Psychology B2 - physiological addiction

Question 1

self-medication model of alcohol addiction

Answer 1

-self-medication model - views addiction as a way of relieving current feelings of distress caused by trauma

Question 2

Khantizan (1985)

Answer 2

-created self-medication model

Question 3

initiation: mitigation for current issue

Answer 3

-addiction explained by early experiences of trauma - traumatised in childhood through abuse/neglect = psychological disorder
-use drugs to ‘mitigate’ symptoms
-self-medication = soothing, manages anxiety, ‘stability’

Question 4

initiation: specific effects

Answer 4

-self medication = manage negative emotional states
-choice of drug isn’t random
-Khantzian, link between state and drug used to relieve
-example, anxiety = alcohol, relaxing effects, depression =cocaine, stimulates and boosts self-esteem

Question 5

maintenance: assumptions about managing problem

Answer 5

-distress, can’t look after themselves, low self-esteem
-lack skills to cope with stress
-Khantizan, addiction = ‘self-regulation disorder’
-use alcohol to manage self-esteem, relationships and self-care
-alcohol has short-term abilities to relieve life issues

Question 6

maintenance: stress relief

Answer 6

-cannot soothe themselves due to trauma
-use alcohol to self-medicate, temporary relief of stress

Question 7

relapse: counterproductive

Answer 7

-alcohol = counterproductive/self-defeating
-relieves stress but stressor is present when effects have worn off

Question 8

relapse: increase of stress levels

Answer 8

-person who is dependent on alcohol
-ceases use, withdrawal symptoms occur
-create more stress, extra stressor

Question 9

relapse: ‘solving’ problems causes relapse

Answer 9

-stress of withdrawal is added stress
-existence = unbearable
-solution is to relapse
-Khantizan, paradox of self-medication
-self-perpetuating cycle of distress

Question 10

practical uses
(evaluation)
+

Answer 10

-used to help avoid addiction
-important to recognise people who self-medicate aren’t always addicted
-addiction develops when it becomes frequent coping mechanism
-can get psychological therapy
-self-medication model can help people manage alcohol use

Question 11

support for effectiveness
(evaluation)
+

Answer 11

-evidence confirming role of early trauma
-Felitti et al. (1998), investigated adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in 10,000 ppl
-pps reported trauma, ACE score to see severity
-researchers found higher ACE scores predicted addictive behaviour
-model = effective explanation of how trauma links to addiction

Question 12

role of specificity
(evaluation)
-

Answer 12

-lack of evidence for role of specifity
-claims people self-medicate with drug that relieves emotional distress
-Lembke (2012), people whoa re dependent on one drug also use another equally
-youth prefer drugs used by peers
-relief = not main motivator
-model may be wrong to say people self-medicate with drug that addresses specific symptoms