reducing addiction: drug therapy

• What is Drug Therapy?

  Treatment involving drugs i.e. Chemicals that have a particular effect on the functioning of the brain or some other body system. Such drugs affect neurotransmitter levels
• What are the 3 types of drug therapy?

  Aversives, agonists and antagonists
• what are aversives?

  The main effect is to produce unpleasant consequences like vomiting. For example, disulfiram is a drug therapy used to treat alcoholism by creating hypersensitivity to alcohol. A client will then associate drinking alcohol with there unpleasant outcomes rather than with enjoyment.
• What is agonists drug therapy?

  Are effectively drug substitutes that activate neuron receptors providing a similar effect to the addictive substance. they have fewer harmful side effects and are cleaner as they’re administered medically. they stabilize individual as used to control withdrawal syndrome allowing gradual reduction in dose and symptoms.
• What is antagonists drug therapy?

  treat addiction by blocking receptor sites so that the substance of dependence can’t have its usual effects especially the feeling of euphoria that people with addictions crave.
• What is nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)?

  Uses gum, inhalers or patches to deliver the psychoactive substance in tobacco smoke but in a less harmful way. Nicotine is the major addictive chemical in tobacco but it’s not the most harmful to health.
• How does NRT work?

  Provides the user with a clean, controlled dose of nicotine which operates neurochemically as an antagonist which activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the mesolimbic pathway of the brain. Stimulates the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. Using NRT means that the amount of nicotine can be reduced over time by using smaller and smaller patches.
• one strength of drug therapy

  Research shows it’s effective. Hartmann-Boyce conducted a meta analysis of 136 high quality research studies into the effectiveness of NRT. Concluded that all forms of significantly more effective in helping smokers quit than both placebo and no therapy at all. NRT products increased rate of quitting up to 60%.

  So NRT is effective therapy that can save lives and reduce costs to the NHS.
• CA for research support of NRT

  Researchers only included in their analysis research studies that had been published. there’s a risk of publication bias as published studies are more likely to show positive results. Studies with non significant results out that show no effect aren’t usually published. Researchers note that they wrote to manufacturers of NRT products to track down unpublished studies but the response was poor.

  so NRT may not be as effective as the findings of this meta analysis suggest.
• Limitation of drug therapy

  Have side effects. Risk of side effects is that a client will discontinue the therapy. In the case of NRT the common side effects include sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal problems and dizziness. Side effects are much greater concern in drug therapies for gambling addiction.

  This is cos the dose required for naltrexene to have an effect on gambling behaviour is much higher than when its used to treat opiate addiction. Therefore side effects should be weighed up against the benefits of the drug therapy and the costs/benefits of other therapies.
• What is a strength of drug therapy in relation to addiction?

  Addiction becomes less stigmatized
• Why do many people view addiction negatively?

  They believe it is a psychological weakness
• What happens to an individual's control over addiction over time?

  It spirals out of their control
• What negative effects can stigma attached to addiction cause?

  Self-blame and depression
• How does stigma affect recovery from addiction?

  It makes recovery more difficult
• How is stigma being addressed in relation to drug therapy?

  It is gradually being eroded
• What is the argument for perceiving addiction as treatable with drugs?

  It helps avoid self-blame and assists recovery
• What can the successful use of drug therapy lead to in terms of addiction perception?

  It helps reduce stigma
• What role does individual responsibility play in the onset of addiction?

  It is initially the individual's responsibility
• How does the perception of addiction as a treatable condition influence societal attitudes?

  It reduces stigma and promotes recovery