Week One - Reading

Question 1

Define drug use

Answer 1

This tern usually refers to the non-problematic use of an illegal drug.

Question 2

Define psychoactive drugs

Answer 2

Any single chemical compound that interacts with the function of our central nervous system (i.e. the brain and spinal cord), and changes subjective experience or behaviour, or both.

Question 3

What three categories are psychoactive drugs classified within?

Answer 3

Depressants; Stimulants; Hallucinogens

Question 4

Define Depressants:

Answer 4

Suppress, inhabit or decrease central nervous system (CNS) activity. Drugs in this category include alcohol, sedatives, and opioid drugs, such as heroin, morphine and methadone. If taken in small doses, these drugs produce relaxation or drowsiness. Large does can lower respiration and heart rate to the point of unconsciousness or death.

Question 5

Define Stimulants:

Answer 5

Enhance or increase activity in the CNS. These drugs typically increase blood pressure and heart rate, increase respiration and generally increase arousal. Drugs in this category include amphetamines, MDMA, cocaine, caffeine and nicotine. In low doses they can increase energy, feelings of well-being and alter ness. Heavy use can result in irritability and insomnia.

Question 6

Define Hallucinogens:

Answer 6

also referred to as psychedelics, act on the CNS to alter perceptions, thinking, feelings, and sense of time and place. Some of the adverse effects include unpleasant and frightening hallucinatory experiences. Post-hallucinogen perception disorder, delusions and paranoia. Drugs in this category include LSD, mescaline, psilocybin. Cannabis overlaps with depressants and hallucinogens.

Question 7

What is the extent and nature of psychoactive drug use in Australia?

Answer 7

Australians demonstrate a great propensity to consume a range of psychoactive drugs. Drug use can be in our day-to - day lives such as caffeine. 80% consume alcohol each year. and 3.7 million people, drink at a level that places them at risk of alcohol-related injury or developing alcohol-related disease over their lifetime. Meanwhile 40% drink at levels that place them at risk of short-term harm such as accidental injury.

Question 8

What is the position of nicotine in Australia:

Answer 8

Smoking tobacco on a daily basis is on a downward trend that commenced in 1993. However, the number of smokers is still high at 3.3 million.

Question 9

Why do people use psychoactive drugs?

Answer 9

For pleasure, to manage aspect of living, to manage emotions, to increase the sense of belonging, to do what is regarded as ‘normal’ or usual’, to expand consciousness, to counteract the effects of another drug, to maintain physiological dependence or avoid withdrawal.

Question 10

Define functional use?

Answer 10

Some people use drugs to maintain particular roles or to assist them to work.

Question 11

Define self-medication hypothesis?

Answer 11

Since psychoactive drugs can affect the way we feel, they are used to counter some feelings and enhance others, including to calm down, relieve stress or reduce anxiety.

Question 12

Define normative drug use?

Answer 12

Expectations about drinking or other drug use based on perceived use by peers. For example if a young person sees everyone doing drugs they will as well.

Question 13

What is the most commonly used illegal drug in Australia?

Answer 13

Cannabis

Question 14

Define dependence:

Answer 14

Involves regular drug use, increased tolerance, experience of withdrawal when use fo the drug is reduced or discontinued.

Question 15

Define dependence liability:

Answer 15

The variable risk of developing dependence associated with different psychoactive drugs. For example at a population level, the risk of developing cannabis dependence is lower than the risk associated with alcohol or cocaine use.

Question 16

Define maturing out:

Answer 16

The process whereby people who experience serious drug problems, including dependence in their younger adult years, reduce their drug intake and associated problems as they mature. Most people solve addiction without clinical intervention.

Question 17

Define Relapse:

Answer 17

A return to a drug use or drinking after a period of abstinence, often accompanied by reinstatement of dependence symptoms.

Question 18

Define chronic relapsing disorder:

Answer 18

Drug dependence is perceived as a long term or life-long condition characterised by period of uncontrolled use, treatment, abstinence r controlled use and relapse. This is the case for people, but the majority do not seek treatment and resole their dependency themselves.

