Substance Use Disorders - 2.2 Flashcards
What are the factors influencing substance use disorder?
- Genetic factors
- Co-existing disorders
- Environmental risk factors
- Developmental aspect
Genetic factors
predispose an individual to substance use disorder
ex. sons of alcoholic parents are at higher risk to become alcoholics than sons of non-alcoholic parents
Co-existing disorders
people with MAD (major affective disorder) ; depression, anxiety. schizophrenia, are at higher risk for substance use disorder.
Environmental risk factors
- places/environments that promote the use of drugs.
- unstable family life
- social and work groups
Developmental aspect
young adults and adolescence are the age groups primarily associated with starting a substance use disorder.
ex. smoking before 18 years, 80% alcoholics begin before 30 years.
The Dopamine Hypothesis
suggests that drugs of abuse increase dopamine in the reward systems of brain (limbic system) which alter communication with brain.
- reward/dopaminergic systems responsible for:
1. natural rewards (food and sex)
2. stimulus-related rewards (video games, gambling, fire starting
Addictive drugs can ________ (characteristics)
- Increase dopamine
- Produce novelty
- Reduce anxiety
Substances that increase dopamine
- CNS stimulants (cocaine, amphetamines, nicotine, caffeine)
- Opiates (morphine, heroin, oxycontin)
- Alcohol
- Cannabis
Substances that produce novelty
- LSD
2. Ecstacy
Substances that reduce anxiety
- Benzodiazepines
2. Barbiturates
Substance abuse
- A pattern of substance use manifested be recurrent and significant adverse consequences.
ex. repeated failure to fulfil obligations, repeated use in situations in which it is physically hazardous, legal problems, social and personal problems - use of any drug in a manner that deviates from approved medical and social patterns
- social disapproval
Criteria for substance abuse
- use of any prohibited drugs
- use of therapeutic drugs for other than intended use
- intentional digestion of amounts greater than prescribed, taking drug by routes not medically approved
- drug combination for greater effect
- excessive use of legal social drugs
- use of non-therapeutic substances
Abuse potential of a drug
- Dependence liability
a) nature of drug
b) route by admin
c) amount and frequency of use - Availability
- Inherent harmfulness
Explain dependence liability and its 3 factors
Tendency of drug to cause dependence and addiction
Nature of drug - pleasurable effects produced by drug increase probability of drug being taken again.
Route of admin - routes that give rapid absorption/effects have greater potential for abuse (ex. sniffing, inhalation, intravenous injection)
Amount and frequency - greater dose and frequency of use has greater potential for dependence development.
Explain availability
Widespread drugs are more likely to be abused.
Explain inherent harmfulness
The potential of a drug to cause harm. If a drug is a serious risk to life and health, it will not be widely available.
Substance dependence and its 3 aspects
Complex disease process of CNS through repeated consumption and/or chronic use
- drug tolerance
- drug dependence and withdrawal
- drug addiction
Drug tolerance
State in which repeated admin of a dose has progressively less pharmacological effect. State in which dose of drug must be increased to obtain same magnitude of pharmacological effect as original dose
Drug dependence and withdrawal
Abnormal physiological state produced by repeated admin of drug leading to appearance of withdrawal syndrome when drug is discontinued or dose decreased
- Severity of withdrawal symptoms increase with speed of withdrawal
- Symptoms usually opposite of drug effects.
Drug addiction
State in which stopping or abruptly reducing dose of drug produces non-physical symptoms.
- emotional and mental preoccupation with drug’s effects and persistent craving for drug
- universal characteristic of chronic substance abuse and more difficult to treat than dependence.
