Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Cirrhosis, Alcoholism, Depressant

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: L. Fazakas-Dehoog

Document Summary

Increases activity of gaba (inhibitory - shuts down activity in ns) Do and say things they don"t want to. Slow down vita; life processes (to the point of death) Most widely used drug in canada and us. Long term risks: alcoholism, cirrhosis, breast and other cancer, heart disease, brain atrophy, higher risk of suicide. Maladaptive pattern of use associated with clinically significant despair or distress. Includes physical dependence, tolerance, greater amounts over time and withdrawal. Depressant drugs (alcohol) causes you to be sleepy, drowsy, pain, addiction etc. To maintain internal balance body produces chemicals in opposite direction to restabalize. Decreasing responsiveness to a drug over time with repeated use. Adopted children with a biological alcoholic parent has a higher rate of alcoholism than adopted children with non alcoholic parents. Risk of dependence of a son/daughter is 4 times higher then general population. Children of alcoholics require higher levels of alcohol to produce similar effects of intoxication.