Module 2: Overview Chapters 1&2

The first two chapters of our text has taught me quite a few things. First, I did not know about all of the slang terms that are used for drugs. I was telling my 9 year old daughter about some of them and she had actually heard of some that I hadn't. Pretty scary! Second, I did not know that alcohol and tobacco killed so many more people a year than illicit drugs do. Third, I found it interesting that there have been studies showing that there can be a genetic link to addictions. It was interesting that even children that were adopted and not raised by alcoholics had the chance of becoming one because of the biological parents.

Here is a link to some of the slang terms that are used for drugs:
http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/slang/slang.shtml

And this one will show you what some of the commonly used drugs LOOK like:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-commonly-abused-drugs

I feel that I have put in the required amount of time that is needed for this class. I was able to get my assignments in on time. I felt that the feedback that was give was extremely helpful. I was not aware that I had not been making reference to the websites that the other students have been posting, only adding to their questions.

The three vocabulary words that I did not know prior to these chapters were structural analogs, floaters or chippers and sensation - seeking individuals. For the most part, I had heard of structural analogs and sensation-seeking individuals, but I had always referred to them by different names or did not know they had a name. I would just assume that when drugs were modified - that is what it was called, a modified drug not a structural analog. Same for sensation-seeking individuals. I would have always referred to them as thrill seekers. As for a floater or chipper, I did not know that there was such a thing. I would have thought that someone would be either a casual user or an addict, not fluctuate between the two.