Chapter 9: Substance Use, Abuse, and Addiction Flashcards
drug abuse
the use of a drug to the extent that it impairs the user’s biopsychosocial health
alcoholism is…
a preventable health condition that causes more deaths, illnesses, and disabilities than any other
How are drugs administered?
orally, rectally, by injection, by inhalation, and by absorption through the skin or mucous membranes. The manner in which drugs are absorbed can alter the physiological effects of the drug.
drug absorption process
after a drug is absorbed, it is distributed by the bloodstream to its site of action (receptors)
How quickly a drug reaches its target receptors depends on the rate of blood flow and how easily the drug passes through cell membranes and other protective barriers.
the brain and drugs
blood flow to the brain is greater than any other part of the body. Therefore, drugs that are able to pass through the network of cells that separates the blood and the brain (blood-brain barrier) move quickly into the central nervous system.
blood-brain barrier
the network of tightly packed capillary cells that separates the blood and the brain
unlike the porous blood capillaries in most other parts of the body, those in the brain are tightly packed, forming a fatty glial sheath that provides a protective environment for the brain. To reach the brain, a drug must first be absorbed through the capillary wall and then through the fatty sheath
teratogens
drugs, chemicals, and environmental agents that can damage the developing person
agonist
a drug that attaches to a receptor and produces neural actions that mimic or enhance those of a naturally occurring neurotransmitter
antagonist
a drug that blocks the action of a naturally occurring neurotransmitter or agonist
fat-soluble drugs
can cross the blood-brain barrier and are usually able to permeate the placental barrier, which separates the blood of a pregnant woman from that of her developing child
For this reason, alcohol, food, and cosmetics absorbed by a mother can affect her unborn child
drugs affect on the brain
once in the brain, drugs affect behavior by influencing the activity of neurons at their synapse. drugs can achieve their effects in one of three ways: by mimicking or enhancing the action of a naturally occurring neurotransmitter (agonist), by blocking its action (antagonist), or by affecting its reuptake
substance use disorder
a pattern of behavior characterized by impaired control, social impairment, and risky use of a drug
dependence
state in which the body and mind have adjusted to the repeated use of a drug and require its presence in order to maintain “normal” functioning
withdrawal
refers to the unpleasant physical and psychological symptoms that occur when a person abruptly ceases using a drug. Symptoms are generally the direct opposite of a drug’s primary effects
psychoactive drugs (mood, behavior, and thought processes)
drugs that affect mood, behavior, and thought processes by altering the functioning of neurons in the brain; they include stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens
what are some signs of dependence?
tolerance, a state of progressively decreasing behavioral and/or physiological responsiveness to a frequently used drug.
psychedelic drugs (hallucinogens)
pot and LSD, alter sensory perception, induce visual and auditory hallucinations as they separate the user from reality, and disrupt thought processes
stimulants
include nicotine, caffeine, cocaine, and amphetamines, make people feel more alert and energetic by boosting activity in the central nervous system.
depressants
bariturates, opiates, alcohol, general anesthetics, and antiepileptic drugs, damped activity in the central nervous system. Low doses reduce responsiveness to sensory stimulation, slow thought processes, and lower physical activity. Higher doses result in drowsiness, lethargy, and amnesia
barbiturates
used to block pain during surgery and to regulate high blood pressure. They are also popular street drugs because they provide long lasting euphoria
drug potentiation
the effect of one drug to increase the effects of another
opiates
derive from the opium poppy, produce their effects by mimicking the body’s natural opiates, the endorphins, which help regulate our normal experience of pain and pleasure.
when the brain is flooded with arificial opiates such as heroin, molecules of these synthetic drugs bind to the receptor sites for the endorphins, and the brain stops of producing its own naturally
concordance rate
the rate of agreement between a pair of twins for a given trait; a pair of twins is concordant for the trait if both of them have it or if neither has it
biomedical model: disease as addiction
the simplest model maintains that addicts inherit a biological vulnerability to physical dependence (point to concordnace rate in twins as evidence)
another biomedical model points to neurochemistry as the basis for both physical and psychological depndence. the withdrawal-relief hypothesis says that drug use serves to restore abnormally low levels of dopamine, serotonin, and other key neurotransmitters.
