Drugs and Addiction

Specification – Page 48

1 Definition of the applicationa) Define health psychology, showing understanding that health psychology is about understanding health from study of the biological bases biological bases of behaviour (such as the study of drugs and their effects) and the cognitive and social bases social bases for behaviour and that health psychology is about promoting good health.b) Define and use psychological terminology appropriately and accurately including the terms:i substance misuseii synapseiii toleranceiv physical dependencev psychological dependencevi withdrawal

A drug is any chemical you take that affects the way your body works.

A drug must be able to pass from your body into your brain. 

Drugs can change the messages your brain cells are sending to each other - by interfering with your brain's own chemical signals.

What are drugs?

Your Task – Drug Speed-dating!

Each of you are a particular drug Talk to the other drugs around you

to get a description of what they are and the effects they have

Complete the table given to you Make sure you meet every drug!

What type of drug do you think you are?

Hallucinogen

Sedative

Stimulant

Or a combination of two or three types?

Definitions

In your groups, come up with a definition of your drug type

- Hallucinogen- Stimulant- Sedative- If mixture, why?

Hallucinogens

These drugs change a person’s perception of the world.

Distort what is heard or seen.

Lead a person to experience things that do not really exist.

Sedatives

These substances have the common property of down-regulating mental activity.

Produce a state of relaxation or sleepiness. They can slow reaction time and impair co-

ordination. Higher doses produce intoxication and

sometimes unconsciousness.

Stimulants

These drugs up-regulate mental activity.

Cause alertness, feelings of enhanced energy, and excitement.

These drugs can also produce agitation and anxiety.

Long-term use of stimulants can produce

symptoms that closely resemble paranoid psychosis, i.e. thought disorder and hallucinations.

Your Task

Colour code the table you created from the drug speed-dating

Use the colours to differentiate between hallucinogens, stimulants and sedatives.

What is Addiction?

Doctors call a drug addictive if it makes you dependent on the drug.

Unpleasant withdrawal symptoms appear unless you take the drug.

Addictive drugs also make you crave them - you have an overwhelming urge to continue taking the drug, even after withdrawal symptoms have disappeared.

What is the difference between

biological/physiologicabiological/physiologicall addiction and psychologicalpsychological

addiction?

Biological Addiction

The body becomes dependantdependant on the drug.

Without it, severe withdrawal symptomswithdrawal symptoms occur such as pain or sickness.

Body becomes used to the drug and causes a physicalphysical reaction if the don’t receive it.

Body develops a tolerancetolerance to the drug – require more of it to have an effect.

Psychological Addiction

Conscious desiredesire to obtain drug out of a perceived needperceived need for its affect.

User might say it makes them “feel good” or “calm down”.

May use drug to escapeescape from real-life.

Think it is the only way they can copecope.

Addiction What is the difference

between drug abuse and drug addiction?

When does drug abuse become addiction?

Addiction

Drug abuse is initially a voluntary behaviour

Continuum of drug abuse and drug addiction

Can reach addiction at different points depending on the individual

No use Drug Abuse Drug Addiction

Abuse is voluntary; addiction is the continued compulsive

drug use despite adverse health or social consequences.

Matching Task

You need to know the definitionsdefinitions of these key key

termsterms

Drug addiction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgvErY2Yq8I

Finally…. You never know for sure what is

in a drug. Many drugs are ‘laced’ with cheaper products such as talcum, flour or even poisons.

Drugs affect people differently. It is difficult to determine just how

strong a drug is and high doses are potentially fatal.

Debate One side are FORFOR drug-taking, the

other side are AGAINSTAGAINST drug-taking. Come up with a few points per team

– argue your case against the other side.

NOTE: Your debate points do notdo not need to reflect your own opinions on drug

use