Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - ananxietydisorderassociatedwithserioustraumaticevents andrecurrentthoughtsandimages. PTSD develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. The person who develops PTSD may have been the one who was harmed, the harm may have happened to a loved one, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that happened to loved ones or strangers.
John Snow
Martyr Complex - in psychology, a person who has a martyr complex, sometimes associated with the term victim complex, desires the feeling of being a martyr for his/her own sake, seeking out suffering or persecution because it feeds a psychological need. In some cases, this results from the belief that the martyr has been singled out for persecution because of exceptional ability or integrity. Other martyr complexes involve wilful suffering in the name of love or duty.
Tyrion Lannister
''I'm not a fighter, I'm a bleeder''
Small Man Syndrome - a populartermfortheinferioritycomplexthatshortmeninsocietyarecommonlyassumedtopossess,whichcausesthem, atleastpertheory, toovercompensatebytryingharderthanmenofaverageheightinlife’sactivities.
Nothing some lemon cake won't sort out.
Sansa Stark The Masochist - a personwhoobtainsaprimaryorsecondarygainfromtoleratingmentalabusefromthoseinhisorhercircleofcontact. The word masochistic is now commonly used to describe personality traits in an emotional, rather than sexual sense.
Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg (Giant) Marfan Syndrome - a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue. People with Marfan tend to be unusually tall, with long limbs and long, thin fingers. In most cases, Marfan syndrome is passed down through families (inherited). However, up to 30% of patients have no family history, which is called "sporadic." In sporadic cases, the syndrome is believed to be caused by a new gene change.
''Couldn't give a monkeys mate''
Joffrey Baratheon Anti Social Personality Disorder - a type of chronic mental condition in which a person's ways of thinking, perceiving situations and relating to others are dysfunctional - and destructive. People with antisocial personality disorder typically have no regard for right and wrong and often disregard the rights, wishes and feelings of others. Those with antisocial personality disorder tend to antagonize, manipulate or treat others either harshly or with callous indifference. They may often violate the law, landing in frequent trouble, yet they show no guilt or remorse.
Reek The Cataleptic - a body's persistence in unusual postures, with waxy rigidity of the limbs, mutism, and complete inactivity, regardless of outside stimuli.
He's available for children's parties too.
Ser Gregor Clegane The Sadist - someone who enjoys inflicting pain on others; a sadist is all about hurting others, usually to get off sexually. However, this word is about more than sex. Anyone who is mean and enjoys it, like a bully, could be considered a sadist. The word sadistic is now commonly used to describe personality traits in an emotional, rather than sexual sense. Oh Mountain, you're going to be so annoyed when we explain all these jokes later.
Samwell Tarley The Obese - excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. I've seen less bloated men dredged out of rivers. Forget about White Walkers and sealing the tunnel, it's time to plug up Tarley's top-hole.
''Wat ye fookin say about me curls Snow?''
Ser Alliser Thorne
The Narcissist - an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. Those with narcissistic personality disorder believe that they're superior to others and have little regard for other people's feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
''Not to be technical brother, but according to Pycell's
chemistry - alcohol is a solution''
Cersei Lannister Alcoholism - a chronic disorder marked by excessive and usually compulsive drinking of alcohol leading to psychological and physical dependence or addiction. Forget about the simple Lannister cousin and his beetle smashing, it's the grape apocalypse that's more concerning. I think it's time to put the plug in the jug.
Anyone for bitty?
Robin Arryn Oedipus Complex - a child's positive libidinal feelings toward the parent of the opposite sex and hostile or jealous feelings toward the parent of the same sex that develop usually between the ages of three and six and that may be a source of adult personality disorder when unresolved - used especially of the male child.
''Twerkin' ye say?''
Grand Maester Pycelle The Malingerer - fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders for a variety of "secondary gain" motives, especially inordertoshirkone'sduty,avoidwork,etc.
She seems vexed...and yet she looked
so relaxed in the bath this morning?
Jorah Mormont Obsessive love - a hypothetical state in which one person feels an overwhelming obsessive desire to possess another person toward whom they feel a strong attraction, with an inability to accept failure or rejection.
Always. Always. Wear a helmet.
