Session 5: Addiction and Substance Misuse

Question 1

What is definition of substance misuse?

Answer 1

Harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs

Question 2

What are stimulants?

Answer 2

Make you feel more alert and like you have more energy and confidence

Question 3

What are hallucinogens?

Answer 3

Changes your perceptions, mood and your senses

Question 4

What are depressants?

Answer 4

Make you feel more relaxed

Question 5

What is dependence?

Answer 5

Cluster of physiological, behavioral and cognitive phenomena in which the use of a substance takes on a much higher priority for a given individual than other behaviors that once had greater value

Question 6

What is physical dependence?

Answer 6

Experiencing symptoms associated with withdrawal from the substance

Question 7

What is psychological dependence?

Answer 7

Having impaired control

Question 8

What is tolerance?

Answer 8

Erased doses of the psychoactive substance are required to achieve effects originally produced by lower doses

Question 9

What is withdrawal?

Answer 9

Symptoms that occur when substance use has ceased or have been reduced

Question 10

What are risk factors?

Answer 10

Measures of behavioral or psychosocial functioning, experiences and environmental factors that precede the outcome of interest and may predict or increase the likelihood of misuse of substances or experiencing harm

Question 11

What are 6 main types of risk factors?

Answer 11

Family issues: adverse childhood experiences
Mental health: depression
Employment and educational attainment: unemployment
Social groups: socializing with drug uses
Previous drug use: using drugs early
Biology: positive effects from drug misuse

Question 12

What are 3 theories of dependence that can help us understand drug use?

Answer 12

Learning theories
Imitation theories
Rational choice theories

Question 13

What do learning theories teach us about drug dependence?

Answer 13

Classical conditioning models state that drug dependence arises from environmental effects paired with a drug effect

Unconditional stimulus: falling blood alcohol levels lead to unconditional response like craving

Conditioned stimulus: seeing alcohol paired with unconditional stimulus like falling blood alcohol levels

Question 14

What do 3 imitation theories suggest about dependence?

Answer 14

Modeling: risk of developing drug use issues is increased if people around us is doing it

Expectation: expecting a positive reward makes drug use more likely

Self efficacy: how you view your ability to abstain

Question 15

What does the rational choice theory suggest about dependence?

Answer 15

Individuals believe benefits outweigh the cost, they might discount the future over the present and choose to take the drug now.

Question 16

What are the 6 stages of the cycle of change?

Answer 16

1. Pre-contemplation: not thinking about changing, not sufficiently aware of implications
2. Contemplation: starts to think seriously about changing, not yet acted
3. Preparation: preparing themselves and social groups for a change
4. Action: successfully and consistently changed
5. Maintenance: changed for 6 months or more
6. Relapse

Question 17

What are the 8 things to offer to newly presenting drug users?

Answer 17

1. Health check
2. Screening for blood borne viruses
3. Contraception
4. Sexual health advice
5. Check general immunization status
6. Signpost to additional help
7. Information on local drugs services

Question 18

What are common treatment regimens?

Answer 18

1. Substitute medical prescribing (methadone)
2. Psycho-social counseling (CBT, therapy, support groups)
3. Detoxification
4. Maintenance medication
5. Recovery capital (resources needed to recover)
6. Wrap around services
7. Dual diagnosis to address concurrent mental health needs