Question 19

Define drug misuse

Answer 19

This refers to use of a drug in a way that is likely to cause harm, usually associated with legal drugs.

Question 20

Define drug abuse:

Answer 20

Term used by the APA to describe a condition that includes substance abuse and substance dependence.

Question 21

Define harmful drug use:

Answer 21

A pattern of drug use that is causing physical or psychological damage to health.

Question 22

Define disease theory:

Answer 22

Theories of drug use and dependence that emphasise the primary nature of the condition. Based on the view that dependence is experienced by some people and not others due to biological vulnerabilities or the effect of these drugs on a person’s physical and mental processes.

Question 23

What is the genetic predisposition for disease theory:

Answer 23

Refers to the evidence, mainly from twin studies, showing that genetic factors contribute to dependence vulnerability that is over and above general environmental factors.

Question 24

What has arisen from disease theory:

Answer 24

Alcoholics anonymous who recognise is a result of biochemical abnormalities that pre-exist or occur as a result of psychoactive drug use.

Question 25

Define Biopsychosocial theory:

Answer 25

A multifaceted theory proposing that drug dependence arises from a range of interacting factors, including characteristics of the drug, the person using it and the environment in which the use occurs.

Question 26

Define cognitive-behavioural theories:

Answer 26

Cognitive-behavioural theories posit that behaviours are learned and based on thoughts and beliefs. These cognitive processes are often established core beliefs about how we interpret the world. They determine how we feel and act in various circumstances. Dysfunctional behaviour often arises due to dysfunctional or irrational thinking.

Question 27

Define drug-related harm in young people population?

Answer 27

Young people are likely to experiment with drugs and engage in other risky and potentially harmful activities, making them at disproportionate risk of short- and long-term harm. Such as more likely to binge drink.

Question 28

Drug-related harm to indigenous population:

Answer 28

The use of psychoactive drugs, combined with high levels of Indigenous socio-economic disadvantage, results in a high disease burden, and is a major contributor to the longevity gap. Indigenous people experience almost double the burden of disease associated with alcohol use than the general population. Furthermore, Tobacco contributed to deaths of one in five Indigenous people in 2003 and vulnerable to Kava a native root drug.

Question 29

Define drug harm to female populate:

Answer 29

Women are exposed to greater risk because they suffer greater levels of personal drug related harm after ewer years of drinking or drug use, compared to their male counterparts.

Question 30

Define drug harm to Elderly people population:

Answer 30

Elderly people are more likely to misuse alcohol and prescription drugs than illegal drugs. The rate of drinking is higher with elderly than any other age group.

Question 31

Define briefly the history of drug use in Australia

Answer 31

Australia’s laws have been politically driven, had little to do with the level of use or possible harms that the substances themselves might cause.Started in Queensland in 1897 with the restriction of Indigenous Australians using opium, then asian migrants.

Question 32

Define the effects psychoactive substances vary when taken in combination:

Answer 32

• addition - intensify response.
• synergism - substance combine to produce an effect that is greater than the addition effect of the two drugs.
• antagonism - substance combine to lessen the effect of one of the drugs.

Question 33

What is a common misconception about addiction:

Answer 33

That there is an ‘addictive’ nature of certain drugs that causes them to be harmful. The chemical nature alone, do not determine the harm caused. However, the the level of addition does vary between substances.

Question 34

What causes harmful substance use?

Answer 34

Intoxication, regular use, dependence

Question 35

What are the approaches to drug harm in Australia:

Answer 35

Supply reduction = strategies designed to disrupt the production and supply of illicit drugs

demand reduction = strategies designed to prevent the uptake of harmful drug use

harm reduction = strategies designed to reduce drug-related harm for particular individuals and communities.

Question 36

What are the five sequential stages of change used to describe the process of ceasing harmful drug use:

Answer 36

Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. Some models have relapse as sixth stage.

Question 37

Define risk factors:

Answer 37

Risk factors are those that increase the likelihood of a harmful outcome, whereas protective factors decrease such likelihood. Risk and protective factors can be biological, psychological or socio-cultural in nature.