Defining addiction

Question 1

3 stages of addiction?

Answer 1

• Initiation
• Maintenance
• Relapse

Question 2

Define addiction?

Answer 2

• engaging in compulsive behaviour
• irrespective of harmful consequences
• behaviour reinforces their action, & person suffers from a lack of self control
• if they attempt to limit their intake it can bring about physical & mental withdrawal symptoms

Question 3

What are the 4 terms for describing addiction?

Answer 3

• Physical dependence
• Psychological dependence
• Tolerance
• Withdrawal

Question 4

Define Physical dependence?

Answer 4

• Result of long term use e.g. daily use for weeks/months
• Physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if the drug is discontinued
• Normal day to day functioning becomes reliant on the substance
• Results in higher tolerance

Question 5

Define Psychological dependence?

Answer 5

• Condition that exists when a person continues to take drugs to satisfy mental & emotional craving
• Person feels they cannot cope with their life without their drug
• absence of the drug causes the individual to be anxious, irritable or depressed
• addiction is mental & becomes a central focus in a person’s life

Question 6

Define Tolerance?

What are the 3 ways the bodies adjustment to chronic use can occur?

Answer 6

• Diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug (or behaviour)
• user is required to take longer & larger doses to feel desired effect
• Body’s adjustment to chronic use can occur in 3 ways:
  Metabolic tolerance, Neuroadaptation, Learned tolerance

Question 7

In Tolerance, define Metabolic tolerance, neuroadaptation, Learned tolerance?

Answer 7

• enzymes become more effective at breaking down the drugs effect, reducing the drugs effect
• Synapse change
• Person learns to function normally under the influence of the substance

Question 8

Define Withdrawal?

2 types of withdrawal symptoms?

Answer 8

• Unpleasant physical/psychological effects when trying to limit the use of a drug
• Can include tremors/shakes
• These symptoms are the body’s response to cessation
• This often leads to relapse as people can’t tolerate the withdrawal symptoms
• Acute (hours/stops within weeks)
• Post - acute withdrawal (brain slowly adjusts & balances taking months or years)

Question 9

For a diagnosis of chronic addiction, an individual must show 3 of the following in a 12 month period? (7 things)

Answer 9

1. Tolerance
2. Withdrawal Symptoms
3. Increasing doses
4. Unsuccessful attempts to cut intake
5. time spent obtaining, using/recovering from the use of the substance
6. Important social, occupational/recreational activities are avoided
7. Continuation of use despite recognition it causes physical/psychological problems

Question 10

Diagnosis of the acute/ episodic problem of substance abuse an individual must experience 1 or more in a 12 month period?

Answer 10

1. interference with obligations in their lives at work, home or school
2. Recurrent use in potentially hazardous situations (drink driving)
3. Legal problems related to drug use (court)
4. Continued use despite social/interpersonal problems caused by drugs