Essay - The Psychological Effects of Drugs and Alcohol Abstract Introduction Substance...

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

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Introduction

Substance Dependence 5

Substance-Induced Disorders 6

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Cocaine and Amphetamines 8

Caffeine 9

Cannabis 9

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Nicotine 12

Opioids 12

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Sedatives 13

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Bibliography

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The following paper discusses in detail the psychological effects of drugs and alcohol on the human brain ***** how those effects play a role in the overall psychological c*****stitution ***** the user/addict. The topics included in this paper include a brief yet detailed overview of substance dependence in conjunction with the evidence for ***** dependence as outl*****ed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV and other pertinent scientific sources. In addition, a number ***** recommendations for future research on the psychological effects of drugs and alcohol will be discussed at the c*****clusion ***** this *****, followed by a complete bibliography of sources and citations.

Psychological 4

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS ***** DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

INTRODUCTION:

***** study ***** ***** psychological effects of drugs ***** alcohol on the human brain, as compared to other medical conditions, is relatively new in the field ***** ***** research. Only *****in ***** l*****t fifty years or so has the medical community focused on how drugs and alcohol affect ***** ***** brain and the c*****ditions that ar*****e from prolonged abuse of ***** various associated *****s. As Dent J. Yerbury points out, "literally hundreds of substances cross the ***** barrier ***** influence human behavior and psychology" (*****une,1986), especially those connected to substance *****. Reflecting those substances ***** are most widely abused ***** that cause the ***** significant problems ***** ***** abuser, the ***** and ***** Manual ***** Mental ***** (DSM--IV) has divided the universe of substances into eleven specific drug classes--*****, cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine, cannabis (marijuana), hallucinogens, inhalants, nicotine, opioids, phencyclidine, and sedatives. Most recently, one o*****r categ*****y has been included for less commonly abused substances, being over-the-counter medications.

For each of these drug classes, the DSM--IV classifies drug-related problems depending on whether they result from an overall maladaptive pattern of drug abuse or whether the problems are a direct m*****nifestation ***** the effect of the drug on the individual's neurochemistry, or that associated with the human nervous system with the brain as ***** central organ being affected. Thus, the main body of this paper ***** describe ***** of these problems associated with the psychological effects and then will discuss the special

Psychological ***** characteristics ***** each of the eleven drug classes as they pertain to ***** manifestations.

***** DEPENDENCE:

***** exists two major ways in which an individual can become addicted to a substance, being physically and psychologically. Most **********, such ***** alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines and opium, can cause both physical ***** psychological dependence, and some, like *****nabis, LSD and PCP, can cause psychological dependence even though the substance itself is not ***** addicting.

Most addictions, as Jerome Jaffe *****tains, "occurs due to ***** human brain being wonderfully gifted at adapting to new environments, especially ***** cre*****ed by addictive substances" (2000). Nerve cells in