Psychology - Addiction

• Dependence

  The physical need for a substance, with signs including tolerance and withdrawal
• Addiction

  A compulsive and irrational behavior to use a substance, with the behavior being out of control and ignoring negative consequences
• Substance misuse


  When legal drugs like prescription drugs are not used according to guidelines
• Substance abuse


  Using drugs with the intention of changing mental state to get an emotional high, with illegal or prescription drugs
• ICD


  A medical tool used to diagnose addiction, where the patient's experience is matched against criteria for a disorder. It is updated frequently to match the latest scientific knowledge and published by the World Health Organization.
• Diagnosing addiction using the ICD


  • Clinicians consider 3 symptoms: a strong desire to use despite harmful consequences, difficulty controlling use, and giving higher priority to the substance than other activities/obligations
• Advantages of using the ICD


  The use of a clear bullet point list helps clinicians be objective when giving a diagnosis, and it is regularly updated with new scientific knowledge
• Disadvantages of using the ICD


  The simple tick list might reduce the ability of doctors to use their own judgment, and the experience of mental health conditions like addiction might be very different around the world
• Biological explanation of addiction


  Suggests there is a genetic vulnerability to addictive behavior, due to the inheritance of certain genes from parents. It is a polygenic trait, with a combination of genes resulting in increased vulnerability.
• Genes alone cannot produce an addiction, as there must also be access to the addictive substance and some experience using it.
• Study on the genetics of addiction


  • Kaij conducted a twin study in Sweden, finding a concordance rate of 54% for alcohol abuse in identical twins compared to 28% in fraternal twins, suggesting genetic factors in alcohol addiction.
• Limitations of the twin study

  The results may only apply to alcohol addiction and not be generalizable to other substances, and the 46% non-concordance rate in identical twins suggests both genetic and environmental factors influence addiction.
• Psychological explanations of addiction

  Suggest addiction is due to psychological factors like social learning and peer influence, where people learn and imitate addictive behaviors from others.
• Many people are able to resist peer influence but still develop addictions, suggesting factors beyond just conformity.
• Aversion therapy

  An intervention that associates the addictive stimulus with an unpleasant stimulus like electric shocks or drugs causing vomiting, in order to create an association between the addictive substance and negative effects.
• Advantages of aversion therapy

  Research shows it can be effective in the short-term, with fMRI scans showing reduced brain activity associated with cravings.
• Disadvantages of aversion therapy

  It can be seen as unethical, as it is giving a punishment for a mental health condition. It also does not address the root causes of addiction.
• Self-management programs

  Interventions that allow the sufferer to take control of their own health and well-being, learning about their condition and developing coping strategies, often through self-help groups.
• Advantages of self-management programs

  They can provide emotional support and a chance for sufferers to share their experiences, taking pressure off mental health services.
• Disadvantages of self-management programs

  The religious focus of many self-help programs may put off people who need support, and they do not directly address biological or cognitive causes of addiction.