key question - how effective is drug therapy for treating addiction?

Question 1

in 2013/14 what were the opiate user statistics?

Answer 1

• 300,000 opiate users
• 30,000 users successfully used drug therapy to treat their addiction

Question 2

what is substitute prescribing?

Answer 2

• providing meds that decided the physical withdrawal effects of heroin

Question 3

how does methadone treat heroin addiction?

Answer 3

• replacement drug that reduces heroin cravings
• mimics action of heroin at synaptic level through dopamine and endorphins

Question 4

side effects of methadone?

Answer 4

• reduction in methadone causes withdrawal symptoms like cramps and vomiting which may lead you to relapse

Question 5

how can buprenorphine treat heroin addiction?

Answer 5

• helps avoid withdrawal symptoms
• binds to opioid receptors, providing some euphoria, but not fully as to not give full opioid effects

Question 6

side effects of buprenorphine?

Answer 6

• does can be gradually reduced to prevent withdrawal
• drowsiness + headaches

Question 7

how does heroin work?

Answer 7

• reduces GABA therefore increasing dopamine
• effects opioid receptors in brain which reduces pain perception/slows motor functions/provides euphoria