A Level Addiction - by Shoaib Mirza

7/27/2019 A Level Addiction - by Shoaib Mirza

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A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza

Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565

I/O & Clinical Psychologist

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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 drugabuse


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Types of addiction

1. Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a disease characterized by thehabitual 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 beresisted (hence the name)! Examples

include kleptomania (stealing), pyromania (settingof fires) and compulsive gambling.

Again, these conditions must have a significantimpact on the life of the sufferer if they are to classas an addiction.These conditions are associated withpsychological, but not physical addiction.

Impulsivity has five distinct stages of behaviour:

1. An impulse2. A growing tension

3. Pleasure when impulse is satisfied

4. Relief from satisfaction5. Guilt or lack of guilt


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Kleptomania

An irresistible I mpulse to Steal, Stemm ing from

emotional disturbance rather than Economic Need

Pyromania

A Compulsion to set things on fire

A Mental illness that m akes people has a str ong desire to

set fires

Com pulsive gam bling

The uncontrollable urge to keep gambling

despite t he toll it takes on your life


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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 ofthem 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 needfor 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.


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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


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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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A Level Addiction - by Shoaib Mirza