Chocolate

It is common perception that chocolate is a mood elevator although some people

believe that it causes headaches and migraine. Though it is widely accepted that
chocolate affects our moods, the research on this is still in a fluid state. Every
contention is fiercely debated. We will discuss various ways that chocolate affects
our moods and emotions, according to the present set of beliefs.

Chocolate affects us both negatively and positively. Some people, when they are
sad or depressed, experience a craving for chocolate. On eating chocolate they
report that their mood is elevated and they feel better. This elevation in mood is
temporary though and when this effect wears off, they again revert to their previous
state of mind.

There are many health benefits that are attributed to chocolates. It is good for the
heart. It increases the responsiveness of blood vessels which is useful for preventing
heart disease. It also increases glucose tolerance. Chocolate also contains some
substances which have an anti oxidant effect. This is helpful in preventing cancer.

Chocolate is reported to cause headache, obesity, rectal itching, heart burn and
emotional problems like irritability, confusion, anger and depression.

Chocolate is rich in carbohydrates, which increase the rate with which tryptophan
enters the brain. This increases the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that
regulates moods, creating a good feeling.

The addictive property of chocolate is also well documented. This is evidenced by

the fact that some people, when trying to give up alcohol, depend on chocolate to
satisfy their cravings. This drug-like property is attributed to caffeine, anandamines,
phenylethylamine and magnesium that are present in chocolate. The presence of
caffeine and magnesium can contribute to a feeling of craving for chocolate.
Ananadmides affect the brain in a similar way to marijuana, though research in this
field is still debated.

There are more than 350 chemicals in chocolate. Some of these are believed to
cause allergic reactions. Some scientists believe that phenylethylamine and

theobromine could cause changes in moods. Phenylethylamine causes blood

pressure and blood sugar to rise. It generates a feeling of alertness and
contentment thus creating a feeling of well being. But, a short period of emotional
high is followed by a period of emotional low. Theobromine is found naturally in
cocoa and acts as an anti-depressant, but has been known to be toxic to animals.

Eating chocolate can also give rise to a feeling of anxiety. Phenylethylamine is said
to cause dilation of blood vessels in brain causing headaches. Though it is still
debatable whether phenylethylamine reaches the brain.

One ounce of chocolate contains 20 mg of caffeine. Researches on the effects of

caffeine have reported that caffeine can cause problems in sleep, restlessness,
irritability, heartburn and anxiety. Withdrawal from caffeine causes fatigue and
headaches.

Tyramine is another amino acid present in chocolate. Though it is not certain

whether any significant amount of tyramine reaches the brain, yet it is known that it
causes blood vessels to expand and contract causing dull headaches.

Women appear to crave chocolate more than men, including diabetics. Some
amongst these women reported that only chocolate and nothing else could satisfy
their craving. The presence of magnesium in chocolate can account for the fact that
during PMS (Post Menstrual Syndrome) craving for chocolate increases in women, as
during this period a deficiency of magnesium may arise.

With all this contradictory information on the effects of chocolate on mood, one has
to observe from one's experiences and decide whether chocolate is right for one.
But, certainly, large amounts of chocolate will effect us physically or emotionally
one way or another.

Cigarette

The biological factors involved in smoking relate to how the brain responds to
nicotine. When a person smokes, a dose of nicotine reaches the brain within about

ten seconds. At first, nicotine improves mood and concentration, decreases anger
and stress, relaxes muscles and reduces appetite.

Regular doses of nicotine lead to changes in the brain, which then lead to nicotine
withdrawal symptoms when the supply of nicotine decreases. Smoking temporarily
reduces these withdrawal symptoms and can therefore reinforce the habit.

This cycle is how most smokers become nicotine dependent.

Social and psychological factors also play a part in keeping smokers smoking.
Although many young people experiment with cigarettes, other factors influence
whether someone will go on to become a regular smoker. These include having
friends or relatives who smoke and their parents' attitude to smoking. As young
people become adults, they are more likely to smoke if they misuse alcohol or drugs
or live in poverty. These factors make it more likely that someone will encounter
stress. Most adults say that they smoke because of habit or routine and/or because
it helps them relax and cope with stress.

