Drugs

· Classification: LSD is a **psychedelic** · Explanation: Psychedelic drugs disrupt normal thought processes, such as the perception of time and space, and can sometimes produce hallucinations. · Effects: Exhilaration, visions and hallucinations, insightful experiences · Results of abuse/addiction: Psychosis, paranoia, panic reactions · How it works: LSD acts almost exclusively on serotonin neurons. LSD chemically resembles serotonin and elicits its effect by binding to serotonin receptors. LSD interacts with particular receptors and either excites or inhibits them. LCD and other hallucinogens excite a particular region of the brain known as the locus coeruleus (LC). A single neuron from the LC may branch to many different sensory areas of the brain. The LC is responsible for feelings of wakefulness and evoking a startle response to unexpected stimulus.
 * LSD **



Useful link: __[]__

Tobacco


 * Classification: Nicotine is a stimulant
 * Explanation: A stimulant is a drug that excites neural activity and speeds up bodily functions
 * Effects: Increases levels of dopamine in the reward circuits of the brain. Increases adrenaline levels.
 * Results of abuse/ addiction: In the case of smokers, heart disease and lung cancer are the most noticeable effects. For those who chew tobacco, mouth cancer as well as stomach ulcers are common.
 * How it works: By binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nicotine increases the levels of several neurotransmitters, acting as a sort of volume control. It is thought that increased levels of dopamine in the reward of the brain are responsible for the euphoria and relaxation and eventual addiction caused by nicotine consumption.
 * [[image:file:///Users/johnohallaron/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.png link="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mbc/lowres/mbcn174l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/n/nicotine_patch.asp&usg=__EubVSSrWXEj_gtOVyYrHsEmkbMU=&h=400&w=366&sz=30&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=R0K1kg9m_ckBfM:&tbnh=141&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnicotine%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26biw%3D1436%26bih%3D751%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=681&ei=0gMQTdv9PIOB8gag6-3VDQ&oei=0gMQTdv9PIOB8gag6-3VDQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:17,s:0&tx=81&ty=96"]]Picture
 * [] - Further explanation of the effects of tobacco abuse.

Heroin
 * Classification: Opiate
 * Explanation: An opiate depresses neural activity and lessens pain and anxiety
 * How it works: Heroin, and other opioids, attach to opioid receptors in the brain. Once they are attached to the opioid receptors, they block messages of pain that the brain is trying to send. Opioids affect the pleasure center of the brain and cause a state of euphoria accompanied with slowed breathing and heart rate, a warming sensation, drowsiness and a widening of blood vessels.
 * [[image:http://www.heroinwithdrawals.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/effects-of-heroin.jpg]]
 * Effects: Euphoria, slowed heart rate, slowed breathing rate and warmth
 * Results of addiction: Weight loss, slowed movement, chills, shakes, cold sweats, inflamed face, dilated pupils, lack of coordination, red eyes, speech difficulties, sudden dietary change, sleep loss and loss of interest
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin

Marijuana


 * Classification: Marijuana is a mild psychedelic drug
 * Explanation: Psychedelic drugs distort your perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input
 * Effects: euphoric high, intensifies senses for colors, sounds, smells, and tastes, could intensify the mood you’re in, could have some medical benefits
 * Results of abuse/addiction: Decreased learning and memory skills, potentially anxiety depression and schizophrenia, increased heart rate, lung and throat irritation.
 * How it works: The THC (or Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main substance in marijuana) copy or block out neurotransmitters which causes normal brain functions to change. When the THC binds with receptors in the hippocampus, people forget what recently happened. The THC also contributes to a persons coordination.
 * Useful Link﻿: []

For information on amphetamines/methamphetamines, cocaine, and barbiturates, see the following link: http://psych-o.wikispaces.com/Drugs For information on alcohol and tranquilizers see this link: http://psych-pgs.wikispaces.com/Drugs