Oberyn Martell The Sex Addict - ''Make sure you f**ked your fill before that day.''
The gene pool could do with a little chlorine
Lysa Arryn
Delusional Jealousy- a person with this delusion falsely believes that a spouse or lover is having an affair, with no proof to back up their claim.Othello Syndrome is a type of delusional jealousy, marked by suspecting a faithful partner of infidelity, with accompanying jealousy, attempts at monitoring and control, and sometimes violence. The problem is named for Shakespeare’s Othello, who murdered his beautiful wife Desdemona because he believed her unfaithful.
Hodor's date night was heating up.
Bran Stark The Psychotic - an abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality".
Tywin Lannister The Megalomaniac - ruthless, ambitious, amoral and the lustorcravingforpower. An arrow hurts just the same whether it's on the Iron Throne or the porcelain throne.
Drogon The Pyromaniac - amaniaforfire setting.
Podrick Payne Casanova - What happened in that room?
Walder Frey The Wedding Crasher Back stabber Bastard [insert your own]
''It's sweaty balls up in here...''
Varys Castration Complex - I suppose?
The armour discretely covered
her 'Who's the man' tattoo
Brienne of Tarth Masculinity Complex - looks as though she could punch a train unconscious. Enough said.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ''Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.''
~ George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
Psychosis is a mental health problem that can stop the person from thinking clearly, telling the difference between reality and their imagination, and acting in a normal way.
Morpheus: What is "real"? How do you define "real"?
It is a loss of contact with reality that usually includes delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are false beliefs about what is taking place or who one is, such as thinking that someone is plotting against you or that the TV is sending you secret messages. Hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that is not there.
Neo: What did she tell you?
Morpheus: That I would find the One.
Signs of Psychosis
The early stage of psychosis is marked by a difficulty in concentrating, depressed mood, sleep changes - sleeping too much or not enough, anxiety, suspiciousness, withdrawal from family and friends and on-going unusual thoughts and beliefs. While the later stages involve being confused and having impaired reality testing; that is, people are unable to distinguish personal, subjective experiences from the reality of the external world. This can progress onto delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech (switching topics erratically), difficulty functioning, depression and even suicidal thoughts or actions.
Morpheus: I see it in your eyes. You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he is expecting to wake up. Ironically, that's not far from the truth.
Causes:
A Psychoactive Aetiology?
A number of medical problems can cause psychosis, including:
- Alcohol and certain illegal drugs (or blue and red pills?)
- Brain diseases, such as Parkinson's
- Huntington's disease, and certain chromosomal disorders
- Brain tumours or cysts
- Dementia (including Alzheimer's disease)
- HIV and other infections that affect the brain
- Some prescription drugs, such as steroids and stimulants
- Some types of epilepsy
- Stroke
Symptoms:
Psychotic symptoms may include: disorganized thought and speech, false beliefs that are not based in reality (delusions), especially unfounded fear or suspicion, and thoughts that "jump" between unrelated topics (disordered thinking).
Neo: I thought it wasn't real
Morpheus: Your mind makes it real
Exams and tests:
Psychiatric evaluation and testing are used to diagnose the cause of the psychosis. Laboratory testing and brain scans may not be needed, but sometimes can help pinpoint the diagnosis. The type of tests may include; blood tests for abnormal electrolyte and hormone levels, blood tests for syphilis and other infections, drug screens, and sometimes an MRI of the brain.
''Yeah...ehmm...sorry about that''
Possible Complications:
Psychosis can prevent people from functioning normally and caring for themselves. If the condition is left untreated, people can sometimes harm themselves or others (or Trinity).
Morpheus: You've been living in a dream world, Neo.
''Your 50 minutes are up young man''
Treatment often depends on the cause of the psychosis. It might involve drugs to control symptoms and talk therapy, which can help address the underlying cause of the psychosis.
For example the talking therapy cognitive behavioural therapy has proved successful in helping people with schizophrenia. Hospitalization is an option for serious cases where a person might be dangerous to himself or others.
''Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions'' ~ Agent Brown
Social support should also be addressed, so as to help support the person with psychosis, who may have social needs such as education, employment or accommodation.
