Week 11 Flashcards
What are the 3 most commonly used non-therapeutic drugs in western society?
- nicotine
- caffeine
- ethanol
What are the different aspects/effetcs of drug abuse?
PROBS IMPORTANT
- Intoxication (accidents, injuries, aggression, legal problems, self harm)
- Regular use (health problems, financial problems, work related issues, interpersonal - family friends etc)
- Dependence (physical withdrawal, isolation, housing problems, financial and work problems, health problems)
When does a drug (drug abuse) become a problem
- the need for the drug becomes so persistent that it dominates the lifestyle of the individual and damages his/her quality of life
- The habit itself causes harm to the individual or community
What are some examples of individual harm due to drug abuse?
Individual harm
- high risk of infection by poor practice
- Pathological processes associated with chronic use
- Nasal seotum issues with cocaine
- CVS issues with injecting
Oral issues with inhalational drugs
- Respiratory arrest with narcotics
What types of societal harm occur from drug abuse?
- Criminal activity to finance drug habit
- effect of dependence can impact society in a number of ways
What are some risk factors of health care professionals in relation to drug abuse?
Stress
- high stress work, exposure to trauma
- organisational stress
- shift work
- disrupted sleep patterns
- undeveloped opportunities for debriefing, reflection and peer supervision
- access to drugs
- fear of ramifications
Why do people use drugs?
drugs occur as a maladaptive coping machanism
What are the three most important predictors of drug abuse?
- rebelliousness
- tolerance of deviance
- low school performance
What is drug dependence?
The human condition in which drug taking becomes compulsive, taking precedence over other needs, often with serious adverse consequences
Why are psychoactive drugs addictive?
- they produce rewarding effects
What is addiction associated with?
Positive reinforcement
- addictive qualities of drug depend on nature of drug and context in which administered.
What is psychological dependence?
behavioural pattern characterised by out-of-control cravings for the pleasure of a drugs effects, denial of excessive drug use and continued use despite personal difficulties
How can social dependence influence drug abuse?
social dependence can lead to substance abuse
What is physical dependence?
Intense physical disturbances brought about when administration of the drug is withheld
What is drug tolerance?
The decrease in pharmacological effect on repeated administration of the drug
What is tachyphylaxis?
ON EXAM!
A rapidly diminishing response to successive doses of a drug, rendering it less effective
How does reward and drug addiction work?
Positive reinforcement
- rewards
Negative reinforcement
- withdrawals and abstinence syndrome
What causes the reinforcing effects and psychological dependence of drugs?
increased dopamine release in brain
- addictive drugs increase dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens
- The nucleus accumbens is involved in motivation reward and positive reinforcement
what is the role of dopamine in the brain?
Behaviour
(social interaction/energy/reward/reinforce ent/appetite suppression/psychosis/delusions)
Fine motor control
(agitation/increase motor activity)
What dependence is negative reinforcement associated with?
Physical dependence and withdrawal
What dependence is positive reinforcement associated with?
psychological dependence
What are common drugs of abuse?
- Opioids
- CNS depressants
- CNS stimulants
- Psychotomimetics or hallucinogens
What are some Drugs in sport
- anabolic steroids
- sympathomimetics
- stimulants
- narcotics
- analgesics
- diuretics
- anti-hypertensives
What else do opioid analgesics do besides relieve pain?
- Change or elevate mood
- relieve tension, fear and anxiety
- produce feelings of peace, euphoria and tranquility, drowsiness and lethargy
- decreased BP
- Respiratory depression
- Fixed pinpoint pupils
