Key Question Flashcards
1
Q
Facts
A
- The national institute for drug abuse calls addiction an illness and explains that there are many features of drug addiction which could be seen as a symptom like cravings and compulsion to seek drugs
- The US National Institute for health say that drugs give you a ‘brain disease’ and thus is in need of treatment
- In the UK (2013/2014) there were 293,879 opiate users. 29,150 successfully used drug therapy to treat drug-addiction
- It makes sense that if a change in brain chemistry/a brain illness causes addiction then changing it back would be a treatment
- Substitute prescribing- giving some medication or another which reduces the physical effects of the heroin
- Buprenorphine is a common one. It helps avoid the withdrawal effects of coming off the drug but provides less of a ‘high’ so it is less addictive
- An alternative argument we might want to think about is counselling: It is very beneficial to engage in counselling to determine why you began abusing drugs in the first place. If those issues are not addressed the chronicity of drug misuse is reinforced at the expense of your long-term recovery It is very beneficial to engage in counselling to determine why you began abusing drugs in the first place. If those issues are not addressed the chronicity of drug misuse is reinforced at the expense of your long-term recovery
- It’s important for society to know if this works because…..
2
Q
Facts
A
- Drugs cause an increase in neurotransmitters like Dopamine which causes euphoria.
- Heroin in particular: Reduces GABA (an inhibitory neurotransmitter) which causes an increase in Dopamine. Heroin effects the opioid receptors in the brain. This action suppresses physical pain. This chemical effect of heroin slows the motor functions which is why you feel so relaxed and out of it when you’re taking heroin.
- People’s receptors may become desensitized over time meaning they have to take more and more of the drug and go through withdrawal symptoms if they stop.
- Buprenorphine binds to the opioid receptors, however, without a perfect fit. As a result the Buprenorphine tends to occupy the receptors without all of the opioid effects (without the euphoria). This, in turn, prevents that receptor from joining with full opioids. Over time, the dose of buprenorphine is gradually reduced until it can be stopped completely
- It has been shown to be effective in treating heroin addiction (West et al, 2000)
- However, Timing of the medication is important, in binding with the receptor it ‘pushes’ heroin out and so a person can have severe withdrawl….so its best to wait until you’re already suffering withdrawal to take it
- It also has problems like Side-effects- drowsiness, headaches and sickness