Agent Smith: It seems that you've been living two lives. One life, you're Thomas A. Anderson, program writer for a respectable software company. You have a social security number, pay your taxes, and you... help your landlady carry out her garbage. The other life is lived in computers, where you go by the hacker alias "Neo" and are guilty of virtually every computer crime we have a law for. One of these lives has a future, and one of them does not.
''The need to prove who you are will vanish once you know who you are''
~ Pierre
Similar to Parkinson's Disease and Schizophrenia, dopamine levels are thought to be too high during psychosis, or better, there is a 'functional excess' of dopamine in the person's brain. This can affect memory, emotion, social behaviour
and self-awareness.
Bizarre delusions are often experienced during psychosis.
Examples of psychotic delusions include the paranoid type - more likely to be associated with schizophrenia - and delusions of grandeur.
''Sure ye do''
Delusions of grandeur: clearly false but strongly held beliefs in having a special power or authority - the person with psychosis may, as examples, believe that they are a world leader, very rich, that they are able to bring dead people back to life, or that they can control the weather.
While the classic hallmarks of psychosis are hallucination and delusion, other symptoms persist in disorders such as schizophrenia - known as negative symptoms. That is, cognitive and motivational impairments, which can be disabling and do not respond to drug treatment.
I think he saw me...
Paranoid delusions: these may cause the person with psychosis to be undulysuspicious of individuals or organisations, believing them to be plotting to cause them harm. Such delusions can be very frightening and may result in unusual behaviour to avoid things - for example, staying out of a room with certain devices in it, believing them to be controlling thoughts, or locking up the front door with an excessive number of padlocks.
Similar to Eric Bui and colleagues examining Borderline Personality Disorder and Darth Vader (2010), it is interesting to compare a disorder with something relevant, in an attempt to try and identify with it. While one is the work of fiction and the other a real life debilitating disorder, slight overlap can be seen and the crude comparisons hopefully elucidate the disorder a little.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Freudenreich O, Weiss AP, Goff DC. Psychosis and schizophrenia. In: Stern TA, Rosenbaum JF, Fava M, Biederman J, Rauch SL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2008:chap 28.
Katherine Darton, Mind. Psychotic experiences. London, UK: Mind, 2011. Information published online, accessed November 21st, 2013.
MedlinePlus. Psychosis. Bethesda, MA, US: National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
NHS Choices. Causes of psychosis. London, UK: National Health Service.
Van Os J, Kapur S. Schizophrenia. The Lancet, 2009, volume 374, number 9690, pages 635-645 (DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60995-8).
WHO. Chapter V: Mental and behavioural disorders. In: International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10). Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2010.
Antipsychotic medication (or neuroleptics) are an effective treatment for people with schizophrenia. In 1952, Henri Laborit, a surgeon in Paris, was looking for a way to reduce surgical shock in his patients. Much of the shock came from the anaesthesia, and if he could find a way to use less, his patients could recover quicker. He knew that shock was a result of certain brain chemicals so he looked for a chemical to counteract these.
His administration of a drug called Chlorpromazine had a marked effect on his patients. Previously restrained and often violent patients could now make contact with others and be left without supervision. It seemed to have a calming effect without sedating his patients. It was then trialled for a number of psychiatric disorders. Some being successful, however there were side effects and drawbacks to the drug which were revealed in the passing years.
Following the introduction of first-generation (typical) antipsychotics (FGAs) in the early 1950s, there was a radical change in the therapeutic regimens for schizophrenia.
But, as noted, it soon became apparent that these antipsychotics produced serious side effects including extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) - a distressing and debilitating movement disorder. The extrapyramidal system itself is a neural network that is part of the motor system.
Along with extrapyramidal symptoms, other side effects of FGAs included;
- Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), a rare, but life-threatening idiosyncratic reaction to the medication. The syndrome is characterised by muscle rigidity, fever and a sudden raised body temperature which can be fatal. Incidence rates range from 0.02 to 3%.
- Drowsiness, dry mouth, weight gain, constipation, depression.
To prevent EPS, second-generation (a-typical) antipsychotics were developed. These newer medications differed from FGAs primarily on the basis of their reduced risk of inducing EPS (Yamamoto & Inada, 2012).