- See more at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/smoking-and-mentalhealth#sthash.f25n9lkn.dpuf

Energy drinks

Objective: The market and degree of consumption of energy drinks have

exponentially expanded while studies that assess their psychological effects and
impact on quality of life remain in the early stages, albeit on the rise. This review
aims to examine the literature for evidence of the psychological effects of energy
drinks and their impact on the sense of well-being and quality of life. Methods:
Studies were identified through Pubmed, Medline, and PsycINFO searches from the
dates of 1990 to 2011, published in English, using the keywords energy or tonic
drinks, psychological effects, caffeine and cognitive functions, mood, sleep, quality
of life, wellbeing, and mental illness. Three authors agreed independently on
including 41 studies that met specific selection criteria. Results: The literature
reveals that people most commonly consume energy drinks to promote
wakefulness, to increase energy, and to enhance the experience of alcohol
intoxication. A number of studies reveal that individuals who consume energy drinks

with alcohol were more inclined to be involved in risk-taking behaviors. There was
also excessive daytime sleepiness the day following energy drink consumption.
Contrary to expectations, the impact of energy drinks on quality of life and wellbeing was equivocal. Conclusions: Energy drinks have mixed psychological and wellbeing effects. There is a need to investigate the different contexts in which energy
drinks are consumed and the impact on mental health, especially in the
psychiatrically ill.

Coffee

Caffeine intake is so common that its pharmacological effects on the mind are
undervalued. Since it is so readily available, individuals can adjust their own dose,
time of administration and dose intervals of caffeine, according to the perceived
benefits and side effects of each dose. This review focuses on human studies of
caffeine in subjects with and without psychiatric disorders. Besides the possibility of
mild drug dependence, caffeine may bring benefits that contribute to its widespread
use. These benefits seem to be related to adaptation of mental energy to the
context by increasing alertness, attention, and cognitive function (more evident in
longer or more difficult tasks or situations of low arousal) and by elevating mood.
Accordingly, moderate caffeine intake (< 6 cups/day) has been associated with less
depressive symptoms, fewer cognitive failures, and lower risk of suicide. However,
its putative therapeutic effects on depression and ADHD have been insufficiently
studied. Conversely, in rare cases high doses of caffeine can induce psychotic and
manic symptoms, and more commonly, anxiety. Patients with panic disorder and
performance social anxiety disorder seem to be particularly sensitive to the
anxiogenic effects of caffeine, whereas preliminary data suggests that it may be
effective for some patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The threshold
for the anxiogenic effect of caffeine is influenced by a polymorphism of the A2A
receptor. In summary, caffeine can be regarded as a pharmacological tool to
increase energy and effortful behavior in daily activities. More populational (crosssectional and prospective) and experimental studies are necessary to establish the
role of caffeine intake in psychiatric disorders, especially its putative efficacy on
depressive mood and cognitive/attentional disorders.

Illegal drugs

What are the physical and psychological effects of drug use disorders?

While the specific physical and psychological effects of drug use disorders tend to
vary based on the particular substance involved, the general effects of addiction to
any drug can be devastating. Psychologically, intoxication with or withdrawal from a
substance can cause everything from euphoria as with alcohol, Ecstasy, or inhalant
intoxication, to paranoia with marijuana or steroid intoxication, to severe depression
or suicidal thoughts with cocaine or amphetamine withdrawal. In terms of effects on
the body, intoxication with a drug can cause physical effects that range from
marked sleepiness and slowed breathing as with intoxication with heroin or sedative
hypnotic drugs, to the rapid heart rate of cocaine intoxication, or the tremors to
seizures of alcohol withdrawal.

What are causes and risk factors for developing a drug use disorder?
like most other mental-health problems, drug use disorders have no single cause.
However, there are a number of biological, psychological, and social factors, known
as risk factors, that can increase an individual's vulnerability to developing a
chemical use disorder. The frequency with which substance use disorders occur
within some families seems to be higher than could be explained by an addictive
environment of the family. Therefore, most substance use professionals recognize a
genetic aspect to the risk of drug addiction.

Psychological associations with substance abuse or addiction include mood

disorders like depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, thought disorders like
schizophrenia, as well as personality disorders like antisocial personality disorder.
Social risk factors for drug abuse and addiction include male gender, being between
the ages of 18 and 44 Native-American heritage, unmarried marital status, and
lower socioeconomic status. According to statistics by state, people residing in the
West tend to be at a somewhat higher risk for chemical dependency. While men are
more at risk for developing a chemical dependency like alcoholism, women seem to
be more vulnerable to becoming addicted to alcohol at much lower amounts of
alcohol consumption compared to men

What are warning signs that you or a loved one may have a drug use disorder?

