Chapter 8-Drug Use and Addiction

A set of core vocabulary terms and definitions drawn from the Chapter 8 lecture on Drug Use and Addiction.

Addiction

Compulsive use of substances or behaviors for physical/psychological reward despite harmful consequences.

Drug

Any chemical (other than food) intended to affect the structure or function of the body.

Psychoactive Drug

A substance that alters perception, mood, behavior, or consciousness and may cause intoxication.

Tolerance

Reduced response to a drug so that larger doses are needed to achieve the original effect.

Substance Misuse

Use of a substance inconsistent with medical or legal guidelines.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

APA/DSM-5 diagnosis marked by cognitive, bodily, and social impairment related to continued substance use.

DSM-5 Criteria for SUD

Eleven symptoms grouped into impaired control, social problems, risky use, and drug effects (tolerance/withdrawal).

Impaired Control

DSM-5 domain involving larger-than-intended use, failed cut-down attempts, time spent on drug, and craving.

Withdrawal

Physical and psychological symptoms that occur when drug use is stopped in a dependent person.

Reinforcement

Process by which a drug produces pleasurable effects that encourage repeated use.

Behavioral Addiction

Compulsive engagement in activities such as gambling, gaming, or shopping that mimic substance addiction.

Opioids

Natural or synthetic drugs (e.g., heroin, morphine) that relieve pain, cause drowsiness, and induce euphoria.

Opioid Epidemic

U.S. public-health crisis in which ~130 people die daily from opioid overdoses.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The brain and spinal cord, primary targets of many psychoactive drugs.

CNS Depressant

Drug (alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines) that slows nervous activity, causing sedation or sleep.

Sedative-Hypnotic

Depressant that induces calm (sedation) or sleep (hypnosis).

CNS Stimulant

Substance (cocaine, amphetamines) that speeds up nervous or muscular system activity.

Cocaine

Powerful stimulant; snorted, injected, or smoked as crack; produces brief euphoria followed by crash.

Crack

Smokeable form of cocaine made by processing with baking soda and water.

Amphetamines

Potent synthetic stimulants; small doses boost alertness, misuse leads to addiction and psychosis.

Methamphetamine

Highly addictive amphetamine variant associated with severe behavioral disturbances.

Prescription Stimulants

Medications (e.g., for ADHD) that can be misused for alertness or recreation.

Caffeine

Mild stimulant; world’s most widely used psychoactive drug; can produce withdrawal symptoms.

Marijuana

Most common federally illegal drug; derived from Cannabis; effects depend on THC content.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

Primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis responsible for mood alteration.

Depersonalization

Feeling of detachment from one’s body; possible effect of moderate cannabis dose.

Hallucinogen

Drug (LSD, PCP) that profoundly alters perceptions, feelings, and thoughts.

LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)

Potent hallucinogen that can cause synesthesia, panic reactions, and flashbacks.

Synesthesia

Blending of sensory experiences, such as “seeing sounds”; common during LSD use.

MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly)

Drug with stimulant and hallucinogenic properties; even low doses impair judgment.

Inhalants

Volatile substances (solvents, aerosols) inhaled for psychoactive effects; high risk among youth.

Prescription Drug Misuse

Using medication without a prescription, differently than prescribed, or for euphoria.

New Psychoactive Substances

Emerging synthetic drugs such as synthetic marijuana and bath salts with unpredictable effects.

Synthetic Marijuana

Herbal product sprayed with lab-made cannabinoids; mimics THC but with greater risks.

Bath Salts

Synthetic stimulants that can cause violent behavior, hallucinations, and chest pain.

Placebo Effect

Response to an inert substance believed to be active, e.g., feeling “high” on a sugar pill.

Risk Factors for Drug Misuse

Male gender, troubled childhood, thrill-seeking, poor academics, peer pressure, poverty, risky sex.

Protective Factors

Perceiving drug risk, positive self-esteem, self-control, academic success, religiosity, parental communication.

Harm Reduction

Strategies that minimize negative drug effects (e.g., syringe exchange, safe injection sites).

Naloxone

Medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdose; cornerstone of harm-reduction efforts.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

Use of medications (e.g., methadone, buprenorphine) alongside counseling for addiction recovery.

Codependency

Condition where a person is controlled by another’s SUD behavior, often enabling addiction.

Club Drugs

Substances (Rohypnol, GHB) used in nightlife scenes; many are CNS depressants linked to assault.

Tolerance–Withdrawal Cycle

Progression where increasing amounts are needed (tolerance) and stopping causes symptoms (withdrawal).