humiliated (29%). Other reported secondhand binge effects were
having had a serious argument or quarrel; being pushed, hit, or assaulted; having one’s property damaged;
experiencing an unwanted sexual advance; and being a victim of sexual assault or rape.
8. Fraternities and sororities constitute the heart of the campus alcohol culture. Almost two of three fraternity
9. and sorority members are binge drinkers. For those living in Greek houses, 3 of 4 are binge drinkers.
10. More college students are living in substance-free housing. More students have also encountered sanctions
from their alcohol use and have experienced college educational efforts.
More recently, the researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
have used results from their survey to help identify risk factors for binge drinking among
college students. Among their interesting findings is that state of residence seems to be a
highly significant risk factor. Binge drinking among college students turns out to be
significantly lower in states where fewer adults are binge drinkers and where laws
discourage excessive consumption. In fact, college binge drinking was 32 percent lower in
the ten states with the lowest rates of adult binge drinking compared to the ten states with
the highest. Furthermore, campus binge drinking rates were 31 percent lower in seven
states that had four or more laws targeting high-volume sales of alcohol. The researchers
conclude that state-level alcohol control policies may help reduce binge drinking among
college students and in the general population.
The Task Force on College Drinking, created by the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,
reports the following findings from its review of recent surveys of college students between the ages of 18 and 24:
1. 1400 college students die annually from alcohol related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle
crashes.
2. 500,000 students are unintentionally injured annually while under the influence of alcohol.
3. More than 600,000 students are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
4. More than 70,000 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
5. 400,000 students had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students report having been too intoxicated
to know if they consented to having sex.
6. About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking, including missing
classes, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.
7. More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol related health problem and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of
students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.
8. 2.1 million students drove while under the influence of alcohol in 2001.
9. About 11 percent of college student drinkers reported that they had damaged property while under the
influence of alcohol.
10. Thirty-one percent of college students met the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a
diagnosis of alcohol dependence, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking.
Finally, the top 10 reasons college students give for consuming alcohol:
1. “It increases my feelings of sociability.”
2. “It relieves anxiety or tension.”
3. “It makes me feel elated or euphoric.”
4. “It makes me less inhibited in thinking, saying, or doing certain things.”
5. “It enables me to go along with my friends.”
6. “It enables me to experience a different state of consciousness.”
7. “It makes me less inhibited sexually.”
8. “It enables me to stop worrying.”
9. “It alleviates depression.”
10. “It makes me less self-conscious.”
You might conclude with the following assessment formulated by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism and the National Institutes of Health.
How do you know if you drink too much? Answer these questions for yourself / loved one.
• Do you drink alone when you feel angry or sad?
• Does your drinking ever make you late for work?
• Does your drinking worry your family?
• Do you ever drink after telling yourself you won’t?
• Do you ever forget what you did while you were drinking?
• Do you get headaches or have a hang-over after you have been drinking?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you or someone you love may have a drinking problem.
Bachman, J. (1997). Smoking, drinking, and drug use in young adulthood: The impact of new freedoms and new responsibilities. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Insel, P., & Roth, W. (2006). Core concepts in health (10th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Nelson, T. F., et al. (2005). The state sets the rate: The relationship among state-specific college binge drinking, state binge drinking rates, and selected state
alcohol control policies. American Journal of Public Health, 95, 441–446.
Thompson, J. J. (1998, January 26). Plugging the kegs. U.S. News & World Report, pp. 63–67.
Wechsler, H., et al. (2002). Trends in college binge drinking during a period of increased prevention effort.
Journal of American College Health, 50, 203–217.

2019 New Student Independent Study Packet - Unit 5-States of Consciousness

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STUDENT PACKET– STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS – CHAPTER 5

2 Do “Fact or Falsehood?” H/O #22.1-25.1 5

T F 1. Hypnosis is a state of deep sleep.

T F 6. “Morning people” tend to do better in school.

Chapter 5 – States of Consciousness

UNDERSTANDING CONSCIOUSNESS AND HYPNOSIS

SLEEP PATTERNS AND SLEEP THEORIES

23-2 Describe how our biological rhythms influence our daily

23-5 Describe sleep’s functions.

25-3 Identify the depressants, and describe their effects.

2. Our awareness of the world is also known as__________________________.

14. Zimbardo says, other mind-altering experiences of our consciousness include:

1. I go to bed at different times during the week and on weekends, depending on my T F

3. My bedroom is warm or often noisy. T F

4. I never rotate or flip my mattress. T F

5. I have caffeinated coffee, tea, colas, or chocolate after 6 P.M. T F

6. I do not exercise on a regular basis. T F

8. I regularly take over-the-counter or prescription medication to help me sleep. T F

Characteristic EEG Pattern (draw it)

Sleep Thoughts vs. True Dreams

Crash Course #10 – Altered States Drugs Notes

2. _______________________ – requiring a larger amount of the drug to get the

3. ______________________ – Discomfort associated with disuse of the drug

_________________, personal, or _________________ consequences.

5. What is happening at the synapses during drug use?

- For each, indicate if the drug would be an agonist or antagonist.

o Block transporters (“reuptake vacuum”) _________________

Opiates (heroin, morphine, oxycodone) mimic ______________________

Common LSD hallucinations: geometric forms, ______________________________, past emotional

__________________ is the active ingredient in marijuana. Marijuana decreases inhibitions, impairs

Take additional notes (10 points):

Additional Drug Handouts Follow

What Are Barbiturates?

How Do Barbiturates Affect the Body?

How Do Barbiturates Affect the Body When Abused?

Drugs causing similar effects

Legal status in the United States

Common places of origin

Rohypnol—A Date Rape Drug

What Are the Effects of Rohypnol?

What Are the Hazards off Rohypnol?

The Rape Treatment Center of the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical

1. Don’t drink a beverage you did not open yourself.

Here is a brief summary:

Kluger, J. (2004, December). The buzz on caffeine. Time, 52.

The LSD Experience

Is Marijuana Good Medicine?

Marijuana Fact: Most teenagers do not use marijuana.

What is marijuana? Aren't there different kinds?

How is marijuana used?

How long does marijuana stay in the user's body?

How many teens smoke marijuana?

Why do young people use marijuana?

Marijuana Fact: Marijuana can mess you up.

What happens if you smoke marijuana?

• problems with memory and learning;

Does marijuana affect school, sports, or other activities?

What are the long-term effects of marijuana use?

Does marijuana lead to the use of other drugs?

How can you tell if someone has been using marijuana?

• seem dizzy and have trouble walking;

What does marijuana do to the brain?

Can people become addicted to marijuana?

_, personal, or _ consequences.