Stress and drug abuse.The Brain Connection You are about to take a test. The coach is announcing who made the team. Your best friend is mad at you. Most people find such situations stressful. Stress can be defined as an emotional or physical demand or strain (a "stressor") that causes your body to release powerful neurochemicals and hormones. These changes help your body gear up to respond to the stressor. Your blood-sugar levels and blood pressure rise; your heart beats Discography Track listing # Title 1. I'll Be Over You 3:46 2. Tokyo 3:14 3. Hey (I've Been Feeling Kind Of Lonely) 3:06 4. Only Wanna Be With You 3:54 5. Play It For The Girls 3:30 6. Blue 3:12 7. Purest Delight 3:02 8. faster; your muscles tense. There are different levels of stress: Short-term stress can cause uncomfortable physical reactions, but can also help you to focus. Long-term stress--such as stress caused by illness, divorce, or the death of a loved one--can lead to serious health problems. Traumatic events--such as natural disasters, violence, and terrorism--can cause post-traumatic mess disorder (PTSD PTSD posttraumatic stress disorder. PTSD abbr. posttraumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ), a serious illness. Brain research now indicates that people exposed to stress are more likely to abuse alcohol or other drugs, or to relapse to drug addiction drug addiction or chemical dependency Physical and/or psychological dependency on a psychoactive (mind-altering) substance (e.g., alcohol, narcotics, nicotine), defined as continued use despite knowing that the substance causes harm. . Read on to get important facts about this connection. How Your Body Responds to Stress Your body's central nervous, endocrine endocrine /en·do·crine/ (en´do-krin, en´do-krin) 1. secreting internally. 2. pertaining to internal secretions; hormonal. See also under system. en·do·crine adj. , immune, and cardiovascular systems cardiovascular system: see circulatory system. cardiovascular system System of vessels that convey blood to and from tissues throughout the body, bringing nutrients and oxygen and removing wastes and carbon dioxide. are involved in responding to stress. The physical responses can vary: Short-term responses can cause a racing heart, sweaty sweat·y adj. sweat·i·er, sweat·i·est 1. Covered with or smelling of sweat. 2. Causing sweat: a sweaty job. palms, and a pounding head. Long-term responses can cause back pain, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, and an inability to make decisions. Constant stress floods the body with stress hormones Stress hormones such as cortisol and norepinephrine are released at periods of high stress. The hormone regulating system is known as the endocrine system. Cortisol is believed to affect the metabolic system and norepinephrine is believed to play a role in ADHD , which can increase the risk of serious health problems. The hormone that initiates the body's response to stress, CRF CRF abbr. chronic renal failure CRF Chronic renal failure , is found throughout the brain. Drugs of abuse also stimulate release of CRF. See the diagram to the right for how this works. Myth vs. Reality Myth 1: Drug abuse is harmful, but it does relieve stress. Reality: Some drugs of abuse affect your brain the same way stress does. Longterm abuse of drugs makes users more sensitive to everyday stress than non-users. Myth 2: All stress is bad for you. Reality: Stress can help you deal with tough situations. It can also be associated with positive changes, such as a new job. However, long-term stress can lead to physical and emotional health problems. Myth 3: Everyone deals with stress in the same way. Reality: People deal with stress in different ways. How you deal with stress determines how it affects your body. LATEST RESEARCH NIDA NIDA National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA National Institute of Dramatic Arts (Australia) NIDA Northern Ireland Development Agency (UK) NIDA Northern Ireland Dairy Association researchers have found the following connections between stress and drug abuse: * Stress can cause changes in the brain like those caused by addictive drugs. This suggests that some people who experience stress may be more vulnerable to drug addiction or drug relapse. * Those who become addicted ad·dict·ed adj. 1. Physiologically or psychologically dependent on a habit-forming substance. 2. Compulsively or habitually involved in a practice or behavior, such as gambling. to drugs may already be hypersensitive hy·per·sen·si·tive adj. Responding excessively to the stimulus of a foreign agent, such as an allergen; abnormally sensitive. hy to stress. * Long-term potentiation In neuroscience, long-term potentiation (LTP) is the long-lasting improvement in communication between two neurons that results from stimulating them simultaneously. (LTP LTP Long Term Potentiation LTP Local Transport Plan LTP Laptop LTP Linux Test Project LTP Liturgy Training Publications LTP Long Term Prediction LTP Last Traded Price LTP Learning Technologies Project (NASA) LTP Long Term Plan ) is a key brain mechanism involved in memory and learning. Researchers have shown that LTP is involved in how both drug exposure and stress affect the brain. * Stress can put people at risk for substance abuse. * Scientists have uncovered a rise in substance abuse among people in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. neighborhoods affected by 9/11, which raises new questions about the public health effects of traumatic events A traumatic event is an event that is or may be a cause of trauma. The term may refer to one of the followiong:
