Addictions and Mental Health Flashcards
Define addiction.
The persistent, compulsive dependence on or use of a substance or behaviour despite its negative consequences and the increasing frequency of those consequences.
What is alcohol withdrawal?
A physical reaction to the cessation or reduction of alcohol (ethanol) intake that develops within a few hours of the last intake.
What is a blood alcohol level?
A measure (by urinalysis or Breathalyzer) of the level of alcohol in the blood.
What three elements must addiction have for it to be an addiction?
biological, psychological, and social
What are biological factors?
neurotransmitter involvement. Physical withdrawal s/s.
What are psychological factors?
the substance becomes so important to all aspects of a person’s life they believe they cannot manage without. 4 theories.
What are sociocultural factors?
We are a reflection of who and where we were raised
What factors do compulsive behaviours have?
psychological and social, but not biological
Define tolerance.
A physiological experience that occurs when a person’s reaction to a substance decreases with repeated administrations of the same dose.
What are the etiology and characteristics of an addiction?
Characterized by use, abuse, and physical and psychological dependence, and also by certain behaviours:
Loss of control of substance consumption
Continued substance use despite associated problems
Cravings and a tendency to relapse after efforts to change behaviour
What are the stages in the process of addiction development?
No contact
Experimentation
Integrated use
Excessive use: Intervention here.
Addiction (with features of tolerance and withdrawal)
What occurs in the no contact stage?
- No use, therefore no risk
- Many protective factors for not using drugs: culture, family, other positive social supports, and faith, as well as fear of legal consequences
What occurs in the experimentation phase?
People (often adolescents) begin to experiment with drugs for a rnage of reasons:
* feel the effects
* fit in with peers
* reduce the anxiety of intimacy
* escape from issues of stress, violence, trauma and oppression
What occurs during the integration phase?
- may use a substance to enhance an already pleasurable and ongoing experience, making it a social habit and integrating it into their lives
- marijuana at a concert
- few negative consequences
What occurs at the excessive use phase?
- misuse causes problems for the user and often those around them
- lapse in memory, conflict, and engage in acts they otherwise wouldn’t
- Treatment intervention becomes appropriate here
What happens during the addiction stage?
Person has reached the phase where they are physically and psychologically dependent,
Person has lost the ability to choose and the drug has become the central organizing principle in the person’s life.
What is the epidemiology of addiction in Canada?
- Substance use is common in Canada
*** Prevalence of alcohol use **for Canadians over age 15 years is 78% - Drug use by youth 15 to 24 years of age is higher than for adults 25 years and over
- Binge drinking among Canadian men is ranked as the highest in the world
- Of the three categories of pharmaceuticals, **opioid pain relievers **were the most commonly used in 2017
- Overall smoking prevalence has fallen to 15% of the population
- The** rate of death due to alcohol for Indigenous people **in Canada is twice that of the general population
List the percentages of concurrent disorders.
Of those with Anxiety Disorders, 24% have concurrent substance use disorders
27% of people with Major Depressive Disorder have concurrent disorders
47% of those with Schizophrenia have concurrent disorders
56% of those with Bipolar Disorders experience a concurrent disorder
What does the CAGE questionnaire ask?
- Have you ever felt you needed to Cut down on your drinking?
- Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
- Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking?
- Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
What is Wernicke’s encephalopathy?
an acute and reversible condition brought on by alcoholism; reversed by high IV thiamine
What are medical comorbidities of alcohol abuse?
- Wernicke’s encephalopathy
- Korsakoff’s syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- esophagitis, gastritis, pancreatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver
- associated with tuberculosis, cancer, accidents, suicide and homicide