Addiction Modification Flashcards
What is a treatment for addiction
Médication
How does this medication work
Works on the synapses to alter behaviour
What are the drugs given
Agonist or antagonist
What do these drugs do
Mimic or block the effects of particular substances on the brain
What do agonist drugs do
Imitate what an existing drug would do eg methodone with heroin
Binds to the receptors, doesn’t cure the addiction just replaces it
It substitutes the drug that someone is already addicted to
What is an agonist drug
Méthadone
For heroin
Used because of tolerance where the dopamine receptors have become less sensitive, now need heroin as less dopamine is being released
What does methadone do (agonist)
Occupies dopamine receptors- acts like heroin, but without the high
Activates dopamine so gets rid of the withdrawal
Do not experience a high so they dont experience the uncontrolled compulsive disruptive behaviour
How is méthadone taken
Orally, the blood concentrations of methadone with rise and fall slowly, compared to the rush and crash when it is injected
How does a person come off methadone
When the withdrawal symptoms have stabilised the patient can gradually have their dosage lowered (detoxification) until they can completely stop using it
What is an antagonist drug
They block the usual function of the drug
Acts as a non competitive inhibitor
Blocks the cellular activity
What is the antagonist drug called
Naltrexone
What is naltrexone used for
Heroin addiction
Used for the addicts in recovery to prevent relapse
If they relapse they don’t feel the rewards of the drug and then they can then go to therapy to talk about their relapse
What is the biological action of the antagonist drug
Occupies dopamine receptor sites, prevents dopamine from binding and being activated
What effect does the antagonist drug have if someone relapses on heroin
They wouldn’t feel a high or pleasure
As the dopamine receptors are blocked
Who receives the antagonist drug
People who have stopped taking the drug
Show they are motivated to stop taking the drug
How is the antagonist drug naltrexone given
Orally or implant
What other addictions can naltrexone be used for
Alcohol addiction
Alongside psychological intervention
Used for 6 months
Users kept under vision to check they haven’t started drinking again
How is methadone effective
31 reviews of effectiveness of methadone
Included 27 randomised controlled trials
Found higher levels of retention compared to placebo or no treatment
Effectiveness of naltrexone
Reviewed 17 studies
No significant difference between naltrexone or control for retention
Later found naltrexone associated with reduction in relapse rates with those who were highly motivated and closely monitored
What did Lahti find about effectiveness of naltrexone
Tested on gamblers
Unstructured to take it before gambling or when they felt the urge to
Found sig difference in gambling levels
Ethical implications
What are the dangers of using methadone
Interacting with alcohol can cause respiratory problems
Danger of overdose (429 deaths in the UK)
creates another addiction for people
Side effects = anxiety and hallucinations
Ethical implications
What are the dangers of using naltrexone
People need to be carefully monitored for issues with liver function
If still opioid dependent taking naltrexone can cause withdrawal sumptuous as it can displace opioids in the system from receptors
What are the social implications of methadone
National treatment agency = treating heroin users with methadone has a positive effect on society by reducing criminality
Gyngell = prescribing methadone was an expensive failure, costs society money, greater success by funding rehabilitation
