Addiction Flashcards
What is the deffinition of a drug?
any chemical substance that: has a direct effect on the user’s physical, psychological, and/or intellectual functioning.
What is the definition of drug abuse?
using a drug in ways it was not intended; no longer being responsible or in control of thoughts, feelings or behavior leading to harm to self or others.
How is addiction defined?
Addiction is the compulsive uncontrolled use of habit forming drugs.
Define Addictive behaviors or “Process Addictions”.
Give some examples of adictive behaviors.
Process Addictions are the addiction to certain mood-altering behaviors.
- Gambling, Sexual behaviors, Internet use, Video game behavior, Stealing, Compulsive buying, Eating, Exercising/running
When do most people become addicted to adictive drugs?
Most new cases of drug dependence develop during adolescence.
What are the short term risks associated with weed use?
–Anxiety and panic in new users
–Paranoia and psychosis in high doses
–Impaired motor coordination interfering with driving skills
–Impaired short term memory making learning difficult
What are the longterm risks assocated with weed use?
–Addiction
–Alterations in brain development
–Poor educational outcome and increased likelihood of dropping out
–Cognitive impairment
–Symptoms of chronic bronchitis
–Increased risk of psychosis disorders in those who are predisposed
What diseases can weed treat?
–Glaucoma
–Nausea
–AIDS-associated anorexia and wasting
–Chronic pain
–Inflammation
–Multiple sclerosis
–Epilepsy
Who abuses alcohol the most?
Which populaions are at greatest risk for alcohol dependence?
Is alcohol use assocated with mental illness?
- White adolescents and adults more likely to abuse alcohol than African Americans
- Binge & heavy use drinking lowest among Asian Americans
- Alcohol dependence highest among Native Americans and Hispanics
- 21.3% of those with alcohol abuse or dependence also have at least 1 mental disorder
- e.g. personality, mood, or anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia
What are the 3 C’s of drug abuse?
Control
- Early social/recreational use
- Eventual loss of control
- Cognitive distortions (“denial”)
Compulsion
- Drug-seeking activities
- Continued use despite adverse consequences
Chronicity
- Natural history of multiple relapses preceding stable recovery
- Possible relapse after years of sobriety
What is stage 1 of drug use?
Curiosity, person considers using the drug, but does not try/acquire it.
What is stage 2 of drug use?
Experimentation (learn about drug effect)
Factors that increase the likelyhood the drug will be tried
- Adolescence
- Opportunity and social circumstances
Early experience with drug effect
- Dose/response, person learns how to take the drug and what to do to achieve optimal effect
- Some like it, some don’t
What is stage 3 of drug use?
Frequent use
- User spends more time securing and using the drug
- use is recreational or self-therapeutic (less about experimenting)
- Regular weekend or weekday user
- Use begins to affect function
- Regular weekend or weekday user
What is stage 4 of drug use?
Habitual Use (user becomes preoccupied with drug effect)
- main priority in life is aquiring the drug and using it
- Function is severely affected
- truancy/work absenteeism, failing at family and social relationships, stealing, lying, dealing
- Increasing symptoms of psychopathology
What is stage 5 of drug use?
Chronic or Burnout (drug use is apart of identity)
- Using drugs to feel normal
- Little identity beyond user
- Some organic brain changes and developmental disability