Final answer:
Prozac is a psychoactive drug used to treat mental health conditions. Psychoactive drugs encompass various legal and prescription substances, including stimulants, depressants, and opioids. Anxiolytics are legally prescribed medications that often induce a depressant effect by enhancing GABA neurotransmitter activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Question B asks, is Prozac a psychoactive drug? Yes, Prozac is a psychoactive drug. Psychoactive drugs are substances that, when taken in or administered into one's system, affect mental processes, e.g., cognition or mood. Prozac, whose generic name is fluoxetine, is an antidepressant that belongs to a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and is used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, and several other mental health conditions by altering the levels of serotonin in the brain, which can improve mood and reduce symptoms.
Concerning question 11, regarding three classes of psychoactive drugs that include opioids, opioids are one class of psychoactive drugs known for their pain-relieving properties. Two other classes of psychoactive drugs are stimulants, which accelerate brain activity, and depressants, which slow down the functioning of the central nervous system.
Question 12 poses a statement: All psychoactive drugs are either illegal or available by prescription only. This is False. Many psychoactive drugs, such as caffeine and nicotine, are legal and available without a prescription. However, many potent psychoactive drugs require a prescription or are controlled substances due to their potential for abuse or harm.
Question 13 is, True or False. Anxiolytics might be prescribed by a physician. This is True. Anxiolytics are medications designed to reduce anxiety and are commonly prescribed by physicians to treat anxiety disorders and sometimes for other off-label uses.
Lastly, question 14 asks to name two drugs that activate receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA, and to explain why these drugs generally have a depressant effect. Benzodiazepines like diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) are drugs that enhance the effect of GABA, a neurotransmitter that inhibits central nervous system activity. By activating GABA receptors, these drugs promote sedation and have a depressant effect on the brain and nervous system, leading to reduced anxiety and sedative effects.