 Addiction Objective 3.1 and 3.2

 Take the addiction quiz Objective 3.1 and 3.2

How did you score If you scored...Then...  50 & up: Net addiction likely  35 – 49: Net addiction possible  21-34: Borderline 'Net addiction  20 : No 'Net addiction

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 Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance (alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (gambling, tweeting, internet surfing, etc.) that can be pleasurable but the continued use of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work or relationships, even health.  Users may not be aware that their behavior is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others.

 The word addiction is used in several different ways -It has biopsychosocial implications.  The term has been partially replaced by the word dependence for substance abuse. Addiction has been extended, however, to include psychological components as well.

 Some researchers speak of two types of addictions: substance addictions (for example, alcoholism, drug abuse, and smoking); and process addictions (for example: gambling, social media, spending, shopping, eating, and sexual activity).  There is a growing recognition that many addicts, such as drug abusers, are addicted to more than one substance or process.  In other words… It is a complicated problem.

 Some researchers speak of two types of addictions: substance addictions (for example, alcoholism, drug abuse, and smoking); and process addictions (for example: gambling, social media, spending, shopping, eating, and sexual activity).  There is a growing recognition that many addicts, such as drug abusers, are addicted to more than one substance or process.  In other words… It is a complicated problem.

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Risk Factors Biopsychosocial Factors:  Genetic Predispositions/Pleasure centers in the brain  Mental Illness  Social Learning

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Genes and addictions  Geneticists believe that the reason some people try substances or processes and do not become addicts, while others do so very quickly is probably linked to the type of genes we inherit from our parents.  For example, some people can smoke once in a while, throughout their lives, and never seem to become addicted, while others are unable to stop smoking without experiencing the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Genes and addictions  Geneticists believe that the reason some people try substances or processes and do not become addicts, while others do so very quickly is probably linked to the type of genes we inherit from our parents.  For example, some people can smoke once in a while, throughout their lives, and never seem to become addicted, while others are unable to stop smoking without experiencing the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Addictive Gene?  The physiology of addiction is that the way the brain becomes addicted to a drug or process is related to how a drug or process increases levels of the naturally-occurring neurotransmitter dopamine, which modulates the brain's ability to perceive reward reinforcement.  Several brain-imaging studies suggest that people addicted to such drugs as cocaine, heroin and alcohol have fewer dopamine receptors in the brain’s reward pathways than non-addicts. The level of D2 receptors that each person has is genetically dependent.

Alcoholism and D2 receptors  Addiction researchers have found that alcoholics’ brains contain significantly fewer D2 dopamine receptors than normal drinkers. This type of research suggest that at the genetic level, some people are genetically vulnerable to certain addictive behavior.  People with this altered D2 genetic makeup experience life less intensel y because the neurons in their Reward Systems are innately under-stimulated (thus they seek pleasure). They sometimes self- medicate to compensate for a lack of pleasure they find in normal activities. These people describe their first drug-taking experience as filling a hole they’d always felt.

The importance of Dopamine and Pleasure Seeking Understanding Dopamine and Reward Centers 

The importance of Dopamine and Pleasure Seeking  In certain areas of the brain when dopamine is released it gives one the feeling of pleasure or satisfaction. These feelings of satisfaction become desired, and the person will grow a desire for the satisfaction.  To satisfy that desire the person will repeat behaviors that cause the release of dopamine.

The importance of Dopamine and Pleasure Seeking  For example food and sex release dopamine. That is why people want food even though their body does not need it and why people sometimes feel the need sex.  These two behaviors scientifically make sense since the body needs food to survive, and humans need to have sex to allow the race to survive.  However, other, less natural behaviors have the same effect on one's dopamine levels, and at times can even be more powerful (which is why one may feel the same physiological drive to “tweet” that they feel to eat). Often these behaviors can result in addiction due their effect on dopamine.

Substance abuse and Dopamine  Cocaine is by far the more severe dose of perceived dopamine that one can experience in the brain’s reward center. Cocaine chemically inhibits the natural dopamine cycle.  Normally, after dopamine is released, it is recycled back into a dopamine transmitting neuron. However, cocaine binds to the dopamine, and does not allow it to be recycled.  Thus there is a buildup of dopamine, and it floods certain neural areas. The flood ends after about 30 minutes, and the person is left yearning to feel as he or she once did. This is the physiological basis of substance addiction.

The Brain and Addictions Addiction in a physiological nutshell: Addictive drugs provide a shortcut to the brain’s reward system by flooding the nucleus accumbens with dopamine. The hippocampu s lays down memories of this rapid sense of satisfaction, and the amygdala creates a conditioned response to certain stimuli.

The Brain and Addictions The nucleus accumbens, seems to be flooded with dopamine (which carries the message of pleasure to other parts of the reward system) in people with various addictions, these reward centers appear active under an fmri scan.

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Peer Pressure and Addiction The Importance of Peer Pressure in Substance Abuse  A common motive for first time drug and alcohol use is peer pressure. This desire to fit in ensures that there is a constant pool of new recruits who may later develop an addiction.  Membership of a social group that supports substance or process use encourages people to keep on using these substances.  Many of us are socially drawn to pick up addictive behaviors like social media to feel included in our social groups.

Social Learning and Addiction The Importance of Peer Pressure in Substance Abuse  Social learning theory describes how people learn from watching others. Many addictive substances and processes are often socially learned from watching others “have fun” from using and/or abusing the substance or process.  In other words…If the individual observes that other people appear to receive rewards for certain behaviors they will be tempted to model these behaviors..

Social Learning and Addiction For example, if you notice attractive people drinking or smoking, and you watch them being rewarded for this behavior (e.g., they attract positive attention), then there’s a strong chance that you’ll also choose to drink or smoke the next time you are in a similar environment.

 Discussion Question Are your peers “drawn” to certain behaviors because it appears pleasurable? What are real world examples?

 Final Notes: What role can culture play in addictive behavior? Can the social situation play a role in substance abuse? Can values, beliefs, and other cognitive factors influence addictive behavior?

 Tomorrow Examine prevention strategies and treatments for substance abuse and addictive behavior