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Essay Subject: Recreational usage. Harmful effects re: fetal metabolism & memory. Uses for creativity & sex.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Recreational usage. Harmful effects re: fetal metabolism & memory. Uses for creativity & sex. Paper Introduction: Inhalants that are employed recreationally include nitrous oxide and ethyl ether, both of which have been so used for over a century, as well as more recent additions such as antifreeze, paint thinner, and toluene and other industrial solvents. All of these inhalants produce a large number of harmful effects including memory loss and irreversible neurological damage. Other recreational inhalants are butyl nitrite and amyl nitrate (also known as poppers) which have the effect of dilating blood vessels and are sometimes inhaled as a means of intensifying and prolonging sexual orgasm. Inhalation is particularly popular form of ingesting drugs of abuse because "the more rapidly the drug reaches the brain, the more intense the effect" (Leavitt, 1995, p. 37). Other abused drugs such as nicotine, opium, phencyclidine (PCP), crack cocaine, and marijuana are also Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Inhalants that are employed recreationally include nitrous oxide andethyl ether, both of which have been so used for over a century, as well asmore recent additions such as antifreeze, paint thinner, and toluene andother industrial solvents. ReferenceLeavitt, F. Other abused drugs such asnicotine, opium, phencyclidine (PCP), crack cocaine, and marijuana are alsoinhaled. Users of the drug have reported that it creates very temporaryfeelings of "intensity and sheer abandonment" (quoted in Leavitt, 1995, p.363). Though such use does not seem to be dangerous it is contraindicatedin people with cardiovascular difficulties. Thus it seems likely that teenaged users ofinhalants such as toluene employ the drug for some of the principal reasonsfor drug abuse cited by Leavitt: the reduction of negative affect (relieffrom boredom, anxiety, tension, depression or sadness); or social cohesion(peer pressure, widespread use among age cohort, facilitation of socialrelations). Other recreational inhalants are butyl nitrite and amyl nitrate(also known as poppers) which have the effect of dilating blood vessels andare sometimes inhaled as a means of intensifying and prolonging sexualorgasm. Many drugs exertthe same effects on the fetus as on the mother and the "so-called placentalbarrier" does not protect against some drugs which can either be "directlytoxic to the fetus [or] interfere with fetal metabolism" (p. The research on the subject is, however, verylimited. 318). 374).But neither the "economic compulsive model" nor the "systemic model" of therelationship between drugs and violence would seem to involve users ofhousehold products such as glues, cements, or spray paints which arereadily available and inexpensive. Inhalation is particularly popular form of ingesting drugs ofabuse because "the more rapidly the drug reaches the brain, the moreintense the effect" (Leavitt, 1995, p. Leavitt cites no effects on sleep deriving from the abuse ofinhalants, although the loss of consciousness that follows the abuse ofsome inhalants, such as nitrous oxide, is, like "hypnotic-induced sleep,abnormal" (p. Memory is one of the functions most affected by inhalant abuse.Short-term memory loss and impaired cognitive functioning are typical ofusers of inhalants that include "glues, cements, paint thinners, spraypaints, cleaning fluids, typewriter correction fluid, and gasoline"(Leavitt, 1995, p. Leavitt does, however, cite the commonassociation of antisocial personality disorder (which is characterized byviolent behavior) with drug taking, and adolescent inhalant abusers mayinclude many such individuals. All of these inhalants produce a large numberof harmful effects including memory loss and irreversible neurologicaldamage. (1995). 318). The effects of inhaling this group of drugs are pleasurable enoughthat nonhuman primates have been found to "self-administer toluene"(Leavitt, 1995, p. 39 ). The intoxicating ingredient in most of theseproducts is toluene, which is also abused in its pure form. Researchers compared birth records of a number ofopiate- and amphetamine-addicted subjects and their non-addicted siblingsand found that "mothers had received significantly more opiates,barbiturates, and nitrous oxide within 1 hours of birth of the futureaddicts than of their siblings" (p. The use ofthese substances, especially toluene-based intoxicants, may, however, makeadolescent users particularly vulnerable to "violent predators" (p. 156). Leavitt cites no specific relationship between the abuse of inhalantsand violence (nor does he include any description of the general effectsand behaviors of those who employ toluene-type inhalants). Inhalants are among the drugs most commonly abused by unmarriedpregnant adolescents and studies have shown that, as with other drugs ofabuse, on learning that they were pregnant these women often "reduced butdid not discontinue drug use" (Leavitt, 1995, p. James had beenunable to record the illuminating experiences prior to losing consciousnessor to remember them on awakening. When he finally managed to record histhoughts prior to unconsciousness he found when he awoke that his brilliantwords made up nothing more than a rhyming nonsense poem. 3rd ed. Users have also reported sharpdrops in blood pressure or intense headaches. The experience of the philosopher and psychologist WilliamJames, who believed that he was undergoing mystical experiences whiletaking the drug seemed to put an end to such speculation. 37). As a vasodilator amyl nitrite is often used during sexual relations. 55). Since toluene abuse appears to occur mainly among adolescents,who have considerably less control over their environments than adults,psychotherapists might choose either the learning model or the self-medication model as a starting point for eliminating the habit rather thanthe social model. The decision to use such adisorienting drug may also, however, be a case of turning to the drug as ameans of compensating for some other "psychological deficit" and treatmentwould, therefore, need to focus on the underlying psychopathology of theindividual abuser. Researchers inthe 198 s, however, experimented with the administration of oxygen combinedwith nitrous oxide. 159).Inhalants commonly produce neurological damage which may be especiallyharmful to the developing child. When inhaled prior to orgasm the drug intensifies and prolongs theexperience. 2 4). Among inhalants only nitrous oxide has been held to enhancecreativity. Nitrous oxide also figured in verysuggestive studies of the effect of extremely early parental antecedentdrug use on children. This finding notonly seems to have implications for creativity but, since cognitive blockscan also be bars to psychotherapeutic change, for counseling andpsychotherapy as well. Drugs and behavior. Excessive use of such drugs might deprive theindividual of proper sleep. 334). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Yet the social model, with its emphasis on peerinfluences, may also be important since desire for social cohesion may playan important role in the use of the drug. Aside from citing the loss of short-term memory and neurologicaldamage Leavitt does not specify what the "many harmful effects" caused byall of these inhalants are (p. In an experiment, in which a control groups receivedonly oxygen, it was found that subjects who received nitrous oxide, whenasked to solve a series of water jar problems, "were much more sensitive tothe set breaking problem and switched problem-solving strategies morequickly and with fewer errors" (Leavitt, 1995, p. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.