Reducing addiction Flashcards
how does drug therapy work on a biological level
interact with receptors and enzymes in the brain to reduce cravings or the desire to engage in an activity
what are the three types of drug treatments
aversives
agonists
antagonists
out of the three drug treatments which prevent withdrawal symptoms
agonists
what do aversives do
produce unpleasant consequences if taken with specific drugs eg vomiting and nausea
what principle does aversives based off
counter conditioning - replacing pleasant associations with unpleasant ones
what are the three ways to reduce addiction
- drug therapy
- behavioural interventions
- CBT
what are agonists in simple terms
drug substitutes
how do agonists work
act as a less harmful replacement for the drug on which people are dependent
how are agonists less harmful than the original drug
have fewer side effects and involve a gradual and controlled withdrawal
how do agonists work on a biological level
bind to the same neuron receptors as the addictive drugs and produce a similar effect
how do agonists allow for a gradual and controlled withdrawal
there is a gradual reduction in dosage
how do antagonists work
prevent the drug of dependence from having its usual effects
how do antagonists work on a biological level
block the neural receptor sites
what type of treatment is needed alongside antagonists
therapies that tackle the psychosocial causes of the addiction
what do drug therapies for nicotine addiction usually involve (the 2 types)
- nicotine replacement therapy
- pharmacological interventions (medication)
what type of drug therapies is nicotine replacement therapy
agonists
how does NRT work
gradually releases nicotine into the bloodstream at lower levels than in a cigarette and without other harmful chemicals in the smoke
what does NRT help the individual control
cravings
their mood
prevent relapse
how does NRT work on a biological level
causes dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens just like if the person smoked
how does NRT get a person off of their nictonine addiction
overtime the dosage of nicotine is reduced in stregnth so the patient can withdraw
how long does NRT usually take
2-3 months
what are the different types of NRT
nicotine patches, sprays, gum
what are the two medications used for nicotine addictions
- varenicline
- bupropion
what are varenicline and bupropion
nicotine free pulls that reduce a persons craving and withdrawal symptoms and chances of relapse
what is it about varenicline and bupropion that people like
being nicotine free means they dont increase heart rate and blood pressure
how does varenicline work on a biological level
attaches to many of the nicotine receptors in a smokers brain
what type of drug therapy is varenicline
partial agonist
what effect does varenicline have
- less intense, continual release of dopamine across the whole day
- if a cigarette is had, it blocks the nicotine from acting on receptors so no positive effect is felt
how what does bupropion do
inhibits the reuptake of dopamine
what effect do drug treatments have on gambling
reduce the urges and craivns to gamble as well as the symptoms of depression or anxiety
what are the two drug treatments for gambling addictions
- opioid antagonists
- antidepressants
name the example of an opioid antagonists
naltrexone
name the example of an antidepressant
SSRI
what effect do opioid antagonists have
enhance the release of GABA
what effect does increasing the release of GABA have biologically
reduces the release of dopamine in the NAc
how does reducing dopamine release reduce gambling urges
- no pleasure from gambling
- reduces the intensity and frequency of gambling urges
what effect do antidpressants have biologically
increase serotonin levels, improving gambling behaviour
how does higher serotonin levels improve gambling behaviour
- reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety
- reduces the impulsivity associated w gambling
what assumption do behavioural interventions work on
the assumption that addictive behaviours are learned so can be reduced by changing the consequences of the behaviours
what do behavioural interventions intend to do to addictive behaviour
replace pleasant consequences with unpleasant consequences so the motivation to smoke/gamble is reduced
what are the two types of behavioural intervention
- aversion therapy
- covert sensitisation
what is aversion therapy also known as
overt sensitisation
which behavioural intervention uses real unpleasant associations
aversion therapy
which behavioural intervention uses imagined unpleasant associatiosn
covert sensitisation
what happens during aversion therapy
the patient engages in the addictive behav whilst being exposed to something unpleasant
give examples of the unpleasant things used in aversion therapy
taking a drug that makes them feel nauseous, a bad smell, mild electric shocks
what theory are behavioural interventions based on
classical conditionig
how can aversion therapy be used for alcohol addiction
patient given an aversive drug causing nausea when alcohol is consumed
give an example of an aversive drug for alcohol addiction
disulfiram
what effect does disulfiram have on the body
interferes with the metabolising of alcohol causing servere nausea
what is the conditioned response from consuming alcohol
nausea and vomiting
how does aversion therapy work on gambling addictions
when phrases related to gambling addiction are read out, the patient recieves an electric shock
why does aversion therapy for gambling addiction involve more preparation
- patient needs to write down some phrases related to gambling, some not
- patient needs to preselect duration and intensity of the shock
how is covert sensitisation different to aversion therapy
unpleasant stimulus is imagined (in vitro) rather than reality (in vivo)
how are the unpleasant stimuli for covert sensitisation imagined
pictured in the persons mind
what must the imagined unpleasant stimulus do to the patient
cause feelings of considerable discomfort or anxiety
what level of discomfort must the aversies cause
pain but no permanent damage
how can covert sensitisation be used for alcohol addiction
patients could imagine themselves feeling intense nausea, vomiting, embarrassing themselves
