Withdrawal - Negative Reinforcement/Dependence

Question 1

Withdrawal

Answer 1

• Dopamine deficiency (lower amount of dopamine then original baseline) produces the experience of depression, dysphoria, etc.
• ex. cocaine, this increases the dopamine levels well above natural baseline, but when you stop taking it your bains dopamine levels are now below baseline as your natural state.
• brain goes from too much stimulation, then registers a rebound effect - too little stimulation
• WITHDRAWAL - period of time the neuroadaptation remains in the brain (downregulation) in absence of substance

Question 2

Negative reinforcement/dependence

Answer 2

leads people to use more of drug to stop negative withdrawal experience = negative reinforcement (removal of unpleasant stimuli/withdrawal increases the likelihood of the drug seeking)