Substance use/abuse Flashcards
how costly is substance use/abuse to economy?
~20 billion a year
substance-related disorders : alter patterns of?
thinking, feeling and behaving
DSM-5, what counts as substance-related and addictive disorders?
use of depressants, stimulants, opiates, hallucinogens and gambling
further categorization of specific diagnoses
- dependence
- abuse
- intoxication
- withdrawal
define substances in abuse
drugs that, when taken in excess, have some direct activation of brain-rewards system
- powerful reinforcers + impact/interfere with memory
what are issues with abuse?
produce intense activation of reward system, that normal activities of daily life are neglected.
how many classes of drugs involved in substance-related disorders?
10
what is the high
pharmacological mechanisms by which each class of drugs produces reward are different, but the drugs typically activate the system and produce feelings of pleasure
who is particularly predisposed to developing substance use disorders?
those with lower levels of self-control.
- roots of substance use disorders are in place before the behaviour starts
what is physiological dependence defined by?
tolerance + withdrawal
what is tolerance?
need for greater amounts of some drug to achieve similar effect
what is withdrawal?
physical response that comes in place when substane is no longer ingested
what is psychological dependence
behavioural reactions assoc with substance dependence
two views/definitions of addiction
- addiction is a physiological dependence on drugs that almost necessarily involves withdrawal and tolerance
- drug seeking behaviours themselves as a measure of psychological dependence
diagnostic issues re: addictive disorders
- occur concurrently with other disorders (cause?)
- drug intoxication and withdrawal causes increased risk-taking
- mental health disorders may cause substance use disorder
define risk taking
making decisions that wouldn’t have been made otherwise
how mental health disorder may CAUSE subs abuse?
disorder may want to see relief + turn to substance for quick relief
function of depressants on CNS?
reduces CNS activity, reduces arousal + increases relaxation
4 types/classes of depressants
- alcohol
- sedatives
- anxiolytics
- hypnotics
depressants + their relation to addiction?
leads to dependence, tolerance + withdrawal.
what is the clinical description of alcohol-related disorders?
- inhibitory centres in the brain are depressed or slow
- continued drinking depresses more areas of the brain
consequences of body function under influence of alcohol?
depresses more areas of the brain
- decrease motor coordination
- slower reaction time
- confused and poorer judgment
- vision + hearing affected
- memory and sexual performance impacted
DSM classification of Alcohol Use Disorder (8)
- problematic problem, 2 of the following within 12-month period
- larger amounts or longer period than was intended
- persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to control alcohol use
- great deal of time spent to obtain, use or recover from use.
- craving or strong desire
- recurrent use resulting in failure to fulfill major role
- continued use despite social or interpersonal problems as result
- social, occupational, recreational activties given up as result of use
- recurrent alcohol use in physically hazardous situations
other conditions in DSM
- knowledge?
- co-morbidity?
- continued use despite knowledge of physical or psychological problem as a result of use.
- more than half of alcohol disorders + co-morbid
alcohol related effects
- several NT systems
- blackouts
- natural analgesics
- Delirium Tremens
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
what are Delirium Tremens
frightening hallucinations, body tremors/ shakes and disorientation
what is FAS?
physical and psychological effects to a child whose mother drank while she was pregnant with them .
- neuro mis-wirement due to in utero enviro
= failure to profit from experience, problem with impulsivity
brain of alcoholic vs non-alcoholic
- global neurological damage in alcoholic.
- irreversible damage
statistics on use + abuse of Alcohol
- 23% of canadians exceed low-risk guidelines
- binge drinking is common in college-age
- men drink more than women
- single males most likely to be heavy drinkers
- cultural differences exist: diff metabolization
progression of alcohol-related disorders
- fluctuation between heavy drinking + abstinence
- gets worse if untreated
- early consumption can predict dependence later on
- linked with violent behaviour
- treatment lasts month or two.