alcohol related disorders Flashcards
what is the DSM5 criteria for alcohol related disorders?
continuing to drink even though its causing trouble.
giving up on activities that were important to you.
drinking even though it was making you feel depressed.
drinking a lot more than you used to.
withdrawal symptoms.
have at least 2 of the symptoms
what is alcohol dependance?
it has an effect on the brain. which results in symptoms like: reduced inhibitions, impaired learning and memory, poor decision making, reduced motor communication.
how does alcohol effect the brain?
small doses: cause activity in the sub-cortical regions- release of endogenous opioids (reward and pleasure).
higher doses: glutamate inhibition and GABA increase. this shows brain activity, reduces motor activity.
psycho-social effects of alcohol related disorders?
they assume less responsibility and neglect personal care.
hard to establish the cause and effect as t often starts as a coping mechanism.
the causal factors of abuse and dependance?
biological: neurobiology, genetic vulnerability.
psychosocial: parental issue (lack of guidance leads to dependance), stress and social pressure (50% of PTSD patience show abuse)
sociocultural: cultural beliefs about the norm of alcohol.
what are the physical and psychological effects of chronic alcohol abuse?
physical: the liver becomes overworked with irreversible damage (cirrhosis).reduces needs for food.
psychological effect: hallucinations, tremors, 3-6 days followed by prolonged sleep, 5-25% will die due to heart failure during withdrawal. memory impairment.
what’s the biology and neurobiology behind alcohol abuse?
33% of alcoholics have a parent with a similar issue.
heritability: 64%
alcohol related cultural differences: alcohol-flush reaction - more common in asian’s as a result of genetic polymorphism that causes the production of mutated enzyme that fails to break it down in the liver.
alcohol stimulates the this dopaminergic pathway that reinforces behavior.
what is the medical treatment for alcohol abuse?
benzodiazepines - help tranquilize withdrawal effects.
disulfiram: used in severe cases, they have instant effects if alcohol is ingested.
what are the psychological approaches to treating alcohol disorders?
group therapy: understanding they aren’t alone. focuses on coping skills.
environmental intervention: sober living houses, living with pl in the same process.
CBT: targets challenging thoughts and creates coping skills.
control drinking: 15% of patents where found to maintain the controlled drinking pattern.
what is alcohol anonymous?
self-help counselling group that encourages spiritual development as part of treatment therapy.
1-1 interventions.
activities and speeches from those who have been through that process.
new members work with sponsor to gain coping techniques
