introduction to studying addiction

Question 1

addiction definition

Answer 1

disorder in which an individual takes a substance or engages in behaviour that is pleasurable but eventually becomes compulsive with harmful consequences. marked by physiological and/or psychological dependence, tolerance and withdrawal

Question 2

physical dependence definition

Answer 2

state of the body due to habitual substance abuse which results in a withdrawal syndrome when use of drug is reduced or stopped

Question 3

psychological dependence definition

Answer 3

compulsion to continue taking a substance (or continue to perform behaviour) because use is rewarding

Question 4

tolerance definition

Answer 4

reduction in response to a substance, so that an addicted individual need more to get the same effect

Question 5

withdrawal syndrome definition

Answer 5

set of symptoms that develop when an addicted person abstains from or reduced their substance abuse

Question 6

risk factors definition

Answer 6

any internal or external influence that increases the likelihood a person will start using addictive substances or engage in addictive behaviour’s

Question 7

what are key characteristics used to establish if a behaviour is an addiction

Answer 7

dependence, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms

Question 8

how is physical dependence defined

Answer 8

in terms of withdrawal, as it is only possible to establish if someone is physically dependent on a substance when they abstain from it

Question 9

when is physical dependence said to have occured

Answer 9

when withdrawal syndrome is produced by reducing or stopping intake

Question 10

what does psychological dependence refer to

Answer 10

compuslison to experience the effects f substance, usually in terms of an increase in pleasure ir a lessening of discomfort

Question 11

how is psychological dependence shown after taking a substance

Answer 11

followed by a reward

Question 12

what is a consequence of psychological dependence

Answer 12

person will keep taking the substance (or engage in a behaviour) until to becomes a habit, despite the harmful consequences

Question 13

what is tolerance

Answer 13

when an individual’s response to a given amount of a substance is reduced so a greater dose is needed to create the same effect

Question 14

what are the 2 types of tolerance

Answer 14

-behavioural tolerance
-cross-tolerance

Question 15

when does behavioural tolerance happen

Answer 15

when an individual learn through experience to adjust their behaviour to compensate for the effects of a substance

Question 16

what is cross-tolerance

Answer 16

when developing a tolerance to one type of substance can reduce sensitivity to another substance

Question 17

how can cross-tolerance be used therapeutically

Answer 17

giving benzodiazepines to people withdrawing from alcohol to reduce withdrawal syndrome

Question 18

what is a risk factor

Answer 18

anything that increases the chances that someone will form an addiction

Question 19

how can risk factor be used to explain current use

Answer 19

explain why a person increases their current level of use

Question 20

what are the 5 key risk factors

Answer 20

-genetic vulnerability
-stress
-personality
-family influences
-peers

Question 21

how is genetic vulnerability a risk factor

Answer 21

-people do not inherit an addiction, instead they inherit a predisposition (vulnerability) to dependence
-genes may determine the activity of neurotransmitter systems in the brain, which in turn affect behaviours such as impulsivity that predispose a person to dependence

Question 22

how is stress a risk factor

Answer 22

-people who experience stress may turn to drugs as a form of self-medication
-stress included present and past events

Question 23

how is personality a risk factor

Answer 23

-individual personality traits such as hostility and neuroticism may increase the risk of addiction
-no such thing as an addictive personality

Question 24

how are family influences a risk factor

Answer 24

living in a family which uses addictive substances an/or has a positive attitude about addictions increases a Peron’s likelihood of becoming addicted

Question 25

how are peers a risk factor of addiction

Answer 25

as children get older, peer relationships become the most important risk factor of addiction, outstipping family influences. even when an adolescent peer have not used drugs themselves. their attitudes towards drugs may still be influential

Question 26

Limitation of risk factors in development of addiction - interactions between risk factors

Answer 26

-limitation of focusing on individual risk factors that it means we ignore effect of interactions and also ignore positive effects
-no one risk factor is casual in addiction. combinations of risk matter more than single factors. Mayes and Suchman (2006) point out different combinations partly determine nature and severity of an addiction. factors described as risky can be protective - personality traits, genetic characteristics, family and peer influences can reduce risk of addiction –> therefore a more realistic view of risk is to think in terms of multiple pathways to addiction which include different combinations interacting and some have a positive effect

Question 27

strength of risk factors in development of addiction - central role of genes

Answer 27

strength of looking at risk factors is that they point to the overriding interaction with genes. MOst risk factors are proximate so act as an immediate influence on addiction. for example, high stress levels directly increase addiction risk as does the personality trait of novelty seeking. but how we respond to stress and the extent to which we seek novelty are both partly genetic (RAy et al 2009). so fully understand risk factors, we have to look further back in the chain of influences to the ultimate risk factor, in many cases it is genetic –> therefore, genetic vulnerability may be the most significant factor because it has ultimate influence in others