Neuroleptics work via the blockade of dopamine receptors. Dopamine is one of several transmitters that act on the central nervous system, and numerous dopamine receptors have been found in the extrapyramidal system. Dopamine D2 receptors are those most strongly associated with the efficacy of antipsychotics.
Second-generation antipsychotics are effective against psychosis and, at therapeutic doses, seldom cause EPS. Their therapeutic effects are attributable to central antagonism of both serotonin and dopamine receptors, and also possibly to relatively loose binding to D2 receptors (Lehan, 2004).
Controversy still lingers over the efficacy of first and second generation antipsychotics. Second generation antipsychotics were seen as an advance in drug treatment 20 years ago when they were developed, as they had additional benefits and fewer adverse effects. However, the invention of second-generation drugs have been regarded by some as invention only, a clever manipulation by the drug industry for marketing purposes, and there is often selective publication of trials that can skew the evidence in favour of a drug preferred by the investigators. Leucht and colleagues (2008) compiled a meta-analysis titled, 'Second-generation versus first-generation antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia'. There were 150 trials examined. In 95 of them, the second-generation antipsychotic was compared with the high-potency first-generation antipsychotic Haloperidol. The use of Haloperidol showed a bias in favour of the second-generation drugs. Because this first-generation drug is likely to be associated with a high rate of EPS. They also avoided comparison with a medium-potency FGA, because these drugs are just as efficacious as the second-generation drug.
Antipsychotic drugs differ in their potencies and have a wide range of adverse effects, with nothing that clearly distinguishes the two groups. The only second-generation antipsychotic that is better than other drugs in resisting schizophrenia is clozapine. Nevertheless, it is argued that second-generation drugs have no special a-typical characteristics, that they are no more effective, do not improve specific symptoms, are less cost effective, and have no clearly different side effects than first-generation drugs (The Lancet, 2009).
Unlike the disruptions of mental tranquillity that disturb everyone from time to time, schizophrenic episodes represent a severe departure from normal mental functioning. The disorder has a distinctly biological character, suggesting that its fierce psychotic episodes reflect physiological alterations in normal brain function.
Schizophrenia is the diagnostic term for a family of severe mental disorders that involve psychotic features - a loss of contact with reality - and a widespread deterioration of the level of mental functioning affecting multiple psychological processes (Kandel, 1991). The disorder always involves delusions, hallucinations, or characteristic disturbances in the form of thought. By definition, schizophrenic disorders are relatively long lasting: brief, isolated psychotic episodes are not classified as schizophrenic. Schizophrenia, strictly defined, has an incidence of approximately 1 in 200.Rates of schizophrenia are generally similar from country to country - about 1 percent of the population. There are variations - but the variance is difficult to track due to differing measuring standards in many countries, etc. It is equally common in men and women.
Delusions are a major abnormality in the content of thought. Schizophrenic delusions - false beliefs about external reality - are often persecutory, as in the belief that a television newscaster is making fun of the viewing individual. Other typical delusions are more bizarre: The individual may believe that his or her thoughts are being broadcast so that everyone nearby can hear them, or that other people are inserting thoughts and their behaviour is controlled by others, perhaps by radio waves. Such delusional beliefs represent a marked failure in assessing reality.
Characteristic abnormalities in the form of thought also frequently occur. Most common is a loosening of associations , in which ideas shift from one topic to another in an apparently unrelated manner. When this is severe, speech becomes incoherent.
Hallucinations - perception without external stimulation of the sensory systems - are also characteristic of schizophrenia. Most hallucinations are auditory, involving voices that may make insulting statements or provide a continuing critical commentary on the individual's behaviour. Tactile and somatic hallucinations, such as the perception of snakes crawling inside the abdomen, also occur. However, visual hallucinations are less common.
The emotions of the schizophrenic patient are usually flattened or inappropriate. ''Flattened'' means a loss of emotional intensity: the patient speaks in a monotone, the face is expressionless, and the patient reports that normal feelings are no longer experienced. At other times, emotion may be present but is inappropriate to the circumstance.
