Treatments for Alcohol Addiction - Aversion Therapy Flashcards
What is aversion therapy?
A form of behaviour therapy based upon the principles of classical conditioning
What is the aim of aversion therapy?
Aimed at changing or removing undesirable behaviours by creating an association between the undesirable behaviour and a stimulus designed to bring about an aversive response
Where does aversion therapy take place?
For alcohol addiction is usually administered in a clinical setting and under supervision
What may clients of aversion therapy first have to undergo before treatment?
Clients may first have to undergo detoxification before treatment starts
What is disulfiram?
An emetic drug
Its effects are only triggered when a small amount of alcohol is consumed
How does disulfiram work?
Disulfiram stops oxidisation of alcohol so toxins build in the body causing nausea
What are the effects of disulfiram?
Patient would experience nausea, shortness of breath, vomiting, throbbing headache for a period of 30 minutes of several hours
Combination of disulfiram with alcohol which produces these symptoms
How does an association develop between alcohol and disulfiram?
Only takes one drink to produce reaction and for user to become sick
Eventually alcohol will be associated with aversive response of nausea and headache and patient will no longer find drinking alcohol enjoyable
Important patients also given non-alcoholic drinks at times they don’t feel nauseous so their response isn’t generalised to all drinks
How long does disulfiram last for?
Absorbed slowly and may last for two weeks after initial intake
No tolerance to disulfiram, and the longer it is taken the stronger the effects
Disulfiram isn’t given if alcohol has been consumed in the last 12 hours
How often are aversion therapy sessions?
Client will receive regular aversion therapy sessions as part of a treatment program that also includes counselling
Session are roughly once every two weeks
Each session lasts for up to an hour and involves repeating this process many times in order to build association
What is the supporting evidence/strengths of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Howard (2001)
Frawley & Smith (1992)
Eclectic approach
Covert sensitisation
What is the refuting evidence/weaknesses of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Smith et al (1997)
Ethical issues
Social control
Underlying issues
Why is Howard (2001) supporting evidence for aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Howard treated 82 alcohol dependents with an emetic drug for 10 days
After this treatment, the subjects stated that they felt they would be able to resist drinking due to the therapy thus supporting the effectiveness of aversion therapy
Why is Frawley & Smith (1992) supporting evidence for aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Frawley & Smith found good success rates when aversion therapy is used to treat alcoholism with 81% of alcohol abusers abstaining for at least 6 months following treatment and 71% still abstinent after 20 months
Why is an eclectic approach a strength of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Detox is required first to ensure the drinker doesn’t experience sudden withdrawal which can be life-threatening
Drinker then receives medication combined with counselling to address both their physical and psychological issues
Why is covert sensitisation a strength of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Principles of aversion therapy have been adapted so that the drug addict isn’t actually made to feel physically sick using emetic drugs.
Instead they are asked simply to imagine feeling sick
This version of therapy is known as covert sensitisation is therefore viewed as more ethical
Why is Smith et al (1997) refuting evidence for aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Smith gave clients either emetic aversion or electrical aversion and found that although after six months the treatment appeared to have been successful, by 12 months the majority of those treated relapsed
Refuting long term effectiveness of aversion therapy
Why is ethical issues a weakness of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol abuse requires the client to undergo detoxification first which is likely to result in unpleasant withdrawal symptoms
However, for many, the alternative is worse as sustained alcohol abuse will seriously impair health
Why is social control a weakness of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Aversion therapy often criticised on ethical grounds due to the power of those administering the therapy over their clients
Although clients are usually asked for their permission for the therapy to go ahead, as it is wider society which determines what behaviour is acceptable, the client may feel pressued to accept the treatment
Why is underlying issues a weakness of aversion therapy as a treatment for alcohol addiction?
Aversion therapy doesn’t address the causes of addiction and is therefore prone to have high rates of relapse over time
e.g. if the addiction is caused by personal or social issues these may still be there and the individual may not have learned coping skills to deal with these
Therefore, aversion therapies are most effective when combined with other treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy or social support
