Background 1

Question 1

wat is de grote gap tussen scientific facts en public perception, als we het hebben over verslavingen

Answer 1

• public: social issue, to be handled only with social solutions such as the criminal justice system
• science: drugs abuse is a health problem as much as a social problem.

-> consequence: delay in gaining control over this drug abuse problem

Question 2

wat zijn barrieres bij drug abuse specifiek (tov andere problemen waar deze gap te zien is)

Answer 2

• stigma (most beneficent public view of drug addicts is as victims of their societal situation, more common view is that drug addicts are weak or bad people)
• mensen die in het veld werken hebben vaak biases naar een therapie, omdat het vaak experts by experience zijn (die dus ‘gered’ zijn door een behandeling)

Question 3

drugs abuse is a duel-edged health issue, as well as a social issue, because:

Answer 3

affects both the health of the individual and
the health of the public.

Question 4

addiction =

Answer 4

a chronic, relapsing disorder, characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting brain changes (long after quitting the drug)

Question 5

compulsivity=

Answer 5

behaviour that persists, despite people being aware of its negative consequences

Question 6

3 categorieen drugs

Answer 6

• sedatives
• stimulants
• psychedelics

Question 7

sedatives =

Answer 7

calm, relaxed

alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines(pammetjes), opiates (opium, heroin, morphine)

Question 8

stimulants =

Answer 8

stimulating, energizing

caffeine, nicotine, amphetamine (speed), cocaine

Question 9

psychedelics =

Answer 9

altered state of consciousness and perception of the world

cannabis, ecstasy, LSD

Question 10

wat hebben alle drugs in gemeen

Answer 10

All of these substances have in common that they (in)directly result in a release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, which plays an important role in their addictive effect.

Question 11

reward system=

Answer 11

a brain system that enables us to anticipate rewards in our environment and that validates desirable and adaptive behavior (behavior that is followed by a reward is repeated). The anticipation of a reward leads to the release of dopamine, especially from the nucleus accumbens in the mesolimbic pathway

Question 12

drugs and the reward system: wat is er hier anders?

Answer 12

• Substances lead to a much stronger dopamine release in the brain than natural rewards (food, sex).
• People with addiction are less sensitive to natural rewards and research suggests the same for people with a chronic deficiency (low density) of dopamine D2 receptors in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc).

Question 13

tolerance=

Answer 13

the reduction of a (desired or undesired) effect of a substance when administered chronically, leading to the need for an increasingly higher dose to achieve the same effect. This creates the risk of overdose

Question 14

withdrawal=

Answer 14

symptoms that may occur with (temporary) abstinence after prolonged abuse of a substance. These symptoms can result in continued use of the substance when liking (positive reinforcement) has gone, to avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms (negative reinforcement).

Question 15

liking =

Answer 15

the hedonic experience during consumption of a substance.

Question 17

wanting=

Answer 17

extreme craving of the substance that does not have to be experienced consciously, and that is triggered especially by drug-associated cues.