1. Drug Misuse and Addiction
Chapter 7
Drug Misuse and Addiction

2. Psychoactive Drugs
Drugs that alter a person’s experiences or consciousness
Can cause intoxication
A state in which sometimes unpredictable physical and emotional changes occur

3. Nonmedical Drug Use among Americans, 2012 (Percent Using in Past Month)

4. Addictive Behavior
Habits that have gotten out of control, with a resulting negative effect on a person’s health
Addiction is a chronic disease that disrupts the brain systems that regulate motivation and reward
What is addiction?
Behavioral characteristics (psychological)
Changes in brain chemistry (physiological)
Development of tolerance

5. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
Substance use disorder
Continuum from mild to severe
Dependence
Can occur with or without a physical component
DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder
Severity determined by the number of criteria a person meets
2–3 criteria—mild disorder
4–5 criteria—moderate disorder
6 or more criteria—severe disorder

6. The Development of Addiction
Often starts as a way to bring pleasure or avoid pain
Reinforcement; tolerance; withdrawal
A combination of factors is involved in the development of addiction
Personality
Lifestyle
Heredity
Social and physical environment
Nature of the substance or behavior in question

7. Characteristics of People with Addictions
Use of a substance or activity as a substitution for healthier coping strategies
Genetic predisposition
Distinct preference for a particular addictive behavior
Problems with impulse control and self-regulation
Tend to be risk takers

8. Examples of Addictive Behaviors
Compulsive gambling
Compulsive exercising
Work addiction
Sex and love addiction
Compulsive buying or shopping
Internet addiction

9. Who Misuses Drugs Today
Characteristics of youth at highest risk of trying drugs
Male
A troubled adolescent
A thrill-seeker
In a dysfunctional family
In a peer group that accepts drug use
Poor
A girl dating an older boy
Characteristics of people who don’t use drugs
Perceive drug use as risky, disapprove of use
Positive self-esteem
Self-control
Social competence
Optimism
Academic achievement
Regular church attendance
Strong family

10. Why Do People Use Drugs? Allure of the exciting and illegal Curiosity
Rebellion
Peer pressure
Experiment
Escape

11. Psychoactive Drugs and Their Potential for Substance Disorder and Addiction

12. Risk Factors for Misuse and Addiction
Physical factors
Brain chemistry; metabolism
Psychological factors
Mental disorders
Social factors
Family; peers; poverty

13. Other Risks of Drug Misuse
Intoxication
Unexpected side effects
Unknown drug constituents
Risks associated with injection use
HIV and HCV
Legal consequences

14. How Drugs Affect the Body
Changes in brain chemistry
Effect on neurotransmitters
Factors that influence a drug’s effect
Pharmacological properties
Dose-response function
Time-action function
Person’s drug use history
Method of drug use

15. How Drugs Affect the Body
Physical factors
Body mass
General health and genetics
Interactions between drugs
Psychological factors
Expectations
Placebo effect
Social factors
Setting

16. Representative Psychoactive Drugs
Opioids
Central nervous system depressants
Central nervous system stimulants
Marijuana and other cannabis products
Hallucinogens
Inhalants
Prescription drugs
Synthetic recreational drugs

17. Commonly Misused Drugs and Their Effects

18. Opioids
Natural or synthetic drugs that relieve pain, cause drowsiness, and induce euphoria
At prescribed doses, beneficial medical uses
Can still lead to misuse and addiction
Tolerance can develop rapidly
Withdrawal symptoms include cramps, sweating, nausea, tremors, irritability, and feelings of panic

19. Central Nervous System Depressants
Types: barbiturates, sedatives, tranquilizers
Effects: reduced anxiety, change in mood, impaired muscular coordination, slurring of speech, drowsiness, sleep, impaired mental functioning
Medical uses: to treat insomnia and anxiety disorders, and to control seizures
From use to misuse
Tolerance and withdrawal
Overdose: slowing and stopping of respiration
Club drugs: Rohypnol, GHB

20. Central Nervous System Stimulants
Speed up activity of nervous or muscular system
Cocaine
Produces feelings of euphoria
Snorted or used intravenously; crack
Intense but short-lived effects
Euphoria replaced by irritability, anxiety, slight depression
“Crash”
Other effects
Sudden death from excessive CNS stimulation
Persistent nose bleeds
Paranoia and aggression
Serious effects on developing fetus

21. Central Nervous System Stimulants
Amphetamines
Potent, synthetic CNS stimulants
Small doses make people feel more alert
Sometimes used to curb appetite
Misuse and addiction
Often starts as an attempt to cope with a temporary situation
State dependence
Tolerance leads to increased doses and psychosis
Methamphetamine is more addictive than others
Severe risks to fetus

22. Central Nervous System Stimulants
Ritalin
Caffeine
Most popular psychoactive drug
Rarely harmful, but withdrawal symptoms can develop
Energy “shots”

23. Caffeine Content of Popular Beverages

24. Marijuana and Other Cannabis Products
Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the United States
THC is the active ingredient; potency has increased
Short-term effects and uses are influenced by the dose
Long-term effects
Respiratory damage
Learning, attention, memory problems
Decreased testosterone levels
Impaired fetal growth and development

25. Hallucinogens
Drugs that alter the user’s perceptions, feelings, and thoughts
LSD
Synesthesia
Altered state of consciousness
Flashbacks
MDMA
Variants: ecstasy, molly

26. Hallucinogens Other hallucinogens: DMT Ketamine STP PCP Mescaline
Mushrooms
Botanical products

27. Inhalants Slow down body functions Types:
Volatile solvents
Aerosols
Nitrites
Anesthetics
Use is high among youth and declines with age
Difficult to control because they are easy to obtain
Suffocation is among the many risks

28. Prescription Drug Misuse
Use of medication without a prescription in a way other than as prescribed, or for the experience or feelings elicited
Misuse has increased
Abused at a rate behind only marijuana and alcohol
Adderall

29. Synthetic Recreational Drugs
“Designer drugs”
Chemically distinct—so either legal or impossible to detect on drug screenings
Two main groups
Synthetic marijuana (“herbal incense”)
Produces effects similar to THC
Bath salts
Produces severe effects
From violent behavior to chest pain

30. Drug Use: The Decades Ahead
Drugs, society, and families
Economic cost of illicit drug abuse in the U.S.: $193 billion annually
Relationship between drugs and crime
Health care issue
Toll on the individual and on families
Legalizing drugs
Drug testing

31. Treatment for Drug Addiction
Medication-assisted treatment
Treatment centers
Groups and peer counseling
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA); Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Harm-reduction strategies
Minimize the effects of drug use and misuse
Using a designated driver
Methadone
Syringe exchange
Codependency
Enabling behaviors

32. Preventing Drug Misuse
Governmental attempts
Antidrug education programs
Indirect approaches
Increasing self-esteem
Improving academic skills
Increasing recreational opportunities
Direct approaches
Information about the adverse effects
Peer pressure resistance