PSY100H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Papaver Somniferum, Psychopharmacology, Charvel
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PSY100H1 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
7/10 leading causes of disability in the us either involves disorders/mental illnesses that drugs are commonly used to treat or involve alcohol or other drug use disorders. Psychopharmacology is the discipline that attempts to systematically study the effects of drugs on behaviour, cognitive functioning, and emotions. Psychoactive/psychotropic drugs are drugs that alter behaviour, cognitive functioning and emotions. They are chemicals that induce psychological effects by altering the normal biochemical reactions that take place in the nervous system. Derived from greek pharmakos which meant scapegoat a pharmakos was a person that was sacrificed as a remedy. Around 600 bc it began to refer to medicine, drug or poison. Have been using drugs to alter moods for thousands of years. Cannabis, opium poppies, rauwolfia (himalayas), coca leaf, tea. Numerous other plants containing caffeine or similar-acting substances have been used in ancient cultures of mexico, Except caffeine, the most common psychoactive substance used around the world today is alcohol.
