Issues Around Drug Taking Flashcards
What is addiction?
Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance such as alcohol, nicotine or heroin which is often pleasurable but the continuation becomes compulsive
What will addiction result in?
Will result in a person becoming overly focused on using the substances and it begins to interfere with ordinary responsibilities and concerns such as work, relationships or health
When can physical dependency be established?
Can only be established when a person stops taking a drug
When does a person experiences physical dependency?
Repeated use of drugs creates physical dependency as the brain adapts to the changes imposed by the drug so that it no longer operates normally without it
When does psychological dependency develop?
Develops when a person feels a compulsion to experience the effect of the drugs
What are the two types of effects from psychological dependency?
Effects are either increased pleasure (positive reinforcement) or decreased discomfort (negative reinforcement)
What can repeated use of drugs cause?
Creates a psychological dependence where users continue to take drugs because of the psychological feeling they experience when taking them
What is tolerance?
Tolerance means that as recreational drug is taken increasingly over a period of time the body adapts to the presence of the drug and more of it will be needed to obtain the feelings that were originally produced
When does functional tolerance occur?
Occurs when the postsynaptic receptors in the brain become less sensitive to a drug
What does behavioural tolerance refer to?
Refers to how people learn through experience to adjust their behaviour to compensate for the drugs effects
When is withdrawal experienced?
Experienced when the person reduces their intake or stops taking the drug
What do symptoms, severity and how quickly they are experienced of withdrawal depend on?
Depend on the type of drug taken and the frequency and quantity
What are examples of physical withdrawl symptoms?
Fatigue
Headaches
Tremors
Sweating
What are examples of psychological withdrawl symptoms?
Anxiety
Irritability
Depression
