Psychotropic Drugs -

Act on brain and effect its normal functioning slow down and interphere in the functioning of the nervous system.

These drugs alter behaviour, consciosness & power of perception.

They alter mood of a person, so are called mood-altering drugs.

Have visible effect on the behaviour of a person.

Impair the person's judgement.

They make a person increasingly dependent on them. Therefore, called as habit forming or addictive drugs.

Lend to both physical & mental addiction.

Certain terms related to habit forming drugs are -

• Tolerance.
• Drug abuse or drug addiction.
• Withdrawl symptoms.
• Emotional & psychological addiction.
• Physchological drug dependence.

1. Tolerance -

It means less response to a specific dose with repeated use.

2. Drug abuse -

It means after a drug has been taken for some time, it is very hard to give up its use. It is state of periodic & persistent urge. 

An addict shows following characters -

(i) A strong urge to take drug.

(ii) To get desired effect, increase the dose.

(iii) Physical & mental dependence on the drug.

3. Withdrawl symptoms -

When a drug is taken regularly for some time, 2 types of addictiction may occur - physical and emotional or psychological.

4. Physical addiction -

Body develops a need for the drug, when the drug suply is cut off, the body shows withdrawl symptoms are -

(i) Severe abdominal pain

(ii) Muscular cramps

(iii) Headache

(iv) Fever

(v) Watering of eyes & nose

(vi) Vomiting & pain in stomach

(vii) Sleeplessness, difficulty in breathing, irregular heart beat.

5. Emotional addiction -

It means a person has strong urge for the drug either for pleasure or to avoid the intense physical disturbance. If the drug is not given, the addict faces severe depression.