Classification of Drugs

• Nonpsychoactive drugs: Substances that in normal doses do not directly

affect the brain.
• Such as vitamins, antibiotics, and topical skin preparations.

• Psychoactive drugs affect brain functions, mood, and behavior.

• Subdivided primarily on the basis of physiological and psychological
effects.
Psychoactive Drug Classification

Watch this video for your exam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLcZFjsdyVQ
Psychoactive Drug Classification

Drugs Examples
Narcotic analgesics Painkillers and designer drugs
Central nervous system Sedative hypnotics, alcohol, tranquilizers, and
depressants barbiturates
Central nervous system Amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine, and caffeine
stimulants
Hallucinogens LSD and mescaline
Cannabis sativa Marijuana and hashish
Inhalants Volatile solvents
The DSM-5-TR recognizes substance-related disorders resulting from the use of 10 separate
classes of drugs:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Cannabis
• Hallucinogens
• Inhalants
• Opioids
• Sedatives Hypnotics, or anxiolytics
• Stimulants (cocaine)
• Stimulants (amphetamine-type substances, and other stimulants)
• Tobacco
• Other or unspecified
Major Effects of Narcotic Analgesics

• Pain relief.
• Euphoria.
• Cough suppressant.
• Respiratory depression.
• Sedation or drowsiness.
• Constriction of the pupils.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Itching and decrease in gastrointestinal activity.
Narcotic Analgesics

• Users may inject narcotics intravenously, subcutaneously, or deep within

the muscle.
• Hazard: Overdose and risk of disease from sharing dirty needles.
• Tolerance: Develops rapidly depending on the route of administration.
• Withdrawal symptoms: Appetite suppression, nausea and vomiting,
dilated pupils, gooseflesh, restlessness, chills, and irritability.
Narcotic Analgesics Classification

Natural Opioids Synthetic Semisynthetic Antagonistic

Morphine Demerol Dilaudid Narcan
Codeine Meperidine Percodan Naloxone
Opium NA Talwin NA
Central Nervous System Depressants:

• Sedative, Hypnotic and Anxiolytic drugs in DSM 5TR

• Alcohol
Central Nervous System Depressants: Alcohol 1

• Toxic drug with irritating and sedative properties.

• Effects.
• Amnesia, permanent loss of memory, and mental confusion.
• Pain and loss of sensation in legs and dimmed vision.
• Gastritis, esophagitis, peptic ulcer, and pancreatitis.
• Dilated peripheral blood vessels and emphysema.

• Energy drinks (E D) are potentially fatal when mixed with alcohol.

Central Nervous System Depressants: Alcohol 2

• Tolerance develops with frequent use.

• Withdrawal symptoms: Psychomotor agitation in stage 1 and
hallucinations in stage 2.
• Related illnesses: Premature deaths, vitamin deficiencies, and sexual
impotence.
• Fetal alcohol syndrome: Alcohol use and abuse by pregnant women.
Central Nervous System Depressants: Barbiturates & benzodiazepines

• Barbiturates have been more stringently controlled in the United States, and benzodiazepines are more frequently abused because
of perceived greater safety.
• Relatively small doses may cause drowsiness, motor impairment and impaired judgement. Accident risk is greatest in the first
weeks of benzodiazepine use. Intoxication, stupor, coma and respiratory depression are more common with barbiturates.

• Withdrawal involves autonomic overactivity, tremor, insomnia, psychomotor agitation or anxiety, hallucinations and convulsions
after hours to days of abstinence.
Central Nervous System Depressants: Barbiturates

• Induce sleep and reduce pre-menstrual tension and motion sickness.

• At higher doses, reduce the individual’s ability to react quickly and
perform precise tasks.
• Withdrawal symptoms: Physical weakness, dizziness, anxiety, and
hallucinations.
• Methaqualone: One of several nonbarbiturates that have barbiturate-like
effects.
Tranquilizers

• Used for treatment of tension, insomnia, behavioral excitement, and

anxiety.
• Taken orally as tablets, capsules, or liquids.
• Effects: Drowsiness, disorientation and confusion, lethargy, and rage
reactions.
• Withdrawal symptoms: Tremors, rapid pulse, fever, loss of appetite,
nausea, and vomiting.
Classification of Minor Tranquilizers (Antianxiety Agents)

Benzodiazepines Meprobamate Sedating Antihistamines

Valium (diazepam) Equanil Atarax, Vistaril (hydroyzine)
Librium Miltown Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
(chlordiazepoxide)
Serax (oxazepam) NA Sleep-Eze, Sominex, Nytol
Tranxene (chlorazepate) NA NA
Ativan (lorazepam) NA NA
Xanax (alprazolam) NA NA
Halcion (triazolam) NA NA
Classification of Major Tranquilizers (Antipsychotic Agents)

Phenothiazines Butyrophenones Thioxanthenes Other

Thorazine Haldol Navane Serpasil
(chlorpromazine) (haloperidol) (thiothixene) (reserpine)
Mellaril Taractan Moban
(thioridazine NA (chlorprothixene) (molindone
hydrochloride)
Stelazine
(trifluoperazine) NA NA NA
Compazine NA NA Loxitane
(prochlorperazine)
Trailafon NA NA NA
(perphenazine)
Prolixin NA NA NA
(fluphenazine)
Central Nervous System Stimulants: Amphetamines

• Prescribed for obesity, depression, and narcolepsy.

