Addiction Flashcards
Outline the initiation phase of biological gambling.
Shah et al carried out a study on male twins and found that there was a genetic link between gambling in men. This was supported by Bergh et al who found a link between pathological gambling and the reward system linked to genetics. Further evidence from Comings et al found that those people who carry the D2A1 gene are more likely to gamble than those without it.
Outline the maintenance aspect of biological gambling.
Wray and Dickerson reported that gamblers who are prevented from gambling experience withdrawal symptoms similar to that if smokers but in a less extreme level. These maintain a gamblers addiction as they carry on to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. Orford et am compared alcoholics to problem gamblers and found a similarity in the nature of the withdrawal symptoms experienced from both.
Outline the relapse phase of gamblers using the biological model.
It is easy to avoid withdrawal symptoms within gambling and smoking as all the person has to do is maintain the addiction and carry on the addictive behaviour. Ciarrochi et al argued that gamblers also had other issues with addiction such as alcohol and shopping. It is reported that if a person gives up the gambling, they may move on to another addiction and therefore continue the cycle of additive behaviour.
Within the cognitive explanation, which three functions do people aim to satisfy through addiction.
Mood regulation.
Performance enhancement.
Distraction.
Explain the initiation of smoking using the cognitive model.
Having a smoking addiction may stem from the idea that smoking is cool, attractive and can be associated with positive or happy feelings therefore continuing the act regulates the mood and helps keep the stresses of every day life at bay.
Brandon and Baker said that they felt smokers used smoking to relieve boredom and to help relieve stress. Once the stress has passed however, the addiction will still remain and the person has positive thoughts about the addiction and the ‘help’ it gave them to de-stress.
Explain Becks cycle in relation to maintenance of smoking through the cognitive model.
Beck’s vicious cycle of becoming unhappy or becoming stressed, starting smoking and then finding problems with the smoking either social or financial but never giving up because the addiction is too strong is an explanation. Smokers maintain the addiction because the thoughts of giving up and having to deal and face withdrawal symptoms can sometimes be a stressful situation in itself and too much to deal with. However, a contradiction to this, is that most smokers are more stressed than non smokers - (Cohen et al)
Tate et al told smokers to expect no negative experiences during phases of abstinence. This lead to reports of less withdrawal symptoms and fewer psychological effects compared to a control group who were not told this information.
Explain the initiation of gambling through the cognitive model.
Koski James found that addictions can initially form from short sighted means of dealing with stressful situations, giving an initial positive effect but later negative consequences. Gambling seems exciting and rational in the beginning but can turn irrational if it is relied upon for psychological support and emotional support.
Outline the biological model around the initiation, maintenance and relapse of smoking adiiction.
Initiation : Explained through genetics and states that those with the SLC6A3-9 gene are more likely to take up smoking than those without it (Lerman).
High levels of DRD2 appear to have an affect on the levels of dopamine receptors in the brain therefore those people who have that gene are more likely to become addicted to drugs as this mimics and compensates for the dopamine levels. (Comings et al).
Maintenance : Scachter found that the physical dependence theory was relevant to smokers. Smokers continue to smoke to help avoid withdrawal symptoms that they get from avoiding smoking. Low content cigarettes were taken more therefore it’s the nicotine which causes the addiction. Sabol et al found that the gene Lerman described was important in enhancing people’s ability to stop smoking. Cornball and Coen showed it was possible to train rats to self administer nicotine to the reward centre of the brain.
Relapse : Lerman found that those smokers who were deprived of nicotine during withdrawal show increased activity in the certain parts of their brain, they used a scanner to measure the blood flow and found increased blood flow in areas focused on concentration, rewards and memory.