While specific symptoms that are used to diagnose drug use disorders are described
below, warning signs that you or a loved one suffer from the condition include the
following:

Having blackouts or loss of memory

Mood problems like irritability, sadness, or mood swings
Repeated arguments with loved ones
Repeatedly using drugs to cope with problems
Physical symptoms when abstaining from drug use
Physical problems as a result of using drugs
Repeatedly using more drugs or using drugs for longer than intended
Spending less time on life obligations due to drug use
Needing more drug to get high than one used to
In order to be diagnosed with drug use disorder, a person must exhibit a
maladaptive pattern of drug use that leads to significant problems or stress, as
manifested by at least two of the following signs or symptoms in the same one-year
period:

Recurrent substance use that prevents the sufferer from meeting significant
responsibilities at work, school, or home
Recurrent drug use in situations that may be physically dangerous
Recurrent legal problems as a result of drug use
Continued drug use in spite of continued or repeated social or relationship problems
as a result of, or worsened by the drug's effects
Tolerance, that is either a markedly decreased effect of the drug or a need to
significantly increase the amount of the substance used in order to experience the
same high or other desired effects
Withdrawal, which is defined as either physical or psychological signs or symptoms
consistent with withdrawal from a specific drug, or taking that drug or one
chemically close to that drug in order to avoid developing symptoms of withdrawal
Larger amounts of the drug are taken or for longer than intended.
The person has a persistent urge to take the drug or has unsuccessfully tried to
decrease or control the drug use
Excessive amounts of time are spent either getting, using, or recovering from the
effects of the drug

Cravings/strong urges to use the substance.

The person significantly lessens or stops engaging in important social, recreational,
work, or school activities because of the substance use
The person continues to use the drug despite knowing that he or she suffers from
ongoing or recurring physical or psychological problems that are caused or
worsened by the use of the What happens to your brain when you take drugs?

While the specific effects of drugs on the brain can vary somewhat depending on
the drug that is being used, virtually every drug that is abused has an effect on
what professionals often call the executive functioning areas of the brain. The
functions of those areas can be remembered by thinking about the tasks of the chief
executive officer in any company: planning, organizing, prioritizing, acting when it is
time to act, as well as delaying or preventing action (inhibitory functions) when
appropriate. The parts of the brain that tend to harbor the executive brain functions
are the front-most parts of the brain, called the frontal lobes, including the frontal
cortex and prefrontal cortex. When a person takes drugs, the inhibitory functions of
the brain are particularly impaired, causing the person to have trouble stopping him
or herself from acting on impulses that the brain would otherwise delay or prevent.
This disinhibition can lead to the substance abuser engaging in aggressive, sexual,
criminal, dangerous, or other activities that can have devastating consequences for
the addicted person or those around him or her. Given that the brain of individuals
below about the age of 25 years is in the process of actively and rapidly developing
and is therefore not fully mature, drug use that takes place during the childhood or
teenage years can have particularly negative effects on the younger person's ability
toSimilar to many mental-health diagnoses, there is no one test that definitively
determines that someone has a chemical use disorder. Therefore, health-care
professionals diagnose these conditions by thoroughly gathering medical, family,
and mental-health information. The practitioner will also either conduct a physical
examination or ask that the person's primary-care doctor perform one. The medical
assessment will usually include lab tests to evaluate the person's general medical
health and to explore whether or not the individual currently has drugs in their
system or has a medical problem that might mimic symptoms of drug addiction.

In asking questions about mental-health symptoms, specialists are often exploring if

the person suffers from depression and/or manic symptoms but also anxiety,
hallucinations, or delusions, as well as some behavioral problems. Practitioners may
provide the people they evaluate with a quiz or self-test as a screening tool for
substance use disorders. Since some of the symptoms of chemical dependency can
also occur in other mental illnesses, the screening is to determine if the individual
suffers from bipolar disorder, an anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective

disorder, and other psychotic disorders, or a personality or behavior disorder like

antisocial personality disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
respectively. Any condition that is associated with sudden changes in behavior,
mood, or thinking, like bipolar disorder, a psychotic disorder, borderline personality
disorder, or dissociative identity disorder (DID), may be particularly challenging to
separate from some symptoms of drug use disorder. In order to assess the person's
current emotional state, health-care providers perform a mental-status examination,
as well.

In addition to providing treatment that is appropriate to the diagnosis, determining

the history or presence of mental illnesses that may co-occur (be co-morbid) with
substance abuse or dependence is important in promoting the best possible
outcome for the person. As previously described, the dual diagnosis of substance
abusing or addicted individuals dictates the need for treatment that addresses both
issues in a coordinated way by professionals who are trained and experienced with
helping this specific population