• Taken orally or injected intravenously.
• Effects: Relieves sleepiness, decreases fatigue and boredom, agitation,
confusion, and anxiety.
• Withdrawal symptoms: Fatigue, brain wave abnormalities, prolonged
sleep, dehydration, and weight loss.
• Ephedrine is a substitute.
Classification of Stimulants

Amphetamines Cocaine Other Stimulants

(Benzoylmethylecognine)
Benzedrine Ritalin (methylphenidate)
(amphetamine) NA
Preludin (phenmetrazine)
Dexedrine Tenuate (diethylpropion)
NA
(dextroamphetamine) I N H (isoniazid)
Methedrine, Desoxyn Coffee, colas, tea (caffeine)
NA
(methamphetamine) Tobacco (nicotine)
Central Nervous System Stimulants: Cocaine

• Can be inhaled, injected, or smoked.

• Freebase cocaine is a smokable form of cocaine.
• Effects: Excitation, euphoria, depression, and anxiety.
• Kindling effect: Brain is sensitized to the effect of cocaine so that one
additional dose may trigger firing, leading to sudden death.
Cocaine Clinical Syndromes

Cocaine Euphoria Cocaine Dysphoria Cocaine Schizophreniform Psychosis

Euphoria Sadness Anhedonia (inability of feel pleasure
from what from what would have
normally given pleasure)
Affective lability Melancholia NA
Increased intellectual Apathy Disorientation
function
Hyperalertness Inability to concentrate Hallucinations
Hyperactivity Painful delusions Concern with minutia
Anorexia Anorexia Stereotyped Behavior
Insomnia Insomnia Paranoid delusions (parasitosis)
Hypersexuality NA Insomnia
Proneness to NA Proneness to violence
violence
Central Nervous System Stimulants: Tobacco

• Tobacco is the most widely abused drug.

• The numbers of tobacco-related deaths are far higher than those related to
alcohol or other drugs.

• Diseases related to smoking tobacco.

• Heart disease.
• Peripheral vascular disease.
• Cerebrovascular disease.
• Cancer.
• Chronic obstructive lung disease and colds.
Hallucinogens

• Capable of:
• Altering time and space perception.
• Changing feelings of self-awareness, emotion, and one’s sense of body
image.

• LSD, mescaline, psilocin, and so on.

• Ingested orally, smoked, snorted, or injected.

• Effects: Mood and perceptual alterations, mild anxiety, paranoia, or severe

panic.
Phencyclidine (PCP)

• Cannot be classified properly as a hallucinogen, a stimulant, or a

depressant.
• Smoked, ingested, or occasionally injected.
• Effects (similar to hallucinogen so together in DSM):
• Auditory, visual, time, and other sensory disturbances, loss of feeling, and
inability to feel pain.
• Withdrawal symptoms: Depression that can lead to relapse and suicide.
Cannabis

• Any product of the plant Cannabis sativa.

• Marijuana: Unprocessed, dried leaves, flowers, seeds, and stems of the

plant.
• Uses: Spasm relief, asthma relief, anxiety reduction, and relief of alcohol
withdrawal symptoms.
• Smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes, or joints.

• Hashish: Potent product processed from the resin of the herb.

Major Effects of Cannabis

• Intensification of thoughts and feelings.

• Feelings of exhilaration and relaxation.
• Minor increase in heart rate.
• Drowsiness, dry mouth and throat, and bloodshot eyes.
• Impaired short-term memory, attention, and cognitive processing
• Altered states of time and space.
• Dilated pupils.
• Slow reaction time
Effects of Chronic Use of Cannabis

• Strong psychological and physical dependence.

• Irritability, decreased appetite, restlessness, sleep disturbances, sweating,
nausea, or diarrhea.
• Anxiety and panic reactions.
• Damage to the respiratory system.
• Suppression of body’s immune response.
• Decrease in sperm motility and serum testosterone.
• Interference with the menstrual cycle.
• Lethargy, apathy, and a general lack of involvement and motivation in growth
and developmental activities.
• Impaired short-term memory and overall coordination and motor functioning.
Inhalants

• Use of solvents, aerosols, and other gases that people inhale to get high.
• Effects: Reduction of inhibitions, elevated mood, confusion, psycho-motor
retardation, gastritis, and peptic ulcers.
• Withdrawal symptoms: Hallucinations, headaches, chills, delirium
tremens, and stomach cramps.
• Can cause death
Classification of Inhalants

• A wide variety of names apply to inhaled substances.

• Many liquids also contain alcohol and petroleum distillates.

Name Substance
Naphtha Fluorocarbon propellants
Benzene Nitrous oxide
Acetone Amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite
Anesthetic gases (for example, ether and
Toluene
chloroform)
Carbon tetrachloride Gasoline
Signs and Symptoms of Inhalant Use

• Slurred speech.
• Odor of the substance being used.
• Mental disorientation or confusion.
• Headaches, dizziness, and weakness.
• Muscle spasms in the neck, chest, or lower extremities.
• Euphoria, exaggerated feeling of well-being.
• Loss of balance and ataxia (uncoordinated walk).
• Nystagmus (eye movement from side to side).