The combination of symptoms leads to a gross distortion of the person's interactions with the real world. There is a deterioration in functioning, resulting in part from a preoccupation with internal thoughts and fantasies. In many cases, the acute active phase of florid schizophrenic symptoms persists for a prolonged period. It may be followed by a relative remission of symptoms, but a complete return to normal function is extremely unusual. In fact, such a recovery calls into question the original diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Despite the bizarre and florid nature of the schizophrenic symptoms, there is still considerable controversy as to the nature of the disorder. Many investigators believe that schizophrenia is not a single disease but forms a group of related psychotic disorders.
In schizophrenia, there seems to be an inheritable predisposition or susceptibility to the disorder. In the general population, the risk of schizophrenia is less than 1 percent. However, this risk is much greater for relatives of schizophrenics. The parents of a schizophrenic child have about a 5 percent risk of schizophrenia, the siblings of a schizophrenic have about a 10 percent risk, and the children of a schizophrenic parent have about a 14 percent chance of developing the disorder. If both parents are schizophrenic, the child has a risk factor of about 50 percent.
_________________________________________________________________ ''If you talk to God, you are praying; If God talks to you, you have schizophrenia.'' ~ Thomas Szasz
It is a fact of life that people have always altered their consciousness and future generations will continue to do so. Drugs are here to stay.
Drugs are a 350 billion dollar industry. Research published in the medical journal the Lancet in 2007, rates the following as the most dangerous drugs. The problem with rank ordering drugs by harm is that some of the drugs are used in combination, however, the following is the order of harm in which science sees 20 of the UK's most dangerous drugs. The ratings were based on the following three factors, 1. What the drug does to the person who takes it. 2. How addictive is the drug. 3. What are the consequences to society.
20) Khat (green leafed shrub): makes you feel alert and energised. It is not particularly addictive or harmful but excessive consumption can lead to insomnia, impotence and high blood pressure.
UK deaths per year: 0
Price: £4 a bunch
Alkyl Nitrite
19) Alkyl Nitrite: Legal drug. Street names: Poppers, Liquid Gold.
Delivers a short, sharp high and relaxes sphincter muscles. Sniffed straight from the bottle.
Street Price: £2-6 per bottle UK Users: 400,000 UK Deaths per year: 0 recorded
18) Ecstasy :
MDMA (methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine)
The second half of that word should be a red flag to anyone.
Class A drug.
MDMA
Street Names: E, Love drug, XTC, Hug Drug.
Street Price: £1-8 a pill
UK Users: 500,000
UK Deaths per year: 27
First synthesized in 1912 by Merck chemist Anton Köllisch. it was originally patented to control bleeding from wounds. But in the 1970's it was introduced illegally into the 'dance scene'. Its ranking massively conflicts with its reputation. Hospitals rarely deal with someone presenting with problems with ecstasy. Deaths are usually due to dehydration. It's a stimulant drug and can bring on mild hallucinations. It produces feelings of euphoria, enhanced sociability, empathy & energy and causes increases in body temperature and heart-rate. It affects NMDA Glutamate receptors, and once ingested, it causes the release of the chemical messengers serotonin within the brain which is responsible for regulating mood and memory.
''Most people who take it once, take it again''.
Experts weighing up all the available evidence had little doubt that ecstasy deserved to be no higher than no. 18. All drugs are harmful to a certain extent - even Aspirin, but in terms of the risk to the individual and society, it is nowhere near the other drugs on the list. Thus it seems that it may actually be in the wrong Class.
17) GHB (gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid) : Class C
Street Name: Liquid Ecstasy
Street Price: £5 per dose
UK Users: Not known
UK Deaths per year: 3
As a sedative, a small amount makes you happy, sensual and uninhibited. There are concerns about it being used in 'date-rape', but evidence is quite low, with few cases reporting GHB as being used (because you can smell it, it is not an easy drug to hide). The difference between GHB for 'a buzz' and a dose that can kill you is barely noticeable. When it is mixed with alcohol - it can be fatal.
Anabolic Steroids
16) Anabolic Steroids : Class C drug
Street Price: £20 for 100 tablets
UK Users: 42,000 in England & Wales
UK Deaths: per year: 0
It is used for muscle enhancing. Abuse can cause enormous amounts of damage to the individual - from becoming sterile, high risk of liver failure and even strokes or heart attacks. Further, it can lead to increased aggression and acts of violent behaviour, in what is sometimes termed as 'roid rage'.
