Reducing addiction: Drug therapy AD

Question 1

drug therapy

Answer 1

treatment involving drugs, ie chemicals that have a particular effect on normal functioning

Question 2

Aversives

Answer 2

These produce unpleasant consequences such as being sick. Disulfiram is an example which is used to treat alcoholism by creating hypersensitivity to it. When an alcoholic drink is consumed, within 5 minutes the person will experience severe hangover symptoms. Thus associating alcohol with unpleasant symptoms (classical conditioning).

Question 3

Agonists

Answer 3

These drug substitutes activate neuron receptors, producing a similar effect to the addictive substance. Methadone can satisfy the heroin addicted person’s craving for a sense of euphoria but have fewer harmful side effects as well as being cleaner as they are medically administered. Agonists stabilise the individual by controlling withdrawal symptoms allowing gradual reduction in dose and symptoms.

Question 4

Antagonists

Answer 4

These treat addiction by blocking receptor sites so the addictive substance cannot have its usual effects. Naltrexone is used to treat physiological dependence of heroin addiction. But counselling should be used alongside this to help the psychological dependance.

Question 5

Drug therapy for nicotine addiction

Answer 5

There are no approved drugs for gambling addiction but there is ongoing research into antagonists such as naltrexone.

Antagonists enhance the release of the neurotransmitter GABA in the mesolimbic pathway. Increased GABA reduces the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, which has been linked to Kim et al’s research.

Question 6

Research support -
Drug therapy is effective

strength

Answer 6

• Hartmann-Boyce et al conducted a meta analysis of 136 research studies into the effectiveness of NRT
• All forms of NRt are more effective in helping smokers quit
• Increases the rate of quitting by 60%
  NRT is an effective therapy which can save lives and reduce cost to the NHS.

Question 7

counterpoint to research support

limitation

Answer 7

• Researchers only included published studies in their analysis
• Risk of publication bias as published studies are more likely to show ‘positive’ result
  NRT may not be as effective as the findings of the meta analysis may suggest.

Question 8

Reduces stigma -
Addiction becomes less stigmatised with association to drug therapies

strength

Answer 8

• The stigma of addiction being a psychological problem can lead to self-blame and depression
• But this is being reduced by the success of drug therapies, which encourage the perception that drug addiction has a neurochemical basis
  Perceiving addiction as something that can be treated with drugs can help people avoid self blame and assists recovery.

Question 9

Drug therapies have side effects

limitation

Answer 9

• Could cause client to discontinue drug therapy
• NRT has sleep disturbances, dizziness etc
• Especially a concern for gambling
• Dose of drug for gambling addiction is much higher than for opioid addiction
• May include depression, muscle spasms etc
  Side effects should be weighed up against the benefits of drug therapy and dropout rates are lower.

Question 10

cost benefit analysis

Answer 10

difficult for pregnant women and the incarcerated to access the drugs