Characteristics of addiction

Question 1

How is addiction defined according to the NHS?

Answer 1

Not having control over doing, talking or using something to the point where it is harmful

Question 2

How is addictions defined according to BPS?

Answer 2

Psychological and/or physiological dependency on a particular substance or event

Question 3

What kinds of things can people be addicted to?

Answer 3

Behaviours
- gambling
- shopping
Substance
- drugs
- smoking
- alcohol

Question 4

What is the DSM-5?

Answer 4

Diagnostic and statistical manual of MI, whole chapter for ‘substance related and addictive disorders’
- excellent tool in the diagnosis of substance related addiction

Question 5

What is an issue with the DSM-5 when diagnosing addiction?

Answer 5

X limited in its ability to diagnose behavioural addiction
- aside from gambling, no other behaviour has a set criteria for diagnosis
X not up to date so use alternative methods

Question 6

Griffiths 2005

Answer 6

Wrote an opinion article in the Journal of Substance Use
- 6 criteria that needed to be met to diagnose addiction

Question 7

What are Griffiths 6 characteristics of addiction?

Answer 7

1) Salience
2) Mood modification
3) Tolerance
4) Withdrawal
5) Conflict
6) Relapse

Question 8

What is salience?

Answer 8

Becomes the most important thing
- dominates thoughts, feelings and behaviour
- will preoccupy them even when not engaged

Question 9

What is an example of salience?

Answer 9

If someone isn’t gambling they may spend the rest of their time thinking about schemes to obtain money, takes up all their time

Question 10

What is mood modification?

Answer 10

Experience a change in their mood
- high or buzz
- escape or numbness
- changes at different times

Question 11

What is an example of mood modification?

Answer 11

A smoker may use nicotine for a boost first thing in the morning or relaxation ain the evening
- cope, self-medicating

Question 12

What is tolerance?

Answer 12

Need more to achieve the same effects
- usually chemical- heroine
- can be applied to behaviour such as gambling

Question 13

What is an example of tolerance?

Answer 13

Regular gamblers heart rates decreased faster than non-gamblers
- needed to restart gambling to achieve the same level of arousal

Question 14

What are withdrawal symptoms?

Answer 14

If stopped you will experience withdrawal
- can be physical or psychological
- generally chemical but can be behavioural

Question 15

What is an example of withdrawal symptoms?

Answer 15

Physical- insomnia, nausea, headaches
Psychological- irritable, moodiness

Question 16

What is conflict?

Answer 16

Themselves, their family, their friends (interpersonal)
- compromise job and relationships at the expense of engaging in the addiction

Question 17

What is an example of conflict?

Answer 17

Intrapsychic
- within themselves
- know they want to stop and cut down but struggle to do so

Question 18

What is relapse?

Answer 18

Strong tendency to return even after years of ‘successful’ treatment
- common in chemical such as smoking

Question 19

What is an example of relapse?

Answer 19

Smokers restarting after a long period of quitting