Abnormal psychology: characteristics and theoretical perspectives

Substance-Related Disorders

A "drug" is any substance, other than food, that affects our bodies or minds. Since not all drugs are bad, the book uses "substance" to clarify the issue. Substance abuse can cause temporary or long-term problems for the abuser. Dependence, tolerance or addiction can develop.

Depressants: slow the central nervous system (CNS) down. Alcohol is a CNS depressant.

Alcohol: nearly 6% of the U.S. population are heavy drinkers, some as young as 11. Men outnumber women 3:1. Ethyl alcohol is quickly absorbed in stomach and intestine. First it depresses the areas of the brain that control judgments and curbs on behavior. Next, motor control is affected. Alcohol can also interfere with both vision and hearing. As the liver metabolizes the alcohol, the blood levels drop and function gradually returns. Patterns of alcoholism vary among socio-cultural groups and by age. Alcoholism can destroy family life, sink a career, and if the person drives, cause devastating automobile accidents in which innocent people are hurt or killed. Drinking while pregnant can cause the very serious condition "fetal alcohol syndrome" or cause a miscarriage.

Sedative-hypnotic drugs: these are "anxiolytic," or anxiety-reducing. Barbiturates are easily abused. Tolerance develops, and the person needs more and more to get the desired effect, which can eventually lead to a fatal dose. Withdrawal must be medically supervised. Benzodiazepines include Xanax and Valium. They can calm without making a person drowsy and do not slow breathing, making them less deadly in the case of an overdose. However, people can develop dependency on them.

Opioids (narcotics): include opium, morphine, codeine and heroin and has been used for thousands of years. Morphine and heroin are made from opium. Heroin is the most addictive and is no longer used medically. Methadone is a synthetic opioid. Heroin may be addictive within only a few weeks of initial use. Users develop tolerance and must use more and more over time to get the desired effect. An overdose can shut down breathing and kill the user. Withdrawal is unpleasant. 1% of the population may become addicted to a narcotic at some time in their lives.

Stimulants: increase CNS activity. They include cocaine and amphetamines (Illegal unless prescribed) and nicotine (legal).

Cocaine: is made from the leaves of the coca plant as an odorless white powder. Typically it's snorted, sometimes smoked and was thought safe for many years. When it became very popular, people started noticing the problems. 28 million people have tried it, and about 1.7 million people currently use it in the U.S. Cocaine makes the person feel euphoric, but is dangerous as a CNS stimulant. It raises the level of some neurotransmitters and prevents them from being reabsorbed. In high doses people can hallucinate or become psychotic. Frequent use can lead to dependence. Some people purify it through "free-basing," which intensifies it, or use a melted, crystalline form called "crack." Cocaine can eventually depress the respiratory system, causing death.

Amphetamines: are artificially made stimulants, including Benzedrine, Dexedrine, and methamphetamine. Usually taken by mouth, sometimes abusers inject them. Tolerance develops quickly. About 1 1/2 -- 2% of people in the U.S. become dependent on amphetamines at some time in their lives.

Caffeine: the most commonly used stimulant, present in coffee, tea, cola, and in some medications. It is a CNS stimulant. Relatively small amounts (two cups of coffee) can cause restlessness, stomach upset, twitching and elevated heart rate. In very high doses it can cause seizures, respiratory failure or circulatory failure. Frequent use can raise blood pressure.

Hallucinogens: cause changes in the senses, hallucinations and/or delusions. They are often called psychodelic drugs and include LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, and "Ecstasy"). LSD was believed at one time to help a person broaden his or her understanding of the world and its illegal use was popular for that purpose.

Cannabis: comes in two forms -- marijuana, and in a more concentrated form, hashish. The plant is a kind of hemp. The active ingredient is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Its effects are hallucinogenic, depressant and stimulant. Some people become very quiet while others become more talkative. People report heightened perceptions -- visual, hearing, and even of time, which seems to slow down. Physically, the eyes get bloodshot,, heartbeat and blood pressure increase, appetite increases, and some people get sleepy. Because it can cause cognitive as well as perceptual changes, it can contribute to auto accidents. Long-term use damages the lungs even more than tobacco does.

Combinations: significant numbers of people who abuse substances abuse more than one and use them in combination. Some combinations are particularly dangerous. Stimulants, for instance, interfere with the liver's ability to break down both alcohol and barbiturates, making dangerous toxic levels more likely.

Causes: are probably multiple.

Sociocultural: suggests that living in stressful environments contributes to substance abuse, or when the substance is used in the home. Thus, teens whose parents drink are more likely to drink themselves.