Substance Use and Impulse Control (week 12) Flashcards
Substance:
Chemical compounds ingested to alter mood or behaviour
Psychoactive substances:
alter mood, behaviour, or both
includes: Commonplace legal drugs, such as alcohol, nicotine, found
in tobacco, the caffeine in coffee and tea
Polysubstance:
Using multiple substances
Levels of substance involvement
- Substance use
- Substance intoxication
- Substance abuse
- Substance dependence
- Substance withdrawal
Substance use criteria
- Ingestion of psychoactive substances in moderate
amounts - does not significantly interfere with social, educational, or
occupational functioning - Examples of use: coffee, drinks with a friend
Substance intoxication criteria
- Substance intoxication: drunkenness
- Interaction of variables
- Type of drug taken, the amount ingested, and the person’s
individual biological reaction - Intoxication experienced as impaired judgment, mood
changes, and lowered motor ability
Substance use disorder
- Problematic substance use
- Interference with life
- Job, relationship, education, risk taking (e.g., driving)
- Disorder described as an “addiction”
Substance use disorder DSM criteria
*** at least 2 syptoms in the past year: mild - 2-3, moderate- 4-5, severe - 6 or more
1) Taken in larger amounts or over longer period then intended
2) Persistent desire to use/ unsuccess effort to cut down
3) Great deal of time spent obtaining substance
4) Craving
5) Recurrent use results in failure to fulfill major role obligations
6) Causes social or interpersonal problems
7) Important social, job, or rec activities given up or reduced
8) Use in situations that are hazardous
9) Continued despite recurrent physical or psychological problems
10) Tolerance
11) Withdrawal
Physiological dependence:
- Tolerance: greater amounts of drug needed to experience same
effect - Withdrawal: negative physical response when the substance is no
longer ingested
Psychological dependance
behavioural reactions to
substance dependence
* Drug-seeking behaviours
Diagnostic issues in substance use disorder
- Substance use might occur concurrently with other
disorders - Drug intoxication and withdrawal cause increased risk
taking, which increases drug use - Mental health disorders cause substance use disorder
- Depression → alcohol use OR alcohol use → Depression
5 general categories of substances
- Depressants
- Stimulants
- Opioids
- Hallucinogens
- Other drugs
Alcohol-related disorders clinical description
- Depressant, inhibitory centres in the brain are depressed, or
slowed - Continued drinking depresses more areas of the brain
- Impaired motor coordination
- Slower reaction time
- Confused, poor judgments
- Vision and hearing affected
Alcohol-related disorder effects
- Influences several neuroreceptor systems
- GABA, inhibitory neurotransmitter, blackouts
- Releases natural analgesics
- Organ damage (liver cirrhosis)
Delirium tremens (DTs)
Frightening hallucinations and body tremors
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
Affects child whose mother drank while she was pregnant
Sedative related disorders:
Calming