ADDICTION: MOM - Aversion Therapy Flashcards
Aversion Therapy Overview
ASED ON THE THEORY OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Aversion Therapy: Classical Conditioning
- Naturally unpleasant stimulus (unconditioned stimulus) produces a negative response (unconditioned response)
- UCS is paired with addictive behaviour (neutral stimulus)
- Conditioned response is learned - individual associates the addictive behaviour with negative CR rather than the pleasure they previously experienced
Aversion Therapy: Aims of therapy
- IN THEORY - should stop the addiction as the addict is no longer deriving pleasure from the substance / behaviour
- IN THEORY - could be used for any addiction however it often only used for alcohol and smoking addiction due to practical and ethical considerations
Aversion Therapy: Controversial Past
Aversion therapy has been used in the past (and currently in some places in the world) as a method to ‘cure’ homosexuality
- Unethical & ineffective
- Homosexuality is nature / conditioning is nurture
- HOWEVER, aversion therapy is still a common treatment for alcoholism; though is losing popularity
Antabuse Description
A drug taken to cause a negative reaction when alcohol is dunk
AFFECTS HOW THE BODY METABOLISES ALCOHOL
- Stops the aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme in the liver which normally breaks down alcohol from working
- Causes a build-up of acetaldehyde in the bloodstream
- Effect includes heart palpitations / headaches / vomiting & can last for hours
- An association is made between the drug and the reaction when alcohol is consumed; enough to prevent a person from drinking
Antabuse Conditioning
Before
Antabuse (UCS) - Being ill (UCR)
During
Antabuse (UCS) + Alcohol (NS) - Being ill (UCR)
After
Alcohol (now CS) - Being ill (now a CR)
Antabuse: NICE Recommendations
- Better to start once withdrawal has occurred
- 200mg starting point daily but increased if the amount does not induce illness
- Supervision is required every fortnight (up to 2 months) then monthly (for 4 months)
- :( costly in terms of time on the therapist’s part
- Addict needs to avoid everything that has alcohol including mouthwash etc.
Aversion Therapy Rapid Smoking
Form of aversion therapy used to help smokers overcome addiction
- Smoker is in a closed room and will take a puff of a cigarette every 6 seconds
- Will either be for a set amount of time / cigarettes / until the person feels ill
- Popular in the 1970s - tends not to be used much anymore
- The rationale is the same for alcohol
- SMOKER LEARNS TO ASSOCIATE SMOKING WITH AN UNPLEASANT FEELING (nausea) AND NO LONGER WANT TO SMOKE
:) - No medication required: the smoking itself becomes the unpleasant stimuli
2 Types of Aversion Therapy for Addiction
Antabuse
Rapid Smoking
Aversion Therapy :)
Effectiveness of Antabuse: Jorgensen / Niederhofer & Staffen
Addicts cannot be forced to undergo aversion therapy
Aversion Therapy :(
Effectiveness of Rapid Smoking: Hajek & Stead / McRobbie
Risk of Harm (Antabuse & Rapid Smoking)
Aversion Therapy :) Effectiveness of Antabuse
Niederhofer & Staffen: Antabuse vs placebo self report
- Showed Antabuse patients had greater abstinence
Jorgensen: Antabuse patients had more drink free days until relapse and fewer drink days [:( - lacks scientific rigour]
Aversion therapy :( Effectiveness of Rapid Smoking
Not a popular MOM so research into effectiveness is out of date
HAJEK & STEAD
MCROBBIE
😟Suggests that the social environment of the addict is a huge contributor to their addiction - THERAPY DOES NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE / limited effectiveness
Aversion Therapy :( Hajek & Stead
Reviewed previous literature into rapid smoking & argued that is an unproven method due to methodological issues
Aversion Therapy :( McRobbie
No difference between rapid smoking group and control group after 4 weeks (LONG TERM EFFECTS ARE WEAK)
