Substance Use

 

Wars On Drugs

  • Roman catholic church in 1992 issued new universal catechism
  • Officially declared drug abuse and drunk driving are sins
  • Usage among college students increased from 1969 to 1978
  • Decreased significantly by 1989

 

Can You Use Drugs And Not Abuse Them?  

 

Can You Abuse Drugs And Not Become Addicted To / Dependent On Them?

 

Can You Be Dependent On Drugs And Not Abuse Them?

 

“Substance”

  • Definition?

 

“Substance Use “

  • Definition?

 

“Substance Intoxication “

  • Definition?

 

“Substance Abuse “

  • Definition?

 

“Substance Dependence“

  • What are the two requirements?

 

Etiology

 

Genetic Predisposition

  • Drug must be available
  • Person must choose to use drug
  • Does not automatically lead to dependence
  • Chromosome 11 Gene “DRD2”
    • 2/3 alcoholics have gene but only 1/5 of nonalcoholics
    • Not sufficient for cause, but may interact

  

Positive/negative reinforcement

 

Sociocultural effects

  • Media
  • Ethnic customs, etc.

 

Integrative model (see handout)

 

Treatment

 

1)  Agonist substitution

  • Methadone
  • Nicotine patches/gum

 

2)  Antagonist drugs

  • Naltrexone

 

3)  Aversive treatments

  • Antabuse
    • Prevents breakdown of acetaldehyde
    • Causes feelings of illness

 

4)  Inpatient hospital treatment

  • Research shows no difference between in and outpatient tx

 

5)  Alcoholics Anonymous

 

6)  Controlled use

  • Sobell & Sobell, 1978
  • 40 men, abstinence vs. controlled drinking
  • 98% followed over 2 years
  • 2 yr post-tx, controlled doing well 85% of the days
  • abstinence group only 42% of the days
  • Rebuttal
    • 1982, article in Science contacted subjects after 10 years
    • found only 1 in controlled group continued a controlled drinking pattern
    • PROBLEM - no data on abstinence group
  • controlled drinking widely accepted as tx in United Kingdom