3.1

drug addiction

severe biomedical disorder characterized by a compulsive (uncontrollable) urge to use a substance or substances

• considered brain disorder from functional changes to brain circuits → can last long time after getting clean

substance abuse disorders (SUDs)

involve actions that individuals continuously perform despite potential negative consequences

• not limited to illicit drugs

  • can develop from numerous drugs

intoxication

alterations in consciousness, cognition, perception, and behavior that are transiently produced by a drug

tolerance

response is related to the repeated use of a drug, which ends up causing the need to increase the amount of substance to get the desired effects

withdrawal

prolonged substance use can lead to the development of withdrawal symptoms (unpleasant) when stopping their use

physical dependence

someone displays tolerance to the drug’s effects and experiences withdrawal symptoms

• when they try to stop using the drug, they are physically dependent on the drug

psychological dependence

entails different behaviors that can greatly interfere with one’s life

physical addiction

nicotine activates receptors that release pleasure chemicals

• brain gets used to chemicals + wants more to alleviate withdrawal symptoms

• does NOT mean SUD

psychological addiction

associate smoking w/ certain behaviors involving people, places, activities and moods

• triggers can derail detox attempts without prep

defining SUDs (DSM-5)

1. larger amts than intended

2. wanting to reduce use but can’t

3. spending incr. amts of time procuring, using or recovering

4. cravings/urgers

5. difficulty managing work/school + personal responsibilities

6. continuing substance abuse despite it causing relationship problems

7. abandoning social, occupational or recreational activities to use

8. using despite being placed in dangerous situations

9. using knowing that a physical/physiological problem can be exacerbated by this

10. needing more to get high

11. withdrawal

defining SUDs (ICD-11)

• diagnosis criteria - 3 out of 6

1. strong desire/compulsion to use

2. difficult to control when, how much and when to stop

3. withdrawal

4. needing more to get high

5. neglecting interests to procure, use or recover

6. using even when there are harmful consequences

defining SUDs (ICD-11)

• harmful use criteria - 1

1. substance use where impairment could be dangerous

2. using despite a physical, psychological, or cognitive problem from using

3. detrimental behaviors and social problems related to use

4. interpersonal conflict attributed to use

DEA substance classification

• law addresses controlled substances w/in title 2

• purpose of law is provide government oversight over manufacturing + distribution

schedule 1 drugs

considered to have the highest risk of abuse, with no recognized medical use in the US

• weed, LSD, ecstacy and heroin

schedule 5 drugs

lowest potential for abuse

• cough syrup, lomotil, motofen, lyrica and parepectolin

types of abused drugs

psychostimulants

depressants

hallucinogens

entactogens

weed

inhalants

psychostimulants

increase arousal and make individuals feel more alert

• also incr. BP and HR

• nicotine, cocaince, meth and cathinone

nicotine (psychotimulants)

main psychoactive compound of the tobacco leaf

• smoked, inhaled and chewed

• does not produce “high” even though its a stimulant

• not in schedules by DEA

cocaine (psychostimulants)

• schedule 2

white powder from coca leaf

• snorted, injected, ingested or smoked

• topical anesthetic

meth (psychostimulants)

• schedule 2

obtained by synthetic methods, not natural

• snorted, injected, ingested or smoked

• ADHD

cathinone + synthetic cathinones (psychostimulants)

• schedule 2

naturally occurring alkaloid from the Catha edulis shrub

• synthetic is stronger + similar effectsto cocaine

• snorted, injected, ingested smoked

hallucinogens

ability to distort user’s perception of sensory events

classic hallucinogens

• from natural sources

• schedule 1

• rare fatal overdoses, but can cause bad trips

• low withdrawal symptoms

dissociative hallucinogens

• mostly synthetic

• detachment/ dissociation feeling

• schedule 2,3 or unscheduled

• VERY rare fatal overdoses

• withdrawl

entactogens (empathogens)

increase empathy + sympathy

• also psychostimulant + hallucinogenic properties

• MDMA (ecstacy) and MDA

• schedule 1

• fatal overdose is NOT uncommon

• withdrawal

inhalants

can cause euphoria, dizziness, slurred speech, lightheadedness, and sometimes, hallucinations and delusions

• huffing

• no DEA bc they’re household items (paint, whipped cream etc.)

• overdose: seizure, coma and death

• withdrawal

weed + synthetic weed

euphora + alter state of mind + time

• can lead to difficulty concentrating + impair STM

• higher doses = incr. anxiety, paranoia

• comes from cannabis plant: THC + CBD

• fatal overdose: EXTREMELY uncommon

• withdrawal

can you develop addiction to cannabis?

yes

• cannabis use disorder recognized in DSM-5

depressant

increase sedation + make the user feel calm + relaxed

ethanol (depressant)

comes from fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches

• unscheduled, ethanol sales limited to 21/older

• most used drugs in US

sedative-hypnotics (depressants)

pharmaceutical compounds with anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), hypnotic (sleepiness), and anesthetic effects