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DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

PY317: Psychology of Psychoactive Drugs. This course will examine a number of medicinal and recreational drugs that affect consciousness, including cocaine, morphine, LSD, marijuana, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. The course will include a description of the drugs, their pharmacological action and side effects. Psychological, physiological, and pharmacological theories of tolerance and addiction and drug treatment programs will also be covered.

PROFESSOR: Dr. Robert Dowman

OFFICE: 177 Science Center

PHONE: 268-3836

EMAIL: rdowman@.clarkson.edu

TEXTBOOKS: S. A. Maisto, M. Galizio, G.J. Connors Drugs: Use and Abuse, 3rd Edition, 1999; A. Weil, The Natural Mind, Houghton Mifflin, 1985.

EVALUATION:

HOURLY EXAM 1 ............. 26%

HOURLY EXAM 2 ............. 26%

FINAL ................................. 26%

PAPER ................................ 22%

PAPER: The paper will be a synopsis and critical review of Weil's book, The Natural Mind. You will provide a summary and critical appraisal of the major points, views and opinions on drug use presented in The Natural Mind. Your critical appraisal should be supported by information, theories, etc. presented in lecture, the text book, and if necessary, elsewhere. If the information you found contradicts Weil, which do you believe and why? Finally, you will also present your own personal view of recreational drug use, which you will justify using information presented in lecture, your textbook, and elsewhere. The paper should be a minimum of 10 pages (double spaced).

CLASS SCHEDULE :

Weeks 1&2 : Introduction, Chpt 1 (all), 2 (pp.35-41), & 5 (pp.91-97; pp. 102-113) Maisto, Galizio and Connors (MGC).

Week 3 : Pharmacology of Drug Action, Chpts 3 & 4 MGC.

Weeks 4-6 : Theories of Drug Use, Chpt 5 (pp. 91-107) MGC.

Week 7-8 : Stimulants, Chpt 6 MGC.

Week 9 : Opiates, Chpt 12 MGC.

Week 10 : Hallucinogens, Chpt 14 MGC.

Week 11 : Marijuana, Chpt 13 MGC.

Week 12 : Depressants, Chpt 10 MGC.

Week 13-14 : Alcohol, Chpt 9 MGC. Tobacco, Chpt 7 MGC.

Week 15 : Drug Treatment, Chpt 16 MGC; Drug Use, Prevention, and Alternatives. Chpt 17 MGC.

                                                             LECTURE OUTLINES

Weeks 1&2 : INTRODUCTION

Objective: To examine the relevance of studying the psychology of psychoactive drugs.

Reading: Chpts 1 (all), 2 (pp.35-41), & 5 (pp. 91-97; pp. 102-113) Maisto Galizio & Connors

Lecture Outline:

Why the interest in use of psychoactive drugs

What is the incidence of drug use/abuse/misuse

What problems arise from drug use/abuse/misuse

What steps does society take to deal with these problems

Gray areas: problems with identifying benefits/problems with drug use

Week 3 : PHARMACOLOGY OF DRUG ACTION

Objective: To understand how drugs affect the brain cells, and what parts of the brain (nervous system) are affected by psychoactive drugs, and how drugs reach the nervous system (routes of administrations).

Reading: Chpts 3 & 4 Maisto, Galizio, and Connors.

Lecture Outline:

How drugs gain access to the body (routes of administration).

What happens to the drugs once they are inside of the body

Body factors that affect drug action (responsible for some individual differences

How drugs are excreted (termination of effect)

Drug interactions, allergic reactions, and side effects

How drugs affect brain cells (neurons)

What parts of the brain are affected by psychoactive drugs.

Weeks 4-6 : THEORIES OF DRUG USE

Objective: Present theories explaining why people use drugs to alter their consciousness.

Reading: Chpt. 5 (pp.91-107) Maisto, Galizio & Connors.

Lecture Outline:

Weil's Drive To Get High (If its a drive, what is the adaptive value then?)

Biological changes/mechanisms of drug use

Biological mechanisms of tolerance, craving.

Psychological factors contributing to drug use

Sociological factors contributing to drug use

Week 7-8 : STIMULANTS

Objectives: Provide a description of the stimulant class of drugs, including physiological and psychological effects.

Reading: Chpt 6, Maisto, Galizio, Connors.

Lecture Outline:

Cocaine

*history/current use

*administration

*subjective effects

*pharmacology

*complications (social, economic and health)

Amphetamines

*history/current use

*administration

*subjective effects

*pharmacology

*complications (social, economic and health)

Caffeine

*history/current use

*administration

*subjective effects

*pharmacology

*complications (social, economic and health)

Week 9 : OPIATES

Objectives: Provide a description of the opiate class of drugs, including physiological and psychological effects.

Reading: Chpt 12 Maistio, Galizio and Connors.

Lecture Outline:

History

Current Use

Effects

-medicinal

-psychological

-pharmacological action

-side effects (physical and social)

Dependency, addiction and tolerance

Opiate addiction and treatment

-Detoxification

-methadone

-psychotherapy and therapeutic communities

Week 10 : HALLUCINOGENS

Objectives: Provide a description of the hallucinogenic class of drugs, including physiological and psychological effects.

Reading: Chpt 14 Maisto, Galizio, Connors.

Lecture Outline:

History:

-Religious use

-Witchcraft

-Hoffman's experiments with LSD

-Creativity

-Government use

-Psychotherapy

Current Use

-Leary and Alpert

Pharmacological Action

Psychological effects

Physiological effects

Health effects

Week 11 : MARIJUANA

Objectives: Provide a description of marijuana, including physiological and psychological effects.

Reading: Chpt 13, Maisto, Galizio, and Connors.

Lecture Outline:

History

-Middle east

-America

Sources, active ingredients

Ingestion

Pharmacology

Psychological effects

-Euphoria

-perception

-memory

-attention

-appetite

Harmful effects

-aggression and violence

-mental disturbances

-amotivational syndrome

-progression to other drugs

-respiration

Medical applications

-Glaucoma

-Nausea and vomiting

Week 12 : DEPRESSANTS

Objectives: Provide a description of the depressant class of drugs, including physiological and psychological effects.

Reading: Chapter 10, Maisto, Galizio, Connors.

Lecture Outline:

Barbiturates

-History

-Administration

-Psychological effects

-Medical uses

-Tolerance, addiction & withdrawal

Benzodiazepines

-Use

-Safety

-Popularity

-Psychological effects

-Performance effects

-Withdrawal, addiction, dependence

Week 13-14 : ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO

Objectives: Provide a description of alcohol, including physiological and psychological effects.

Reading: Alcohol: Chpt 9, Tobacco: Chpt 7 Maisto, Galizio, Connors

Lecture Outline:

Alcohol

Current usage

Pharmacology

Physiological and psychological effects

Medical complications

Alcoholism

-Biological theories

-Cultural theories

Alcohol and society

Tobacco, Chpt 7 MGC.

Week 15 : DRUG TREATMENT

Objectives: To provide an overview of addiction treatment programs, including their success rates, and discuss alternatives to drug use.

Reading: Chpts 16 and 17, Maisto, Galizio, Connors.

Lecture Outline:

Treatment

-defining drug problem/abuse

-treatments: drug therapy, self-help groups

Prevention

-goals of prevention programs

-targeting high risk groups

-programs

-role of parents and society

Acceptable drug use

Alternatives to drugs