reducing addiction: Drug therapy Flashcards
drug therapy definition
treatment involving drugs such as chemicals that have a particular effect on the the functioning of the brain or some other body system. in the case of psychological disorders such drugs usually affect neurotransmitter levels
what are the 3 types of drug therapy
-Aversives
-agonists
-antagonists
how does drug therapy work
changing how the person experiences the drug addiction
what is the main effect of aversives
-produce an unpleasant consequence such as vomiting
what is an example of an aversive
Disulfiram is used in treating alcoholism by creating hypersensitivity to alcohol. if they have this drug then have an alcoholic drink they will have a severe hangover nas nausea in about 5mins
why does an aversive work (alcohol)
classical conditioning as the client associates drinking alcohol with the unpleasant outcomes not enjoyment
how does an agonist work
drug substitutes. they activate neuron receptors and provide a similar effect to the substance
what is an example of an agonist for heroin addiction
methadone as satisfy the person’s cravings for euphoria, but have fewer harmful side effects and are cleaner as they are administered medically rather than delt on the streets
how does an agonist help addction
stabilise the individual as are used to control withdrawal syndrome, as symptoms are gradually reduced and so is dose
how do antagonists work
treat addiction by blocking receptor sites so the substance of dependence cannot have usual effects, especially the feelings of euphoria people crave
example of an antagonist used against heroin addiction
naltrexone is an opioid antagonist used to treat the physiological dependence of heroin addiction. however, other therapies such as counselling are needed to tackle psychological cases of the addiction
what does nicotine replacement therapy use
-gum
-inhalers
-patches
delivers the psychoactive substance in tobacco smoke in a less harmful way
how does nicotine replacement therapy work
provides the user with a clean, controlled dose of nicotine which operates neurochemically as an agonist which activates acetylcholine receptors in the mesolimbic pathway of the brain. this stimulate the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens just as it does in smoking
how does nicotine replacement therapy minimise withdrawal syndrome
amount of nicotine can be reduced over time using smaller and smaller patches so withdrawal syndrome can be managed over a period of two or three months, reducing the unpleasantness of withdrawal syndromes
are there currently any drugs used to treat gambling addiction
no but there is research into several candidates with the most promising being the opioid antagonist naltrexone which is also used to treat heroin addiction
how has the use of opioid antagonists to treat gambling addiction come about
similarities between gambling and substance addiction have been recognised by the DSM-5
what is the neurochemical explanation for gambling addiction
gambling addiction taps into the same dopamine release reward system that heroin and other drugs do
what do opioid antagonists do and how does this relate to gambling addiction
-opioid antagonists enhance the release of the neurotransmitter GABA in the mesolimbic pathway.
-the increased GABA activity reduces the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (and ultimately the frontal cortex)
-this has been linked to subsequent reductions in gambling behaviour by some research such as Kin et al (2001)
strength of drug therapy at reducing addiction - research support
-research shows it is effective
-Hartmann-Boyce et al (2018) conducted a meta-analysis of almost 126 high-quality research studies into the effectiveness of NRT (covers almost 65,000 participants). they concluded that all forms of NRT products increases the rate of quitting by up to 60%. research also indicated that NRT does not appear to foster dependence –> NRT is an effective therapy which can save lives and reduce costs of the NHS
limitation of drug therapy at reducing addiction - counterpoint to research support
-researchers only included in theri analysis research studies that have been published. The risk of publication bias because studies are more likely to show ‘positive’ results. studies with non-significant results or that show no effect were published. the researchers note that they wrote to manufacturers of NRT producers to track unpublished studies but the results were poor –> means that NRT may not be as effective as the findings of this meta-analysis suggest
limitation of drug therapy at reducing addiction - side effects
-drug therapies have side effects
-risk of side effects is that a client will discontinue the therapy. the side effects that are common for NRT are sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, dizziness and headaches. the side effects are of greater concern for drug therapies for gambling addiction as the dose of naltrexone required for gambling addiction is much greater than used to treat opiate addiction. this emas side effects are correspondingly worse and include muscle spasms, anxiety and depression –> therefore side effects should be weighed up against the benefits of the drug therapy and the costs/benefits of other therapies
strength of drug therapy at reducing addiction - reduces stigma
-addiction can become less stigmatised as it is associated with drug therapies
-many people hold the opinion that addiction is a psychological weakness, even if the start of the addiction is the responsibility of the individual, it spirals out of their control. The stigma attached to addiction can lead to self-blame and depression, making the recovery more difficult. The stigma is gradually being eroded by continuing successful use of drug therapy,. as encourages the perception that drug addiction has a neurochemical basis –> can be argued perceiving addiction as something that can be treated with drugs helps people with addiction avoid self-blame and assists recovery
evaluation of drug therapy at reducing addiction - costs and benefits
-potentially serious costs to using drugs to treat addiction, such as side effects. In addition to this drugs do not actually offer a cure to addiction but instead supress the cravings and symptoms or provide a substitute
-however, drugs have some benefits in treating addiction as control the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. the side effects may even be tolerable if it helps treat the addiction
