PSY 102 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Pentobarbital, Sympathetic Nervous System, Barbiturate
27 Apr 2016
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Drugs that alter moods and perceptions are called psychoactive drugs. Continued craving and use of a drug despite significant life disruption indicates a substance-use-disorder. Drug users who require increasing doses to experience a drug"s effects have developed tolerance for the drug. With continued use, the user"s brain counteracts the disruption to its normal functioning; thus, the user experiences neuroadaptation. If a person abruptly stops taking a drug, he/she may experience the undesirable side effect of withdrawal. Withdrawal: discomfort and distress that follow discounting an addictive drug or behaviour. Drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce the neural activity and slow body functions. The three broad categories of drugs include depressants, which tend to slow body functions; stimulants, which speed body functions; and hallucinogens, which alter perception. These drugs all work by mimicking, stimulating, or inhibiting the activity of the brain"s neurotransmitters.
