A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza
Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565
I/O & Clinical Psychologist 1 Addiction and Impulse Control Disorders Definitions, Types and Characteristics of Addictions Definitions of addiction Addiction is the compulsive, uncontrolled use of habitforming drugs. (Websters New International Dictionary, 3rd edn.) An addict is a person addicted to a habit, especially one dependent on a (specified) drug. (Concise Oxford Dictionary). An addict is one who habitually uses and has an uncontrollable craving for an addictive drug. (Websters New International Dictionary, 3rd edn.) These definitions all mention drugs, and traditionally chemicals were thought to be central to addiction. Increasingly, however, psychologists have recognised that we can become addicted to a wider range of stimuli, such as exercise, the internet, or sex. Griffiths (1995) proposed a definition for addictive behaviours that highlighted 6 components: salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse. These components can be applied to both drug abuse AND activities other than drug abuse A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565 I/O & Clinical Psychologist 2 Types of addiction 1. Alcoholism Alcoholism is a disease characterized by the habitual intake of alcohol. In order to classify as an alcoholic the sufferer must display chronic alcohol use to the degree that it interferes with their physical or mental health, or with normal social or work behaviour (it must have a significant impact on their life). Alcoholism produces both physical and psychological addiction. Chemically, alcohol is a depressant that reduces anxiety, inhibition, and feelings of guilt. It lowers alertness and impairs perception, judgment, and motor coordination. In high doses, it can cause loss of consciousness and even death. Alcohol abuse has been found to cause damage to the brain, liver, heart, and other organs. 2. Impulse control disorders These are disorders where impulses cannot be resisted (hence the name)! Examples include kleptomania (stealing), pyromania (setting of fires) and compulsive gambling. Again, these conditions must have a significant impact on the life of the sufferer if they are to class as an addiction. These conditions are associated with psychological, but not physical addiction. Impulsivity has five distinct stages of behaviour: 1. An impulse 2. A growing tension 3. Pleasure when impulse is satisfied 4. Relief from satisfaction 5. Guilt or lack of guilt A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565 I/O & Clinical Psychologist 3 Klept omania An irresist ible I mpulse t o St eal, St emming from emot ional dist urbance rat her t han Economic Need Pyromania A Compulsion t o set t hings on fire A Ment al illness t hat makes people has a st rong desire t o set fires Compulsive gambling The uncont rollable urge t o keep gambling despit e t he t oll it t akes on your life A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565 I/O & Clinical Psychologist 4 Physical vs Psychological dependence Physical dependence describes a situation where someone has taken drugs in quantity for a time and comes to rely on the use of them in order to feel well and for their body to function 'normally'. If they don't take the drug they suffer withdrawal symptoms, and so the drug is often taken simply to avoid these. Alcoholism and drug addiction lead to clear physical dependence (though there may also be psychological dependence) Psychological dependence involves a dependence on something which provides a psychological need, such as a need for stimulation, excitement, pleasure or to escape reality. It is not associated with withdrawal symptoms. Impulse control disorders (such as pyromania) would involve psychological dependence. Causes of Addiction and Impulse Control Disorders Genetic explanations for alcohol addiction Schuckit (1985) Schuckit (1985) investigated the genetic basis of alcoholism. His study on the sons of alcoholics involves 400 college men, half of which had alcoholic fathers. Alcoholic mothers were excluded so that any pregnancy-related effects could be avoided. None of the men were alcoholics themselves. Schuckit gave the volunteers an alcoholic or non- alcoholic beverage without their knowledge. Every drink had the odour and taste of alcohol to help in deception. The men were given four or five drinks and then their blood alcohol levels were tracked. A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565 I/O & Clinical Psychologist 5 The sons of alcoholics said that they felt less drunk than the sons of non-alcoholics, and they even performed better in tests of hand-eye coordination. This all happened even though both groups of men had the same blood alcohol level. Schuckit reported that the sons of alcoholics swayed much less when walking and had less obvious changes in their hormones. In total 40% of the sons of alcoholics showed a decreased sensitivity to alcohol in terms of drunkenness, performance and hormone levels. This was seen in less than 10% of the sons of non-alcoholics. Schuckit also cited high concordance rates among identical twins as compared with fraternal twins (e.g. Kendler, 1992, found a 54% concordance rate for MZ twins but only a 28% concordance rate for DZ twins) and the fourfold greater risk of alcoholism in children of alcoholics, even in adopted children. Peters and Preedy (2002) Below is a summary of the main points Biochemical explanations for addiction - dopamine A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565 I/O & Clinical Psychologist 6 We've already met the neurotransmitter dopamine in the Schizophrenia section, but dopamine is also implicated in addiction and addictive behaviours. This is because it is a neurotransmitter heavily involved in the activity of brain areas associated with reward. A release of dopamine in certain areas of the brain (called the 'mesolimbic system') is associated with feelings of pleasure and a desire to repeat the action that caused the release. However, it is not a good idea to repeat behaviours constantly, regardless of how good they make us feel. Starting a fire might be a thrill, but if we feel the need to repeat it again and again then soon it will become a very harmful behaviour. We can become dependent on certain activities (e.g. starting fires, or gambling) for our dopamine high, and once we've had the high we quickly want to do it again. In addition, many drugs have a chemical shape similar to that of dopamine (cocaine and amphetamine are two examples), so they interact directly with the dopamine system, for example by mimicking dopamine and so causing the pleasure response themselves.
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