Drugs

•Our brain is protected by a layer of capillaries called the blood-brain barrier.

The drugs that are small enough to pass through are called psychoactive drugs

Drugs are either….

•Agonists

•Antagonists

•Reuptake inhibitors

If a drug is used often, a tolerance is created for the drug.

Thus you need more of the drug to feel the same effect.

If you stop using a drug you can develop withdrawal symptoms
Stimulants:

•Speed up body processes.

•More powerful ones (like cocaine) give people feelings of invincibility.

Depressants:

•Slows down body processes.

•Alcohol

•Anxiolytics (barbiturates and tranquilizers)

Alcohol:

•More than 86 billion dollars are spent annually on alcoholic beverages. 

•Alcohol is involved in 60% of ALL crimes. 

•Alcohol is involved in over 70% of sexually related crimes.  

Opiates:

•Has depressive and hallucinogenic qualities. 

•Agonist for endorphins. 

•Derived from poppy plant. 

•Morphine, heroin, methadone and codeine. 

•All these drugs cross the placental barrier….teratogens.