COURSE CONTENT
There are eleven lessons in the course covering -
1. Introduction: A history of the use and misuse of drugs in society
- Scope and nature of drugs; legal and illegal
- Amphetamine
- Cocaine
- Crack
- LSD
- Ritalin
- Steroids
- How heroin is used
- Medical consequences of chronic heroin abuse
- Names used for heroin
2. Effects of drugs on the individual and society
- Community acceptance
- Terminology
- Why people use drugs
- Addiction; how drugs work in the brain
- Central nervous system
- Physiological and psychological effects of drugs
- Alcohol effects
- Sedative effects
- Stimulant effects
- Hallucinogenics
- Psychological effects of drugs
3. Legally restricted drugs: Stimulants and narcotics
- Stimulants
- Symptoms of abuse
- How cocaine is abused
- How does cocaine effect the brain
- What adverse effects does cocaine have on health
- Added danger; cocaethylene
- Treatment options
- Scope of cocaine abuse
- Narcotics
- Abuse symptoms
- Forms and dangers
- Designer drugs
- Ecstasy pill
4. Legally restricted drugs: Hallucinogens and marijuana
- Effects of hallucinogens
- Symptoms of abuse
- LSD
- Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder
- Marijuana
- Effects of marijuana on the brain
- Symptoms of abuse, forms of marijuana and dangers
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
- Symptoms of abuse, forms of PCP and dangers
5. Legally restricted drugs: Steroids
- Steroids
- Symptoms of abuse, forms of steroids and dangers
6. Legal drugs: Alcohol
- Symptoms of abuse and dangers with alcohol
- Alcoholism
- Staying in control with alcohol
- Alcohol amnestic syndrome (Korsakoff's syndrome)
- Treating Korsakoff’s syndrome)
- Alcohol and the developing brain
7. Legal drugs: Tobacco, caffeine and solvents
- Nicotine addiction
- Effects of nicotine on the circulatory system
- Caffeine
- Caffeine addiction
- Solvents (volatile solvent abuse): symptoms and dangers
8. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs
- Prescription drugs (Over the counter or OTC)
- Groups of prescription drugs
- Misuse of OTC drugs
- Opioids
- Treatments for opioid addiction
- CNS depressants
- Stimulants
- Stimulant abuse and treatment for stimulant addiction
9. Sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs
- Anti-anxiety drugs
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Depressants
- Rohypnol
10. Prescription drugs for schizophrenia and affective disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Onset of schizophrenia
- Symptoms of schizophrenia
- Treatment for schizophrenia
- Anti-psychotic drugs
- Patient support system
- Depression
- Depressive disorders
- Type of depression
- Unipolar disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Causes of depression
- Anti-depressants
11. Treatment and preventative education
- Drug addiction
- Behavioural and psychosocial treatments for drug addiction
- Treatments for heroin addiction
- Behavioural therapies for heroin addiction
- Detoxification
AIMS
- Understand the origins and changes in drug use in society;
- Identify patterns of drug-taking behaviour;
- Identify social, psychological and physical consequences of drug-taking on the individual;
- Understand the effects of stimulants and narcotics on the individual;
- Understand the effects of hallucinogens and marijuana on the individual;
- Understand the effects of anabolic steroids on the individual;
- Determine health and behavioural outcomes of alcohol use and misuse;
- Determine health and behavioural outcomes of nicotine, caffeine and solvent use and misuse;
- Understand the effects of the major categories of OTC drugs and prescription regulations;
- Understand the effects of sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs on the brain and behaviour;
- Understand the effects of different types of anti-psychotic and anti-depressant drugs on the brain and behaviour;
- Describe different methods of treatment and prevention of drug-abuse and to discuss ways of educating the public as to the outcomes of taking drugs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Study Psychopharmacology?
Psychopharmacology is the study of how drugs affect a person’s behaviour, brain and their mental state. Psychopharmacology also looks at ways to treat and support people who have problems with drug addiction.
Many people today use drugs and medication. Drugs can be legal and illegal. All drugs have an impact upon a person’s behaviour and/or health, and many have side effects.
Who is this course useful for?
- Struggles with drug addiction themselves.
- Lives with someone with drug problems.
- Works or supports people with drug problems. For example, counsellors, pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, hospitality workers, welfare workers, psychologists, teachers, youth workers etc.
What Will You Learn From the Psychopharmacology Course?
During the course you will learn –
- How drugs and other substances affect the brain and behaviour.
- Side effects.
- The long- and short-term impact of taking drugs.
- The impact of drug use on both the individual and society in general.
- Illegal drug use, over the counter and prescription drug use, everyday drugs like alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.
- Hallucinogens, hypnotics, stimulants, anti-depressants.
- Illegal drugs, such as marijuana and heroin.
- Drugs found in everyday consumables, such as caffeine and alcohol.
- Dependency and ways to overcome dependency.
- And more.
The course will give you an understanding of psychopharmacology and the impact of drugs on behaviour.
Ready to Enrol? Any Questions?
The course will increase your knowledge of the relationship between the brain, drugs and behaviour. It is useful for anyone supporting/working with people with problems with drugs and the impact on their behaviour.
You can enrol today by clicking the “Enrol Now” button above.
Or
Click here to Contact a Psychology Tutor.
Or Request a Prospectus Here.