The history of psychopharmacology has included a lot of *oops*; a substance is used and thought to do one thing, only to find out it does something completely different. I find it interesting how many substances are used by humans before we fully understand how they work, and the potential risks of use. Sometimes the discovered effects are beneficial, but more often they have negative and dangerous side effects. Some of the most dangerous drugs of today, such as cocaine, amphetamines, and opiates, started off in the most common, legal, and accessible products. Cocaine Cocaine is one of the oldest natural stimulations and while it is now considered to be one of the most potent and dangerous drugs, it certainly did not begin with that reputation. …show more content…
Weight loss, nausea, aggression, insomnia, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, increased blood pressure, strokes, cardiovascular collapse, organ damage, memory loss, and even death are some of the many dangerous side effects (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2018)! The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates almost 500 metric tons of amphetamine are used by 24.7 million people a year. In 2005, almost 4,000 people died due to methamphetamine overdose in the US. According to the United Nations World Drug Report, methamphetamine was the most abused hard drug in the world the following year (History.com, …show more content…
In 1874, an English chemist, named Alder Wright, synthesized heroin from morphine. This was viewed as a safe morphine substitute and was eventually marketed as a cough and cold medicine for children. It resulted in a dramatic escalation of heroin addiction in the United States and western Europe. In 1914, the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act, the same that made cocaine illegal, put restricting regulations on sales and use of opium products. And in 1924, the Anti-Heroin Act was passed, making it illegal to import or sell heroin. However, it is still used recreationally and leads to many
Basically, serotonin levels will provide various benefits regarded to health and mental. It is also called feel good chemical which will apply benefits to both biological and psychological functions. Most of this supplement’s application is found primarily in digestive tract and blood plates. Only small amount of this supplement will be served for its purpose in central nervous systems and brains. If users says that they are in way to achieve serotonin levels, then it is clearly understood that the small percentage will exists in the brain. It is capable of delivering various benefits regarding to mental function and maintenance of serotonin levels of the brain. The neurotransmitter has various things to do
Before the mid 1900’s the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act was formed to tax those making, importing or selling any derivative of opium or coca leaves. In the 1920s, doctors became aware of the highly addictive nature of opioids and started to avoid treating patients with them (Center, 2004). In 1924 heroin became illegal. However according to a history published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2003, anesthesiologists opened "nerve block clinics" in the 1950s and 1960s to manage pain without having to resort to surgery (Meldrum, 2003). This push for treating pain without surgery was a major factor in the opioid epidemic we see today. In 2008 the overdose death rate was almost four times the rate in 1999, and the sales of prescription pain relievers in 2010 were four times higher than in 1999 (Paulozzi et al, 2011). The substance use disorder treatment admission rate is also greater than in 1999, with it having been six times higher in 2009. Chasing Heroin’s claims surrounding the fear of prescribing pain medications is accurate as you see an increase in public policies surrounding opiate use in the early 1900’s. The climbing rates of overdose deaths and the increased amount of people seeking addiction treatment suggests that the fear of prescription opiates was
Attention Material: Cocaine is mostly known as an illegal drug, but very few truly acknowledge it for its medical purposes and fully understand its history in the country. Cocaine is a tropane ester alkaloid ,which is extracted from the leaves of the coca (Erythroxylon coca) plant (Clayton, 1996). Cocaine is considered the most powerful and most dangerous drug of natural origin. Cocaine is illegal in the United States and is classified under the Schedule II medication which is contained in the Controlled Substance Act of the United States Constitution.
Cocaine (C17H21NO4) comes from the leaf of an Erythroxylon coca bush. It is a drug that effects the central nervous system. It causes feelings of euphoria, pleasure, increased energy and alertness. People under the influence of cocaine often do not feel the need for food or sleep. They also feel energetic and may talk a lot. However, depending on factors such as environment, dosage, and the manner in which the drug is taken, cocaine can have adverse effects such as violent, erratic behavior, dizziness, paranoia, insomnia, convulsions, and heart failure to name a few. Long- term effects of cocaine include, but are not limited to strokes, heart attacks, seizures, loss of memory, and decrease in learning capability (1).
Amphetamines also known as “speed” or “ice” Typically includes positively prescribed subjective effects such as an increased state of arousal, euphoria, increased energy and talkativeness, but also negative emotions including anxiety, paranoia or auditory and visual hallucinations. We do see that there could be beneficial and negative effects from this drug relatively speaking, but why do we classify amphetamines as harmful or harmless? Does the end outweigh the means? Let us look at a few scenarios.
Drug use and abuse is as old as mankind itself. Human beings have always had a desire to eat or drink substances that make them feel relaxed, stimulated, or euphoric. Wine was used at least from the time of the early Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and medicinal use of marijuana has been dated to 2737 B.C. in China. But it was not until the nineteenth century that the active substances in drugs were extracted. There was a time in history when some of these newly discovered substances, such as morphine, laudanum, cocaine, were completely unregulated and prescribed freely by physicians for a wide variety of ailments.
