key question

Question 1

describing the issue

Answer 1

• number of people using opiates in England in 2013 was amost 300,000
• number of adults using drug therapy to become drug free was 29,000
  (DRUG USE IS A PROBLEM BOTH THE COST TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND COST TO SOCIETY)
• addiction relates to cravings and compulsion and some people suggest that addiction is a brain disease that requires treatments
• one treatment = ‘SUBSTITUTE PRESCRIBING’ with drugs such as methadone for heroine addiction
• public health England published a leaflet about the effectiveness of drug therapy for addiction and discusses how therapy must be tailored to suit each individual
• drug therapy is the most common form of treatment for addiction

Question 2

application of concepts and ideas

Answer 2

• substitute for heroine (BUPRENORPHINE) acts as an opiod. has less effect than heroin and methadone and so can be taken in fewer doses and leads to fewer withdrawal effects
• METHADONE can be more effective as it mimics heroine closely at the synapse
• LI ET AL = found that cues for heroin link to activation of certain brain areas so using a substitute drug may help with withdrawal and addiction but brain functioning can still be affected
• GROUP THERAPY = effective at treating drug abuse as people can gain support
• METHADONE TREATMENT = increase participation in behavioural therapy and decrease both drug use and criminal behaviour
• goal of treatment is to return people to productive functioning in the family, workplace and community. research shows people using treatment stop using drugs and decrease their criminal behaviour and improve their occupational, social and psychological functioning.