gateway drug
a drug that serves as a stepping-stone to the use of other, usually more dangerous drugs
reward systems
addiction may best be understood as being motivated by pleasure seeking
common liability to addiction
a model of addiction proposing that the likelihood of a person will begin using illegal drugs is determined not by the preceding use of other speccific legal drugs, but instead by the particulat tendencies and environmental circumstances of the drug user
wanting-and-liking theory
a two-stage theory of drug addiction. In the first stage, the original good feelings from drug use prevail; in the second stage. drug use becomes an automated behavior
social learning models: addiction as a behavior
exposure to pro-smoking media increases smoking in adolescents. smokers also “learn” to smoke in a variety of different scenarios, such as socializing with friends or after eating a meal.
the more adolescents feel that smoking is a defining aspect of who they are, the more likely they are to smoke. young people, especially, may be protected by family/friends/ religion (greater attachment to these institutions, the less likely someone is to smoke).
social control theory
the stronger a person’s attachments to positive institutions, the less likely they are to smoke
blood alcohol level
the amount of alcohol in the blood, measured in grams per 100 milliliters
at-risk drinking
two or more episodes of beinge drinking in the past month, or consuming an average of two or more alcoholic drinks per day in the past month
korsakoff’s syndrome
an alcohol-induced neurological disorder characterized by the inability to store new memories
fetal alcohol syndrome
a cluster of birth defects that include facial abnormalities, low intelligence, and delayed body growth caused by the mother’s use of alcohol during pregnancy
behavioral disinhibition
the false sense of confidence and freedom from social restraints that results from alcohol consumption
alcohol myopia
the tendency of alcohol to increase a person’s concentration on immediate events and to reduce awareness of distant events
alcohol use disorder
a maladaptive drinking pattern in which drinking inerferes with role obligations
genes and alcoholism
when either the mother or father of a male child is alcohol-dependent, the child is significantly more likely to later abuse alcohol himself
identical twins have twice the concordance rate of fraternal twins for AUD
the peronsalities of those most likely to abuse alcohol have several common traits, each of which is, at least in part, genetically determined: a quick temper, impulsiveness, intolerance of frustration, and vulnerability to depression
behavioral undercontrol
a general personality sundrome linked to alcohol dependence and characterized by aggressiveness, unconventionality, and impulsiveness
negative emotionality
a state of alcohol abuse characterized by depression and anxiety
alcohol expectancy effects
the effects of an individual’s beleifs about how alcohol affects behavior
drug treatment for AUD
prozac, an antidepressant that increases serotonin levels, is used to treat alcoholism in early stages of abstinence
aversion therapy
a behavioral therapy that pairs an unpleasant stimulus (such as a nauseating drug) with an undesirable behavior (such as drinking or smoking), causing the patient to avoid the behavior
controlled drinking
highly controvesial way of curing alcoholism - may be a more realisitc goal for a very small portion of drinkers
self-help groups
AA is popular
preventing alcohol problems
aim to change attitudes about drinking, strengthen coping skills, and restructure environments to reduce the risk of alcohol-related problems
social support
self-help group meetings with various types of help in overcoming drug dependence and abuse
nicotine titration model
the theory that smokers who are physically dependent on nicotine regulate their smoking to maintain as steady level of drug in their bodies
satiation
a form of aversion therapy in which a smoker is forced to increase his or her smoking until an unpleasant state of “fullness” is reached
behavioral activation
a counseling treatment that focuses on increasing engagement in valued life activities through guided goal setting
neurotransmitter
a molecule that has a molecular structure that precisely fits the receptor site on the receiving cell
agonist molecule
it excites. it is similar enough in structure to the neurotransmitter molecule that it mimics its effects on the receiving neuron
partial antagonist
a molecule that also excites, but it elicits a weaker response than does a true or full agonist
antagonist molecule
it inhibits. it has a structure similar enough to the neurotransmitter to occupy its receptor site and block its action, but not similar enough to stimulate the receptor