Heroin was originally synthesized in 1874 by a man named C.R Alder Wright. Created as a solution to opium, a drug that had plagued many American households. It was originally produced for medical purposes evidently becoming highly addictive. Heroin “... was originally marketed as a non-addictive substance” (“History of Addiction”) which inevitably increased its popularity. It became especially popular in places of poverty. Heroin became a solution to struggle. So common it was almost as if heroin was a prescribed medicine for hardship. Known as “[a] treatment of many illnesses and pain” (“A brief history of addiction”) but later revealed that it caused more harm than good. Being so easily accessible it became immensely common among musicians.
Many people avoid the use of crack because of the harmful chemicals used in creating the drug. One of the reasons why crack became popular is because of not needing to inject the drug hence less risks of being infected by the AIDS virus. Carroll (2000) states cocaine is the most powerful stimulant of natural origin. Most users snort or inject the drug to enable a quicker “high.” Cocaine use brings on many health problems.
Methamphetamines (Meth) has also increased especially in the west. It is a powerful stimulant which increases alertness and decreases appetite. It also shares many of the same effects as cocaine such as heart attacks and strokes. Withdrawal from meth can cause depression, abdominal cramps, and increased appetite. The long-term effects of meth can include paranoia, hallucinations, destruction of teeth, and heart damage.
...007). When used excessively for a prolonged amount of time it cause mental imbalances leading to paranoia, aggression, depression, and amphetamine psychosis. Long term use commonly leads to cardiovascular side effects such as high blood pressure, weakened blood vessels, heart anthemia’s, constricted blood vessels and heart disease (Kapadia, 2012).
What is cocaine? Cocaine is a powerful and highly addictive (due to the way it functions) stimulant that is considered one of the deadliest drugs to date. When someone intakes this substance, it results in euphoric emotions, adding on to why it is deemed highly addictive. Cocaine overdose occurs when a person ingests enough of the drug to result in fatal side effects, normally ending with death. In 2011, just over half a million of the drug-related visits to emergency rooms were due to cocaine, and in 2014, more than 5,000 people died from cocaine overdosages. Aside from these facts, there are many other factors that can be addressed when thinking about cocaine abuse.
When first introduced to the world, Heroin was made as a non-addictive substitute to morphine, which proved to be the opposite of the intended cause. (Deeney) Used as a cough suppressant and the non-addictive substitute, it was first tested on dogs and rabbits. Causing slower respiratory action slowing, and heart function was diminished and almost seen as abnormal due to the heartbeat. Heroin was seen to be much more addictive than Morphine itself. This caused the government to control the sale and distribution, making it illegal outside of the government's k...
Psychopharmacology, one division of biopsychology, is an especially interesting field as it delves into the ways in which drugs are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and the effects they may have on mood, cognition or behavior in both humans and animals. Researchers in this division of psychology are most interested in a wide range of drug classes such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and stimulants. Drugs are researched for their pharmaceutical properties, physical and psychological side effects. In the field of psychopharmacology, clinical studies are very specific. These studies usually begin with animal testing and end with human testing. After the completion of testing, the drug being researched, is proposed to the FDA and is either introduced commercially via a prescription or placed over the counter for sale (Correll, Kratochvil, & March, 2011). This paper will focus on many of the antipsychotics and antidepressants currently being used on the market and the numerous studies that have been done with these drugs using rat research. Of particular interest is Abilify™ (aripiprazole), which is currently being used a booster to many anti-depressant drugs. Interest lies in whether Abilify™ can be used alone and whether its’ efficacy will still have similar results when treating depression.
Amphetamines are typically used to provide the same effect that pure adrenaline does. The drug is specified for people with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity as well as narcolepsy, although if you decide to abuse the drug and use it for recreational purposes you may start to feel paranoia and nervousness. Using amphetamines can also put a strain on the circulatory system by causing the user's blood pressure to increase suddenly. (Amphetamine) Long term psychological effects of the drug can cause something called amphetamine psychosis which is much like paranoid schizophrenia. This could lead towards hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and obsessions. (Amphetamine)
Mental health refers to the state of individuals psychologically, emotionally and socially. Mental health affects a person’s emotions, feelings, thoughts, and sections when exposed to different situations. Furthermore, mental health is responsible for a person’s reaction to stress and other social conditions. Generally, mental health affects how a person relates to others and their ability to understand and interact with them. Therefore, problems that affect a person’s mental health affect the abilities to socialize, their feelings, moods, reaction to situations. The person experiencing mental health problem may portray different behaviors when confronted with different issues. Mental health issues have several