Lesson 8 - underlying psychology of addiction and SUD Flashcards
What is addiction?
Someone is addicted if they continue to use drugs despite a sincere intention to do otherwise
Across all substance use disorders, what are heritability estimates ranging between?
30-70%
Traumatic life events such as what could increase the risk of developing SUD?
Sexual abuse during childhood, associated with marked increase in risk for development of SUD
People take drugs because of the outcomes that those drugs produce. What are these outcomes?
To get high - cocaine, heroin, MDMA, alcohol
To increase alertness and fatigue - nicotine, caffeine
Social facilitation - Alcohol MDMA, cocaine
To alleviate distress - alcohol, heroin, nicotine
Drug use is a what behaviour?
A voluntary OPERANT BEHAVIOUR ( NOT A REFLEX ) that is maintained by its consequences
What is compulsive drug use?
Compulsion is evoked to explain addicted behaviour when the neg consequences of drug use appear to outweigh the positives
Addicts are compelled to use drugs despite their better judgement, or their desire to not use.
Do addictive brains have more or less grey matter in the prefrontal regions including the anterior cingulate cortex/ medial prefrontal cortex/ striatum and other brain regions?
addictive brains are hypoactive and have LESS GREY MATTER
When do habits form?
repeatedly performing a behaviour in response to the trigger conditions in the environment.
With repetition there can be a direct link of what?
Stimulus (see heroin) and response (inject heroin)
Evidence for habits?
Habit is a shift from S(stimulus) O(outcome) R (response) to S(stimulus) R (response)
LAB animal evidence w operant conditioning
What is the dual-process theory?
Controlled cognitive process (thinking ab intentions to use drugs) causes substance use
Automatic cognitive processes (attentional biases, spontaneous memory associations, automatic approach tendencies) also causes substance use
BUT IN ADDICTION there is an imbalance between controlled and automatic cognitive processes. gut response becomes to use drug.
automatic processes become stronger and controlled processes become weaker
How does choice play a role in addiction?
Motivation to change is one of the best predictors of recovery
Drug use is sensitive to economic factors, such as changes in price
What can treat addiction?
Contingency management, ppl receiving small incentives if they havent used drugs
Motivational interviewing - resolves ambivalence and increases motivation to change
What are 2 ways of treating SUD?
Motivational interviewing and CBT
CBT improves coping skills
Motivational interviewing changes motivational balance and increases client change talk
What is another form of treatment in the form of a group?
Self help group