Methylphenidate
15) Methylphenidate : Class B
The active ingredient in drugs such as Ritalin.
Street Name: Vitamin R
Street Price: £15 a hit
UK Users: 40,000
UK Deaths per year: 0 recorded
It is an effective treatment for ADHD sufferers. Used by around 40,000 prescription users. When used illegally, the tablets are crushed and snorted for a quick high. It's a powerful stimulant and abuse can lead to vomiting, convulsions, tremors and delirium.
14) LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) : Class A
Street Names: Lucy, Trips, Paper Mushrooms
Street Price: £1-5 per tab
UK Users: 83,000
UK Deaths per year: No recently recorded deaths
It used to be a prescription drug. Initially developed as a circulatory and respiratory stimulant in the 1930's. Then in a 15 year period beginning in the 1950's, it was prescribed as a psychiatric treatment to over 40,000 schizophrenic patients worldwide. In the 1960's it was taken up by the army who tested it on their troops to see if it could be used in battle to incapacitate the enemy (see below) . Later that decade, LSD leaked out into the recreational market which panicked the establishment and was made an illegal class A drug.
LSD first acts on the brain's serotonin system, the part of the brain responsible for feelings of well-being. It subsequently acts on the pre-frontal cortex which processes some of our uniquely human abstract thoughts. It also seems to reduce communication between different brain areas, leading to a loss of inhibitions and an ability to open up, and the complex neurological effects can result in powerful hallucinations.
Many experts today believe the dangers of LSD are more faction than fact. It's physiologically non-toxic. No one has ever died of an overdose - true one or two people in the 1960's may have jumped out of windows, but that has become a myth ingrained in history.
13) 4MTA (4-Methylthioamphetamine) : Class A drug.
A man-made drug created to sell purely on the street
as an alternative to ecstasy and is relatively new to the UK.
Street Names: Flat-liner, Golden Eagle.
Street Price: £1-8
UK Users: Unknown
UK Deaths per year: 0 recorded
''33 times more powerful than ecstasy''
It's dangers lie in that even though it is a stimulant, it does not produce the euphoric high that ecstasy does. So users take more of it thinking it hasn't worked which can lead to overdose.
12) Solvents : Legal
From glue, to paint, to aerosols
UK Users: 30,000
UK Deaths per year: 50-60 (including first time users)
A lot more dangerous than people realise. The misuse of solvents is widespread. They can be inhaled so they get into the lungs very quickly. Many have toxic chemicals and can have a very toxic effect on the heart. Somewhere between 5 and 20 children per year die of the heart stopping after solvent inhalation.
Scientists placed a mixture of legal and illegal drugs in the bottom half of the chart. But at number 11 they reached a crucial turning point with the U.K's most commonly used illegal drug.
11) Cannabis:Class B
Street Names: Dope, Hash
Street Price: £40-140 per ounce
UK Users: 3 million
UK Deaths per year: 1
When smoked, it hits the brain almost immediately affecting cannabinoid receptors present everywhere in the brain. Small doses lead to euphoria, relaxation, and pain relief. With high doses it can bring on paranoia and short term memory loss. It can also lead to some form of dependency and more recently linked to lung cancer.
Some scientists have explored long term use and psychosis. The THC in cannabis may be linked to psychotic behaviour. This compound is being used to see if it can recreate similar symptoms in healthy volunteers to those suffered by schizophrenics. Schizophrenia is a psychiatric illness in which patients will experience a range of bizarre phenomenon, such as delusions (e.g. that some agency is out to get them) and with subjects often hearing voices.
''For young people it's catastrophic to include into the diet, psychoactive drugs - their brains are still developing and no where near mature'' ~ Marsden, J.
10) Buprenorphine : Class C opiate
Street Names: Subbies, Temmies
Street Price: £2 a dose
UK Users: Unknown
UK Deaths per year: 2
It is normally used for severe pain and as a treatment for heroin dependency (used as an injectable pain killer and when taken orally it can block the effect of heroin). It is used illegally because of its euphoric and hallucinogenic effects. Without medical guidance, it is highly addictive and being a strong opiate - it can very easily lead to an overdose.