For more information, visit: www.scholastic.com/headsup and http://teens.drugabuse.gov. Managing Stress Anyone can learn to manage stress, but it does take practice. Here are some practical tips: * Take care of yourself. Healthy foods, exercise, and enough sleep really do make you feel better and better able to cope! * Focus To keep from feeling overwhelmed, concentrate on challenges one at a time. * Keep calm Step away from an argument or confrontation by taking a deep breath. Go for a walk or do some other physical activity. * Move on. If you don't achieve something you were trying for, practice and prepare for the next time. Or check out some other activity. * Talk about it. Talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to an understanding listener who remains calm can be very helpful. "We all must develop healthy ways to manage stress, and avoid turning to drugs or other substances to escape stressful realities." Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director National Institute on Drug Abuse The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a United States federal-government research institute whose mission is to "lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. Stressing Out? Read what some teens have said causes them stress: "Between my job, homework, responsibilities at home, and studying for my SATs, it's easy to feel stressed out and overwhelmed." --Female, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. "Having struggled with eating disorders eating disorders, in psychology, disorders in eating patterns that comprise four categories: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, rumination disorder, and pica. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation to avoid obesity. for many years, I finally realize that I make comparisons and let the appearance/discussions of my peers sometimes alter my own body image." --Female, Chicago Physical Appearance: "Television and movies influence the physical appearance and style of most teens ... the most important influence comes from the opposite sex." --Male, Los Angeles Stress and Drug Abuse Dear Teacher: As a teacher you see students under stress every day--from pressures of over-scheduling to worries about how to fit in. This month's Heads Up article from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Scholastic provides students with information to help them make smart choices when they feel overwhelmed. In the article they'll find science-based facts about stress, information about the connections between stress and drug abuse, and practical suggestions for handling stress. The Lesson Plan and Activity Reproducible that follow are designed to help students understand this important information. Thank you for working with NIDA to bring the facts about stress and drug abuse to your students. Sincerely, Nora D. Volkow, M.D. Director of NIDA Lesson Plan & Reproducible Preparation: Before the lesson, make two photocopies of the Student Activity Reproducible for a pre- and post-lesson quiz. OBJECTIVE Students will understand and reinforce their knowledge of how stress affects the body, how drugs impact the body's response to stress, and how stress and drug abuse are related. NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS The National Science Education Standards (NSES) are a set of guidelines for the science education in primary and secondary schools in the United States, as established by the National Research Council in 1996. Life Science; Science in Personal and Social Perspectives WHAT YOU WILL DO * Introduce the topic of stress by asking students about stress they experience in their daily lives. Briefly discuss their responses. What are some ways (positive and negative) that teens respond to stress? Record student responses. * Distribute copies of the Student Activity Reproducible. Tell students to write their name on the paper and answer the questions. * Have students read the article "Stress and Drug Abuse" in their magazine. When they have finished, begin a discussion by asking, What are some ways that the body reacts to stress? What are some connections between drugs of abuse and stress? What has some of the latest scientific research revealed about stress and drugs? * After the discussion, have students complete the Student Activity Reproducible again. When they have finished, reveal the correct answers to the reproducible. * Wrap up the lesson by asking students, How would you respond to a friend who says, "I know that using drugs reduces stress"? What are some healthy ways that you can reduce stress? * For further student reading, visit www.scholastic.com/headsup for: "Drug Addiction and Stress: The Brain Connection" and "Scientists Find a Connection between 9/11 and Substance Abuse." ANSWERS TO REPRODUCIBLE: l. e; 2. e; 3. e; 4. e; 5. c; 6. d; 7. a; 8. a; 9. b; 10. a What Do You Know About Stress and Drug Abuse? Answer the questions below to find out what you know about stress and its connection to drug abuse. 1. Short-term physical responses to stress include: a. a faster heart rate. b. sweaty palms. c. a pounding head. d. tense muscles. e. all of the above. 2. Long-term physical responses to stress include: a. back pain. b. high blood pressure. c. sleeplessness. d. an inability to make decisions. e. all of the above. 3. Drugs of abuse increase levels of the hormone CRF in the brain. The function of CRF is to: a. control breathing. b. control movement of arms and legs. c. initiate the body's response to stress. d. stimulate digestion. 4. Stress affects which of these body systems? a. central nervous b. endocrine c. immune d. cardiovascular e. all of the above 5. Which of the following statements is true? a. All stress is bad for you. b. Using illicit drugs illicit drug Street drug, see there reduces stress. c. Anyone can learn to manage stress. d. Everyone deals with stress in the same way. 6. If a friend is stressed out, a good suggestion you might offer would be to: a. eat healthy foods, exercise, and get enough sleep. b. talk openly to an understanding listener who will remain calm. c. focus on one problem at a time. d. all of the above. 7. The "stress hormone cycle" involves the release of hormones from: a. the brain, the pituitary gland pituitary gland, small oval endocrine gland that lies at the base of the brain. It is sometimes called the master gland of the body because all the other endocrine glands depend on its secretions for stimulation (see endocrine system). , and the adrenal glands Adrenal glands The two glands that are located on top of the kidneys. These glands secrete several hormones, including the glucocorticoids which, among other things, influence the way the immune system works, and the mineralocorticoids, which affect retention of . b. only the adrenal glands. c. only the brain and the pituitary gland. d. only the brain. 8. Stress can cause brain changes similar to those caused by drug addiction. a. title b. false 9. Drug abuse is harmful, but it does relieve stress. a. true b. false 10. Stress is thought to be a cause of relapse to drug addiction. a. true b. false |
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