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Module 18
UNIT 2 Psychoactive Drug
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Psychoactive Drug | a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods. |
| Substance Use Disorder | a disorder characterized by continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk. |
| Tolerance | the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect. |
| Withdrawal | the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior. |
| Depressants | drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions. |
| Alcohol Use Disorder | (popularly known as alcoholism) alcohol use marked by tolerance, withdrawal, and a drive to continue problematic use. |
| Barbiturates | drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment |
| Opiates | opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety. |
| Stimulants | drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, and Ecstasy) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions. |
| Nicotine | a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco. |
| Cocaine | a powerful and addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant; produces temporarily increased alertness and euphoria. |
| Amphetamines | drugs, such as methamphetamine, that stimulate neural activity, causing accelerated body functions and associated energy and mood changes. |
| Methamphetamine | a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with accelerated body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels. |
| Ecstasy (MDMA) | a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. Produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short-term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition. |
| Hallucinogens | psychedelic ("mind-manifesting") drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input. |
| Near-Death Experience | an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations. |
| LSD | a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid (lysergic acid diethylamide). |
| THC | the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations. |