9) Tobacco :
Price: €9+ per pack
UK Users: 10 million+
UK Deaths per year: 114,000
The most deadly drug in the UK. It kills one fifth of the population and reduces life expectancy on average by 10 years. It causes 40% of all hospital illnesses and it is one of the most addictive drugs available - and yet it remains legal.
Smoking alone kills more than drugs, alcohol, HIV, suicide, homicide and car crashes combined. Approximately 1 in 3 lifelong smokers will die from smoking. Probably the most addictive substance there is.
The reinforcing
actions of nicotine are very similar to those of cocaine and amphetamine. However,
the psychopharmacological and behavioural actions of nicotine appear to be much
more subtle than those of cocaine.
Dependence on
nicotine causes a withdrawal syndrome characterized by craving and agitation,
reminiscent of but less severe than that experienced by a stimulant abuser in
withdrawal.
Cigarettes today are so common that they're molded into the fabric of our daily life.
Instead of the
longer and much more intense euphoria of cocaine, the pleasure of nicotine is a
desirable but small boost in the sensation of pleasure ("minirush"),
followed by a slow decline until the nicotinic receptors switch back on and the
smoker takes the next puff or smokes the next cigarette.
8) Amphetamine : Class B
Street Names: Speed, Whizz, Dexies, Billys.
Street Price: £8-12 a wrap.
UK Users: 430,000 UK Deaths per year: 35
As a stimulant, it can make the user feel more energetic and confident. When abused, they can become incredibly addictive. As tolerance builds up - consumption increases, leading to paranoia and depression; and with heavy use bringing on panic attacks and violent mood swings.
7) Benzodiazepine : e.g. Valium
Street Names : Benzos, Downers
Street Prices : £1
UK Users: 100,000
UK Deaths per year: 406
They are minor tranquilisers, used for treating anxiety under prescription along with insomnia and seizures. After a few months they can cause dependence and side effects. When illegally abused, they can lead to memory loss, nausea, anxiety and depression. Consumed with alcohol, they are often fatal.
Withdrawal from Benzos is analogous to the withdrawal of heroin. It should not be taken casually.
6) Ketamine : Class C
Street Names: Special K, Vitamin K
Street Prices: £30+ per gram
UK Users: 100,000
UK Deaths per year: 1 recorded
Normally used as a horse tranquilizer, it has very strong pain killing effects - but has become illegally popular because it is a strong hallucinogen. It looks like cocaine and is snorted similarly. Effects include; numbness, altering reality, and dissociation from your surroundings.
It falls into 6th place on this list because in high doses it results in heart failure and even stopped breathing. It's particularly dangerous if it is mixed with any depressant drugs including alcohol. Prolonged use can lead to psychological dependence and psychosis.
5) Alcohol : Legal
Price: £1+
UK Users: 40 million (2 thirds of UK population)
UK Deaths per year: 40,000
More harmful than ecstasy, LSD, tobacco, 5 Class A's and 11 illegal drugs. Something which kills more people than all of the illegal drugs on this list combined. And which is nevertheless used by the majority of the UK population. Around since the earliest days of civilization, alcohol is the biggest public health problem faced today. There are currently over 180,000 alcohol related hospital admissions each year and deaths have nearly doubled in the past decade. Around 40% of Accident and Emergency admissions are down to alcohol and the cost to the NHS is up to £1.7 billion per year and yet the drinking continues.
Another US study attributed over half of all fatal car accidents, homicides and suicides to occur under the influence of alcohol.
It is the only drug that we actively encourage people to use, which we under-price, sell aggressively and yet we pick up the consequences and damage all the time.
Alcohol is a sedative and it's effects are seen on the brain in five minutes. It affects several neurotransmitters, including GABA and also dopamine, which is found in large quantities in the brains reward pathway. Stimulation of this system not only causes pleasure but also gives alcohol its addictive qualities. Alcohol also acts as a depressant and at low doses removes inhibitions making the person more sociable and talkative. As doses increase, speech begins to slur, it effects coordination, and can bring on nausea and vomiting. Long term use can lead to damage of the heart, liver, and stomach.
If alcohol was invented today, it would certainly have a lot more sanctions on it than it currently has. It probably would be even classified up to an A level.
Alcohol can ruin relationships, jeopardise health, and pretty much put your dreams on hold.
