Chapter 11: Addictive Disorders Flashcards
What is substance abuse?
Excessive or harmful use of drugs and alcohol
What is the most commonly abused substance?
Alcohol
What is a substance use disorder?
Problematic or harmful use of substances, leading to significant impairment or distress
What are psychoactive substances?
Psychoactive substances alter moods, thought processes, or other psychological states
How do substance related disorders arise?
When psychoactive substances are used excessively
What is addiction?
Compulsive drug-seeking behavior and loss of control over drug use
Withdrawal symptoms occur when the use is discontinued due to physiological dependence
Increased tolerance to the drug’s effects
What are the DSM-5 criteria for substance-use disorder?
At least 2 of the following over a 12-month period, causing significant impairment or distress:
Quantity of substance/time spent using more than intended
Efforts to control unsuccessful due to persistent desire
Considerable time spent using/ recovering/ obtaining
Strong desire/ craving/ urge
Interferes with major role obligations
Use continues despite harmful social/ interpersonal effects
Avoid/ reduce participation in social/ work/ leisure activities
Use when physically hazardous
Continued use when physical/ psychological harm
Tolerance develops etc
Withdrawal symptoms etc
What are the substances associated with abuse, with example?
Prescription medications (treat anxiety, insomnia, pain)
Legal substances (alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, household chemicals)
Illegal substances (cocaine, heroin)
What are depressants?
Cause nervous system to slow down
For example, alcohol
What are three patterns of drinking alcohol?
Moderate drinking: lower risk patterns of drinking, no more than one drink for women or two drinks for men per day
Heavy drinking: levels exceeding moderate
Binge drinking: four to five drinks or more on a single occasion for men, four or more drinks for women
What can alcohol poisoning cause?
Can result in impaired breathing, coma, and death
What is aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)?
An enzyme used to counteract toxins that build up as our bodies metabolize alcohol
What is delirium tremens?
Life-threatening condition produced by alcohol withdrawal symptoms
What are opioids?
Pain-killing agents that depress the central nervous system
Highly addictive
Produce both euphoria and drowsiness
What are some examples of opioids?
Illegal substances: heroin and opium
Prescription pain relievers: morphine, codeine, oxycodone
What are sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics?
Have calming effects
Used to treat agitation, muscle tension, insomnia, and anxiety
Hypnotics: induce sleep
Anxiolytics: reduce anxiety
What do barbiturates and benzodiazepines do?
Rapid anxiolytic effects in moderate doses
Hypnotic effects in higher doses
What are the effects of sedatives?
Drowsiness, impaired judgment, and diminished motor skills
Excessive use can lead to accidental overdose and death (combining alcohol with sedatives increases danger)
High potential for tolerance and physiological dependence
(withdrawal symptoms)
What are stimulants?
Speed up central nervous system activity
Produce feelings of euphoria and well-being
Improve mental and physical performance
Reduce appetite and prevent sleep
Unwanted effects: anxiety, restlessness, agitation, paranoia
Tolerance to the stimulant develops rapidly
What are examples of stimulants?
Caffeine
Amphetamines
Cocaine
What is caffeine?
Found in coffee, chocolate, tea, and soft drinks
Most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world
Withdrawal symptoms: headache, fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating
What are amphetamines?
Also known as “uppers”
Speed up central nervous system activity
Prescribed for attention and sleep disorders
Increasingly used illicitly
Can cause psychosis and brain damage
Methamphetamine: can cause permanent damage to heart, high potential for abuse and addiction
What is cocaine?
Cocaine has a high potential for addiction
Crack: potent form of cocaine produced by heating cocaine with other substances, typically smoked, produces immediate but short-lived effects
Cocaine withdrawal: lethargy and depression
Cocaine users sometimes experience acute psychiatric symptoms
Users often have a shortened life span
What are hallucinogens?
Psychedelics
Produces vivid sensory awareness (hallucinations)
Traditional hallucinogens are derived from natural sources
Effects can vary significantly (“good trips” versus “bad trips”)
Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder: experiencing distressing recurrence of hallucinations or other sensations weeks or even years after drug intake
Not highly addictive
