Psychoactive Drugs Can Have On An Individual s Brain

To fully understand the affects that psychoactive drugs can have on an individual’s brain, one has to first define the term, dissect the history and use, know what factors cause addiction, and what leads to drug dependency. What is a psychoactive drug? A psychoactive drug, psycho-pharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that changes brain function and results in alterations in perception, mood, or consciousness (drug, n.d). Typically the term drug alone can be seen or associated with a positive or negative view. For example, when an individual is under the weather suffering from cold-like symptoms, they may take cough syrup to aid them into recovery sooner. Whereas an individual who is perfectly healthy may take this same†¦show more content†¦Opioids have long been valued for their effect on the gastrointestinal system due their ability to quieting coughing (codeine) and counteracting diarrhea. One of the most popular forms of opium used today medically is morphine. Although opioids are the most effective medication in aiding chronic pain and many other issues, it has been given a bad rap as a very addictive substance when not monitored correctly or taken in moderation. What causes addiction? .No one single factor can determine why psychoactive drugs have a tendency to become addictive. On the contrary the more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking drugs will lead to abuse and addiction. Learned behavior such as classical learning is one factor that can lead to addiction and later abuse. Through classical conditioning one can pair the pleasure of addictive substances or activities with environmental cues. For example, suppose someone smokes a cigarette in their car after work. The enjoyment of smoking a cigarette forms a paired association with riding in the car, as well as the time frame after work. By repeatedly pairing cigarettes-with-car, and cigarettes-after-work, both the car and after-work will become cues to smoke cigarettes. Then these cues (getting into the car, getting off work) may create powerful cravings for nicotine. Another