Crack Cocaine: A Devastating Substance Abuse Disorder Alisha Nalezinek Northwestern State UniversityAbstract Crack cocaine is a drug that hurts the lives of many people including the substance abuser. People need to find a safer way to escape from their problems. In the 1980’s, crack cocaine spread across the United States and became very popular. Crack cocaine is a form of cocaine that it typically smoked, and it will be on the American drug scene for years to come. People that use crack may become violent, but it is a cheap drug to buy.
Amphetamines are used to treat a variety of medical issues but like cocaine, illicit drug use in the 60s caused the federal government to become concerned about dependency and illegal activities. Prolonged uses of the drug can cause psychotic behavior, depressed moods and dependency can develop. Cocaine and amphetamines both interact with neurotransmitters and higher doses of each both alters
From neuroscience perspective, cocaine, Xanax, and marijuana that are identified in Houston’s body attribute to imbalance of neurotransmitters, causing depression, which results in Whitney Houston’s committed suicide. To begin with, cocaine is a stimulant that can produce a rush of euphoria and lead to lack of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. To understand how the imbalance comes, we should consider how neurotransmitters work in the brain. There is a junction called synapse between the axon and the dendrite, and neurotransmitters enable neural information to across the synapse to achieve neural communication. After the neurotransmitters stimulate the receptors on the receiving neuron, excess chemicals are taking back up into the sending neuron to be used again (lecture).
Psychoactive – cannabis is usually smoked in a roll-up or pipe. It is also frequently ingested orally. Effects: stoned, increased heart rate, reduced blood sugar level, decreased sensory awareness, increased sensory awareness, etc. Street name Effects Risks Alcohol Booze Relaxant, feel less anxious and more sociable Slurred speech, nausea, psychological and physical dependence Amphetamines Speed, whizz, billy, uppers Euphoria, increased energy Anxiety, panic, paranoia Benzodiazepines Blues, downers, tranqs Sedation, relaxation Quickly develop
These effects are not only mental but physical. It starts by releasing large amounts of dopamine into the section of the brain that controls the feeling of pleasure. Methamphetamine “produces the equivalent of 600 times the normal amount of dopamine normally released by the brain during pleasurable events.” (Kelley, 2005, Methamphetamine Abuse.) The effects of meth can last up to 12 hours and the addiction starts and continues because of this high and charged feeling users receive from Meth. Short-term effects can lead to dehydration, irritability, confusion, nervousness, nonstop talking, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressiveness.
Heroin First off what is Heroin? Heroin is a highly addictive and rapidly acting drug that comes from the opiate family. It is synthesized from morphine which is a substance that comes from the seed pod of the Asian opium poppy plant. Heroin usually comes in a white or brown powder, or sometimes comes as a sticky black gunk known as “black tar heroin.” There are many different ways that Heroin is abused in our society. It can be injected, snorted, sniffed, or smoked.
Then soon after, research in the early eighties showed some negative effects of smoking marijuana. The view of marijuana would retain the title of a “bad drug” until the recent 2000’s. These are multiple reasons why marijuana got the “bad image” by the U.S.
In the book there is a very interesting drug called soma it has many perks that drugs in our present society don’t have. Nowadays when you take drugs or drink alcohol there are side effects. These side effects can be very deadly to your body. Heroin is an example of a drug having terrible side effects to your body and also your brain. Heroin makes your heart beat extremely fast and leaves bruises from the site of injection.
Joe Fromer Psychology 9/16/15 Prof. Becofsky Three Well-Thought-Out Paper Ideas 1. How did cocaine become so popular in America as well as its direct effect to brain function? Cocaine has been a major drug in the United States since the mid 1970s and it has gotten even popular this day in age. I’ve always been curious to as why cocaine addicts are addicted to cocaine. Why can’t they just stop?
It is taken in to your body in several ways by swallowing, snorting, or injecting intravenously. Methamphetamine is identified under the following slang language: crank, crystal, meth, speed, go-fast, go, crystal meth, zip, chris, cristy, or ice. It is also known that the crystal meth is on the black market as a replacement of cocaine or mixed with heroin. The physical effects of the drug are similar to other stimulant drugs. When they are taken by mouth, snorted or smoked, the user tends to experience feelings of euphoria, heightened alertness and greater energy.