Describing Addiction

• Define the term Addiction


  The inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a specfic behaviour despite it causing harm
• Substance Addiction


  Inability to stop ingesting or inserting a substance that is harmful to one's body
• Behavioural Addiction


  Inability to stop conducting an action that is harmful to one's body
• Examples of a Substance Addiction


  Alcohol , drugs, nicotine and food
• Examples of a Behavioural Addiction


  Gambling, phone or shopping
• Physical Dependance


  Withdrawal symptoms subsiding when substance is administered
• Psychological dependence


  Experience compulsions to aquifer substance to remove discomfort
• Behavioural tolerance


  Individual adjusts their behaviour of consumption to cope with their tolerance of the substance
• Withdrawal syndrome


  Negative effects of the substance that occur when an individual attempts to stop
• Acute withdrawal syndrome


  Within hours, suffers experience intense cravings which subside over some days
• Acute withdrawal symptoms


  Psychical pain, nausea, sweating, anger and delirium
• Prolonged withdrawal syndrome


  Weeks, months or years after. Once body no longer contains the substance - sufferers are highly sensitive cues which may trigger relapse
• What research evidence supports withdrawal? (Ao3)


  Grabus et al (2005)
• What did Grabus et al (2005) find? (AO3)


  Mice were able to become addicted to nicotine and show withdrawal symptoms such as paw tremors and head shakes. They also built a tolerance over time.
• Validity issues in research for withdrawal (ao3)


  Level of control is poor - research relies on self report measures which decreases reliability
• Individual differences in researching withdrawal (ao3)


  Gender, drug use behaviours, age and weight make it difficult to establish clear patterns of behaviour