drugs

• Neurotransmitters:

  • Dopamine - pleasure
  • Serotonin - mood
  • Gaba - calming
  • Endorphins - Euphoria
• Cocaine:

  Excess dopamine is usually recycled, cocaine stops this

  intense feelings of pleasure

  crash and crave
• Alcohol:

  • depressant - inhibit functions of neurons to transmit impulses

  1. Normally there is a balance between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in the body
  2. Alcohol affect this balance by enhance inhibitory effects and decreases excitatory
  3. Long term - Brain naturally decreases amount of inhibitory neurotransmitters in an attempt to maintain equilibrium
  4. Person stopping means that the balance is lost so the person is very excited
• Marijuana:

  • THC is the active ingredient in marijuana, it affects memory, concentration, and decision making
  • THC attaches to receptors
• Cocaine:

  • mimics dopamine
  • attaches to opioid receptors (pain, breathing regulation, and pleasure)
  • short term - good feeling, cloudy thoughts, drowsy, brreathing rate
  • wears off - depressed and craving