Psychoactive drugs change consciousness in one of three main ways. They speed the brain up, slow it down, or distort what it perceives. Filter by effect, then tap a drug class to see how it works. Below, run a simple tolerance model to see why the same dose stops working the same way.
A resting brain
◀ SlowedNormalSped up ▶
Tolerance and withdrawal: a model
Each press is one day. Bars above the line show how strong the drug feels. Bars below the line show withdrawal. Start by taking the same dose for several days in a row.
Three things drugs dofilter by effect, then tap a class
Speed up · slow down · distortPsychoactive drugs get into the brain and change the activity of neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers between neurons. That one change ripples out into changes in mood, perception, and awareness. Tap a class to explore it.