Introduction

• What is addiction?

  A disorder in which an individual takes a substance or engages in a behaviour that is pleasurable but eventually becomes compulsive with harmful consequences
• What are the key elements of addiction?

  Physical and/or psychological dependence, tolerance, withdrawal syndrome
• What is physical dependence?


  A state of the body due to habitual substance abuse which results in a withdrawal syndrome when use of drug is reduced or stopped
• What is psychological dependence?


  A compulsion to continue taking a substance (or continue performing a behaviour) because its use is rewarding
• What is tolerance?


  A reduction in response to a substance, so that an addicted individual needs more to get the same effect
• What are examples of 2 types of tolerance?

  Behavioural tolerance and cross tolerance
• What is behavioural tolerance?


  When an individual learns through experience to adjust their behaviour to compensate for the effects of a substance. For example, people addicted to alcohol learn to walk more slowly when they are drunk to avoid falling over
• What is cross tolerance?


  Tolerance to one substance due to use of another substance