Substance Use & Violence Lecture – Core Vocabulary

58 key vocabulary cards summarizing major terms, substances, withdrawal stages, treatments, and abuse concepts discussed in the lecture.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

A maladaptive pattern of using a drug that leads to clinically significant impairment, cravings, tolerance, withdrawal, and life disruption.

Substance-Induced Disorder

Physical or mental problems (e.g., delirium, psychosis, mood, sleep, sexual dysfunction) caused directly by intoxication, withdrawal, or long-term effects of a drug.

Tolerance

Needing markedly increased amounts of a substance to achieve the desired effect or experiencing diminished effect with continued use of the same amount.

Withdrawal

A set of opposite, often distressing physiologic and psychological symptoms that occur when heavy, prolonged drug use is reduced or stopped.

Intoxication

Reversible, substance-specific syndrome of problematic behavioral or physical changes due to recent ingestion of a drug.

CNS Depressants

Drug class (e.g., alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids) that slows brain activity, lowering heart rate, respiration, and inhibitions.

CNS Stimulants

Substances (e.g., caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine) that increase CNS activity, elevating mood, BP, HR, and energy.

Opioids

Natural or synthetic drugs (morphine, heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl) that relieve pain but may cause euphoria, tolerance, and respiratory depression.

Benzodiazepines

Sedative-hypnotic anxiolytics (e.g., diazepam, lorazepam) often used to treat alcohol or stimulant withdrawal by calming CNS hyper-excitability.

Alcohol Withdrawal – Stage 1

6–12 h after last drink: tremor, sweating, mild hypertension, tachycardia, nausea, insomnia.

Alcohol Withdrawal – Stage 2

12–24 h: visual/tactile hallucinations, paranoia plus Stage 1 symptoms.

Alcohol Withdrawal – Stage 3

24–48 h: abrupt tonic-clonic seizures with brief post-ictal periods.

Alcohol Withdrawal – Stage 4 (Delirium Tremens)

48–96 h: malignant hypertension, hyperthermia, wild hallucinations, seizures, potential coma/death; medical emergency.

Delirium Tremens (DTs)

Severe, life-threatening form of alcohol withdrawal marked by autonomic instability and hallucinations.

CWA Scale

Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol—score-based tool guiding benzodiazepine dosing during alcohol detox.

COWS Scale

Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale—rates symptoms to guide management of opioid withdrawal.

Naloxone (Narcan)

Opioid antagonist that rapidly reverses opioid-induced respiratory depression.

Methadone

Long-acting opioid agonist used in maintenance therapy to prevent withdrawal and reduce illicit opioid use.

Buprenorphine / Suboxone

Partial opioid agonist (often combined with naloxone) used for long-term treatment of opioid dependence.

Respiratory Depression

Potentially fatal slowing or cessation of breathing, common in opioid overdose and high-dose CNS depressant use.

GABA

Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter; alcohol potentiates it, leading to CNS slowing.

Glutamate

Primary excitatory neurotransmitter; up-regulated in chronic alcohol use, contributing to withdrawal hyper-excitability.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Nerve damage causing pain/numbness, often from chronic alcohol-related vitamin B (thiamine) deficiency.

Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Deficiency leads to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndromes; replaced via “banana bag” in alcohol misuse.

Wernicke’s Encephalopathy

Acute thiamine-deficient state with ataxia, ocular palsies, confusion; reversible with prompt vitamin B1.

Korsakoff’s Psychosis

Chronic memory disorder with confabulation following untreated Wernicke’s; often irreversible.

Rhabdomyolysis

Muscle breakdown releasing myoglobin, causing red urine and renal risk; can occur in heavy alcohol use.

Cardiomyopathy

Weakened heart muscle from long-term heavy alcohol or stimulant use.

12-Step Program

Peer-led recovery model (e.g., AA, NA) focusing on abstinence, support, and personal accountability.

Methamphetamine

Potent synthetic stimulant producing long highs, weight loss, sores, and severe dental decay (“meth mouth”).

Cocaine

Powerful stimulant causing euphoria, vasoconstriction, septal perforation with chronic insufflation.

Fentanyl

Synthetic opioid 50× stronger than heroin; minute amounts can cause fatal overdose.

Bath Salts

Synthetic cathinone stimulants sold illicitly; can cause severe agitation, psychosis, hyperthermia.

Cannabis Use Disorder

Problematic marijuana or THC use causing cravings, social/functional impairment, and withdrawal.

THC

Psychoactive cannabinoid responsible for cannabis’s euphoric and analgesic effects.

CBD

Non-psychoactive cannabinoid with anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, anti-spasmodic properties.

Hallucinogens

Drugs like LSD, psilocybin, or PCP that distort perception and may trigger lasting psychosis.

Inhalants

Volatile substances (glue, aerosols, gasoline) whose fumes are inhaled for a brief high, risking sudden death and CNS damage.

Hyperthermia

Dangerously high body temperature seen in stimulant overdose (e.g., cocaine, MDMA).

Sympathetic Overdrive

Excessive autonomic activation—tachycardia, hypertension, dilated pupils—common in stimulant intoxication or depressant withdrawal.

Anhedonia

Loss of pleasure; frequent during stimulant withdrawal and in depression.

Codependency

Maladaptive helping relationship where a non-addicted person enables or covers for a substance user.

Harm Reduction

Strategies (e.g., needle exchange, naloxone kits) aimed at minimizing drug-related damage when abstinence isn’t achieved.

Cross-Tolerance

Resistance to the effects of one drug due to tolerance to a pharmacologically similar substance.

Elder Abuse

Intentional or neglectful acts by a caregiver that harm an older adult; includes physical, emotional, financial, or abandonment.

Tension-Building Phase

First phase of the violence cycle marked by rising stress and minor incidents in an abusive relationship.

Acute Battering Phase

Second phase where the actual violent incident occurs.

Honeymoon Phase

Post-violence period of remorse, apologies, and gift-giving before tensions build again.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Early trauma (abuse, neglect, household dysfunction) linked to higher health and social problems later in life.

Epigenetics

Field studying how life experiences (e.g., trauma, substance use) modify gene expression without altering DNA sequence.

Resilience

Capacity to adapt, recover, and grow after adversity, fostered by competence, connection, coping skills, and support.

Anxiolytics

Drugs that reduce anxiety; many (e.g., benzodiazepines) are CNS depressants with abuse potential.

Hypervigilance

Heightened, persistent state of alertness common in PTSD and stimulant intoxication.

Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA)

See CWA—standardized tool guiding alcohol withdrawal management.