4) Street Methadone : Class A
Street Names: The Precious, Slime, Green.
Street Price: £10 per 100ml
UK Users: 33,000 illegal users
UK Deaths per year: 295
''A drug solution to a drug problem'' ~ Loose, R.
An opiate drug similar to heroin, but ''less addictive''. Prescribed medically, it reduces the withdrawal effects of heroin and tends to lead to a reduction in heroin use. A very small amount for someone who is not used to taking it can be fatal. Because there is no rush like heroin, when you take it you can overdose easily without ever feeling high.
80% of people presenting to methadone clinics in Ireland are already Hepatitis C positive ~ Crown, 2013
3) Barbiturates : Class B
Street Names: Pink Ladies, Red Devils
Street Price: £1-2 per tablet
UK Users: Unknown
UK Deaths per year: 20
It used to be prescribed for depression, anxiety and insomnia. When used illicitly, it can make the user feel relaxed, sociable and good humoured. The problem with barbiturates and the reason they place high on the list - if you take an overdose, you are very likely to die. The small difference between a normal dose and an overdose makes them a highly dangerous drug. If you take an overdose of barbiturates, it'd be like taking an overdose of alcohol - they both work on the same parts of the brain to stop you breathing. They're so dangerous that their medical use has dramatically reduced. Nowadays they are only prescribed to treat very severe insomnia.
2) Cocaine : Class A
Street Names: Charlie, Coke, Base
Street Price: £30+ (Powder) / £10+ (Crack Rock)
UK Users: 780,000 in England and Wales alone
UK Deaths per year: 214 recorded deaths
A stimulant drug often associated with glamour, money, and fame. The two kinds of cocaine: the powder form which is snorted and also the rock form 'crack cocaine', which is a smokeable version. 'Crack' delivers a more intense high but for a shorter period of time. It has a 'mainlining' effect and it goes straight to the brain, where it affects the reuptake of dopamine. The most intense high comes from inhaling the cocaine vapour, either by 'freebasing' (heating cocaine with flammable solvents like ether), or using crack; pre-packaged, rock-like chunks of cocaine freebase.
During the 1980's, the use of crack sky-rocketed. It's cheaper, more readily available and provides a high that too many find irresistible. Unlike heroin and methamphetamine, powder cocaine users neither fall into a stupor nor hallucinate. While cocaine that is snorted reaches the brain in 3 to 4 minutes, smoking cocaine provides the fastest and most intense high. It only takes about 8 seconds for the drug to be absorbed into the brain from the lungs. The result: a euphoric state so intense that patients often describe it in sexual terms.
A subjective
experience that may follow the euphoria is a sense of "crashing," characterized
by craving more cocaine and accompanied by agitation and anxiety, giving way to
fatigue, depression, exhaustion, hypersomnolence, and hyperphagia. After
several days, if another dose of cocaine is not taken, the chronic abuser may experience
other signs of withdrawal, including anergy, decreased interest, anhedonia, and
increased cocaine craving.
1) Heroin : Class A
Street Names: Gear, Smack, Brown, Skag
Street Price: £10-20 a bag
UK Users: 300,000
UK Deaths per year: 700
If your homeless, in and out of prison, no job, numerous problems in your life - then heroin use makes absolute sense. Because it's a pain killer, it wraps people in a bubble where the pain of life can't get to you.
Rated the most harmful drug. Either injected or smoked, heroin is used both as a pain killer and as a recreational drug. It works on the reward pathway, which is why it is intensely habit forming. Withdrawal from cocaine may be more psychological, but with heroin withdrawal is extremely physical.
The thoughts of withdrawal is what poisons the outlook of the opiate addict.
When injected it can produce a fast and strong feeling of euphoria, which is akin to an orgasm. It affects Opioid receptors in the brain. One dose can last from 1 to 3 hours. As it effects the part of the brain that controls breathing, an overdose can be fatal.
''It is a drug that has a very fierce dependence liability, once created, the sense of heroin dependence is very difficult to shift'' ~ Marsden, J.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ''Whether you sniff it, smoke it, eat it, or shove it up your ass, the result is the same: addiction'' ~ William S. Burroughs
John Snow
Robin Arryn 
