Chemical Dependency Physiological Effects Of Essay

PAGES
2
WORDS
599
Cite

Behavioral Effects of Abused Drugs

The common denominator among all users of abused drugs is the goal of attaining an altered state of consciousness. Whether to escape the reality of their own lives or to fulfill a chemically adventurous inclination, all illicit drug users want to leave behind their mundane and sometime painful lives. All of the drugs mentioned are able to meet this goal to various degrees, from alcohol to Ritalin; however, there is often a steep price to pay.

The acute effect of drug or alcohol abuse is almost universally a sense of euphoria. The one exception to this rule is hallucinogens, which are typically taken to experience a dissociative state. Hallucinogens can also lead to experiencing a bad 'trip', which would be antithetical to seeking a euphoric state. Another common experience is disinhibition, which can be elicited...

...

It could be reasonably argued that euphoria and disinhibition are the primary goals of recreational drug and alcohol use.
Chronic abuse of these drugs, however, can lead to significant behavioral changes that can undermine the user's life. This is primarily the result of tolerance and psychological addiction. Tolerance leads to taking larger doses in order to experience the same feelings of euphoria. Physical addiction is also an important concern, especially with some sedatives, since withdrawal can sometimes be life-threatening. While most drugs will elicit physical addiction, especially alcohol, narcotics, sedatives and cocaine, psychological addiction seems to be relatively rare for hallucinogens. The behavioral changes can sometimes be significant, with many experiencing paranoia and varying degrees of psychosis as a direct result of a decline in the ability of the nervous system to function normally.

Cite this Document:

"Chemical Dependency Physiological Effects Of" (2013, March 04) Retrieved April 25, 2024, from
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/chemical-dependency-physiological-effects-103382

"Chemical Dependency Physiological Effects Of" 04 March 2013. Web.25 April. 2024. <
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/chemical-dependency-physiological-effects-103382>

"Chemical Dependency Physiological Effects Of", 04 March 2013, Accessed.25 April. 2024,
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/chemical-dependency-physiological-effects-103382

Related Documents
Effect of Forgiveness on Health
PAGES 105 WORDS 28998

Forgiveness on human health. In its simplest form, the purpose of the study is to evaluate human psychological stress that might constitute a risk factor for heart disease. Further, the study will also evaluate the impact of forgiveness on heart disease. However, such a simple dissertation clearly demands further definition. What, exactly, do we signify when we speak of heart disease? What is properly considered as forgiveness? What impact does

Adolescent Substance Use Screening Instruments: 10-Year Critical Review of the Research Literature Over ten million teenagers in the United States admit in a national survey that they drink alcohol, although it is illegal under the age of 21 in all states. In some studies, nearly one-quarter of school-age children both smoked cigarettes and drank alcohol. Over four thousand adolescents every day try marijuana for the first time. The dangers of use,

At one point or another in our lives, we are all beginners. We begin college, a first job, a first love affair, and perhaps a first dissertation project. We bring a great deal to these new situations, including our temperament, previous education, and family situations. Yet, as adults, we also learn. In romantic relationships, couples report having to learn how to interact successfully with their partners. College students routinely report

Relapse Prevention
PAGES 35 WORDS 12959

Relapse prevention therapy breaks down the chemical dependency recovery process into specific tasks and skills, which patients must learn in order to recover; it also shows patients how to recognize when they are beginning to relapse, and how to change before they start using alcohol or drugs again (Gorski and Kelley, 2003). In order to understand the process of relapse prevention, we will first look at the phenomena of chemical dependence,

The subjects were 613 injured Army personnel Military Deployment Services TF Report 13 admitted to Walter Reed Army Medical Center from March 2003 to September 2004 who were capable of completing the screening battery. Soldiers were assessed at approximately one month after injury and were reassessed at four and seven months either by telephone interview or upon return to the hospital for outpatient treatment. Two hundred and forty-three soldiers

Counseling Therapies: Case Conceptualization Case One: CBT What Are the Specific Areas of Concern? Suicide and Stress Stress has been found to play a major role in suicide risk, mental disorders, and mood swings. Stress is one term most people use synonymously with negative experiences they get in life. Negative events in life which confer depression risks, suicide thoughts and behavior, involve interpersonal, traumatic childhood and occupational events. Trauma, mostly childhood trauma, has important