Stages of Addiction:

Experimental use
Regular use
Abuse
Dependency
Addiction
The most important thing to know about the difference between
these two conditions is that substance abuse can lead to addiction
Abuse Addiction
Casual exhibits more serious symptoms
Not clinical Clinical
Recurrent use Binge intoxication
Recurrent use (voluntary) Compulsive self-administration
Tolerance (not strictly Tolerance
required)
No chemical dependency Chemical dependency
No Withdrawal symptoms Withdrawal symptoms
Healthy and normal Brain’s neurons adapt to repeated
drug exposure
Alters the brain briefly Alters the brain permanently
 Addiction - Behavior Perspective

Four behaviors that are central to the addiction

cycle:
– Impulsivity (displaying behavior characterized by
little or no forethought, reflection, or consideration
of the consequences).
– positive reinforcement
– negative reinforcement
and
– compulsivity
 Initial substance: Experimental use, peer pressure, curiosity,
sense of adventure
Impulsivity: no regard for consequences

Experience: pleasure, positively reinforces the

positive reinforcement

substance use
More likely to take the substance again

Positively reinforcing effects diminish with repeated use: Tolerance

Person may experience negative emotions such as stress,

anxiety, or depression, or feel physically ill: withdrawal.
- Use the substance again to relieve the withdrawal
symptoms.

Addiction
 Relieve negative feelings such as stress,
- anxiety, isolation or depression

Temporary relief the substance brings from the

reinforcement

negative feelings negatively reinforces

negative

substance use.

Increasing the likelihood that the person

will use again

Addiction
Compulsive substance seeking is a
key characteristic of addiction, as
is the loss of control over drug use.
As use becomes an ingrained behavior,
impulsivity shifts to compulsivity,

and

Positive reinforcement (feeling pleasure) to

negative reinforcement (feeling relief).
Although this theory is
extremely helpful
understanding drug use/abuse
behavior, it does not tell us
about the drug-taking motives
and motivation of an
individual.
 Addiction - repeating cycle with
three stages This three-stage model
draws on decades of
human and animal
research and provides a
useful way to understand
the symptoms of
addiction.

Each stage is particularly

associated with one of the
brain regions—basal
ganglia, extended
amygdala, and prefrontal
Chapter 2, The Neurobiology of Substance Use, Misuse and Addiction, The
cortex.
Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health
Addiction - repeating cycle with three stages.

Binge/Intoxication, the stage at which an individual

consumes an intoxicating substance and experiences its
rewarding or pleasurable effects

Withdrawal/Negative Affect, the stage at which an

individual experiences a negative emotional state in the
absence of the substance; and

Preoccupation/Anticipation, the stage at which one

seeks substances again after a period of abstinence.
The three stages are linked to and feed on
each other.

A person may go through this three-stage

cycle over the course of weeks or months or
progress through it several times in a day.

There may be variation in how people

progress through the cycle and the intensity
with which they experience each of the
stages.
 Some Important Terms
Term Definition
Medicine drug that helps treat people suffering from an illness or
disease generally prescribed by a physician
Prescription Drugs that are prescribed by a physician. Ex: antibiotics,
medicines antidepressants, pain relievers, induce stimulation, or
induce relaxation. These drugs are taken under a physician’s
recommendation because they are more potent than OTC
drugs.
Over-the- OTC drugs can be purchased at will without seeking medical
counter advice or a prescription. Ex: aspirin, cough suppressants
etc.,
Drug a substance that when absorbed can have effect on body
and brain
Recreational drugs that are taken for pleasure and has no medical use
drug
 Drug vs Medicine

Government/law/social perceptions draw line of

separation.

Dictionary does not provide distinct definition.

As defined by law, medicines have fairly

negligible toxicities.

continued…
 Drug vs Medicine

The term “drug” nowadays is linked more to specific

kinds of medications including: stimulants,
hallucinogens, narcotics etc.,

Drugs are those substances that can induce stimulating

effect, of stupefaction (overwhelming amazement).

Drugs have the potential for addiction (adhere) when

used in an abusive way.
 Tolerance and Resistance

Tolerance (body needs increasingly larger doses to

get the same effect) is a person's diminished
response to a drug, which occurs when the drug is
used repeatedly and the body adapts to the
continued presence of the drug.

Resistance refers to the ability of microorganisms

or cancer cells to survive/live of a drug usually
effective against them.