Brain Chemistry
These "chemical messengers" are part of normal brain functioning and are seriously affected by substance use.
What are Neurotransmitters?
Abuse of this substance can cause permanent brain damage and liver cirrhosis. It is also a leading cause of heart disease.
What is Alcohol?
Depending on the substance, ingesting drugs in this way can cause damage to the stomach, liver, kidneys, and other organs that deal with digestion.
What is swallowing?
Using just can't stop all sadness or pain; One thing it can do is damage your ______.
What is Brain?
The Only Safe Driving Limit for BAC (Blood Alcohol Content). Anything BAC above this level will impair your ability to drive.
What is .00%?
This chemical regulates mood but is most well known for enhancing pleasure and rewarding or reinforcing behavior.
What is Dopamine?
These substances can cause severe constipation and liver damage. It also damages the part of your brain that controls breathing, which can lead to a fatal build-up of fluid or CO2 in the lungs.
What are Opioids?
Ingesting substances in these two ways can severely damage lung capacity, leading to diseases like COPD and several types of cancer.
What are smoking and vaping?
Users will often steal, cheat, or fleece; this gives people reason to call the _________.
What is Police?
What is Kratom?
This chemical stabilizes mood and helps regulate emotions.
What is Serotonin?
Usually thought of as "harmless", this substance can cause problems for memory and physical coordination - especially when used by children, teens, and young adults. New research also links this substance to psychosis and psychotic episodes.
What is Marijuana?
Using substances in this way can lead to the collapse of major arteries and blood vessels. It can also expose you to HIV, Hepatitis, and other dangerous diseases.
What is intravenous injection?
Addiction hurts families and not just the users; Using can make them domestic ________.
What is "abusers"?
In the United States, the number of deaths caused by this have tripled since 1990.
What is a Drug Overdose?
This chemical is your brain's tranquilizer - slowing down the body's stress response. If unbalanced, can cause seizures.
What is GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric Acid)?
This Class of substances can cause irreversible brain damage and trigger paranoia or anxiety. They are most dangerous to the heart, causing arrhythmia, heart attacks, and strokes.
What are stimulants?
Ingesting substances via this olfactory organ can cause irreversible tissue damage called "necrosis", where the mucous membranes start to die and can even fall out of your body in chunks.
What is snorting?
Just as some horses are tied to a carriage; substance use problems might just end your ________.
What is marriage?
Worldwide, it is estimated that 1 in every 20 deaths is caused by or related to this one substance.
What is Alcohol?
The ability of neutral networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization.
What is Neuroplasticity?
This Class of substances is often used by doctors to treat anxiety or to help sleep. When abused, these can have the opposite effect and actually worsen anxiety or sleep problems, and cause irregular heart rate, muscle tension, nausea, vomiting, and seizures.
What are Benzodiazepines?
Similar to smoking and vaping, ingesting substances in this way can sometimes cause death on the first use. Brain damage is common, leading to hearing loss and neurocognitive decline similar to multiple sclerosis.
What is Inhaling?
Using and Illness have quite the relation; you might even hear it called "self-__________".
What is medication?
Derived from the Ancient Greek word for monster: "teras". Exposure to these can cause deformities in fetuses or even miscarriage. Even minimal substance use is one example.
What are Teratogens?