Uppers
This was one of the main ingredients in Coca-Cola when it was first produced.
What is Cocaine?
This drug packs a double punch with multiple neurotransmitters, specifically GABA and Glutamate.
What is Alcohol?
Prolonged use of this substance can cause various physical ailments, including reduced years off lifespan, increased rate of heart attack, and reduced sexual function/penial girth.
What is Nicotine?
This empathogenic drug increases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, producing feelings of euphoria and emotional closeness.
What is MDMA/Ecstasy/Molly? (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)
This communication channel in the brain leads to feelings of euphoria, arousal, and motivation.
What is the Dopaminergic Pathway?
Stimulants can increase the levels of this chemical that help regulate alertness and focus to an artificial feeling of vigilance.
What is Norepinephrine?
This long-acting opioid antagonist is used to prevent relapse in people who have completed opioid detox, and is often administered monthly by injection or in a nasal spray.
What are Naltrexone(Vivitrol)/Naloxone?
Known to impair motor coordination and reaction time, especially in the cerebellum and basal ganglia, this plant affects driving and other skilled tasks.
What is Cannabis?
This psychedelic drug can cause synesthesia, where users report "hearing colors" or "seeing sounds," which can last up to 12-16 hours.
What is LSD?
This part of the brain is essential for forming, storing, and recalling memories.
What is the Hippocampus?
This drug is structurally similar to Dopamine, which plays a key role in attention, movement, and reward.
What is Methamphetamine?
This prescription drug enhances GABA, which is the brain’s primary inhibitory chemical and is responsible for their calming effect.
What are Benzodiazepines?
This 1970s law is used to classify substances into different Schedules, considering medical use and addictive properties.
What is the Controlled Substances Act?
This hallucinogen affects the brain's default mode network, often leading to ego dissolution and altered perception of self, which later showed to be helpful in treating severe cases of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
What is Psilocybin/Mushrooms?
The release of this neurotransmitter greatly contributes to its mood-enhancing effects.
What is Serotonin?
Adenosine is most activated by this stimulant, altering our sleep cycles to keep us awake and alert.
What is Caffeine?
These three substances are the only ones that have fatal withdrawals.
What are Alcohol, Benzodiazepines, Barbiturates?
This activity increases dopamine, norepinephrine, and endorphins, improving mood without substances, producing a "natural high."
What is Exercise?
Users of this drug often report experiencing "breakthrough" visions, including entities or alternate dimensions — all within 5 to 15 minutes.
What is DMT? (Dimethyltryptamine)
This area of the brain play a key role in decision-making, problem-solving, and impulse control, located right behind the forehead.
What is the Prefrontal Cortex?
One of the most common stimulant mental side effects. Leading into increased heart rate, body temperature, shortness of breath, tightening of the chest, and shakes.
What is Anxiety?
When smoked, snorted, or injected, this drug binds to the endogenous receptors (mu, delta, kappa) in brain and spinal cord to block pain signals and release a euphoric sensation. This drug is a central player in many overdose epidemics worldwide for its high potential for addiction.
What is Heroin?
Despite some drugs having similar effects in the brain and similar motivations for continued use, this phenomenon is often shaped by media, culture, race, and policy. This phenomenon influences how society treats users of certain drugs differently.
What is Stigma? (War on Drugs)
This drug is not a psychedelic but can feel like 4 drug experiences at once. Large dependence with grief and existential crises.
**Bonus points for the different types of experiences**
What is PCP?
**Drunk, High, Tripping, Sedated**
This network is active in the medial cingulate cortex and remains metabolically active, functioning with self-regulation, internal speak, and "daydreaming."
What is DMN?