Addiction: Describing addiction Flashcards
What is addiction?
A disorder in which an individual consumes a substance/engages in a behavour that is pleasureable but eventually becomes compulsive with harmful consequences
What is Psychological dependence?
Mental and emotional compulsion to keep taking a subtance
Individual believes they can’t cope with work and social life without the particualr drug
Absence of drug leads to feeling anxious/irritable
What is physical dependence?
A state of body that occurs when withdrawal syndrome is produced from stopping taking substance/ engaging in behaviour
What is withdrawal syndrome?
The collection of psychological and physical symptoms
No longer have substance/ engage in particular behaviour
What does withdrawal syndrome include?
Low mood
Feeling nauseous
Feeling achy
In pain
Tremors
When someone has withdrawal syndrome, what will they do?
Continue taking substance/ engae in behaviour to avoid withdrawal symptoms
What does the seriousness of the withdrawal syndrome depend on?
Substance used/type of behaviour
Amount of substance consumed
Drug use/behaviour pattern
What is tolerance?
Arises when you have taken a substance/ maintained a certain behaviour for some time, due to the repeat exposure, response to subtance is reduced
Need greater doses to feel same physical and psychological effects
What are the examples of tolerance?
Cellular tolerance
Metabolic tolerance
Behavioural tolerance
What is cellular tolerance?
Takes place when brain neurons adapt their responsiveness to higher levels of a substance
What is metabolic tolerance?
Takes place when a substance has been metabolised quicker and therefore leaves the body
What is behavioural tolerance?
Individual leanrs through experience to adjust theit behaviour to compensate for the effects of their drug
