Addiction. What is addiction? *A condition that results when a person ingests a substance (alcohol,...

Addiction

What is addiction?*A condition that results when a person ingests a substance (alcohol, cocaine, nicotine) or engages in an activity (gambling) that can be pleasurable.

*The continued use of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work or relationships, even health.

*Users may not be aware that their behavior is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others.

Stages of Addiction

Stage One -- ExperimentationThe voluntary use of alcohol or other drugs. 

Many times it involves teens going to a party and drinking or popping pills in order to fit in.

Sometimes, the person experimenting is trying to forget about or escape from an issue. At the time the substance seems to solve the problem. 

Stage Two – Regular Use  This is ordinarily the period of time where the

consequences of using drugs and/or alcohol regularly begin to show up. Some will completely stop at this point.

Others will stop for a period of time in order to get back into the good graces of loved ones or possibly the law; for example if someone gets a DWI and is put on probation they may quit drinking completely or agree with their family never to drink and drive again but as soon as they complete their probation they feel they are “off the hook” and can finally return to their old behaviors.

Many times they have a false sense of entitlement and will justify their using by saying things like, “I quit drinking/using while I was on probation, I obviously don’t have a problem.”

Stage Three – Preoccupied User

Constant use of alcohol or other drugs that lead to the inability to take care of major responsibilities related to work, family, school and other roles. 

Repeatedly using drugs in situations that are physically hazardous, such as sharing needles or driving while under the influence, repeated legal problems, or any combination of these. Their risky behavior may also escalate to things such as prostitution and stealing from society because they can no longer take from their family.

Many dependent people could be categorized as functioning, are able to work, maintain family relationships, and friends. They will attempt to limit their use to certain times, such as evenings or weekends. However, they can only keep up this façade for so long and they will begin to disappear for periods of time without any explanation. A lot of times family members and loved ones are walking on eggshells to “keep the peace.” This is only allowing their disease to progress and if they are not confronted they will continue to manipulate, rationalize, and justify in order for them to keep up their way of life.

Stage Four – The AddictAt this point they have been addicted for some time

but this is the point where change is inevitable because continued use will only lead to a few places.

Addiction is a disease involving serious psychological and physical changes from constant heavy use of alcohol, drugs, or both.

Symptoms include uncontrollable alcohol use and/or other drug craving, seeking, and use, that continues even in the face of repeated negative consequences. 

Addiction is a progressive, chronic, and fatal disease. If left untreated, it can only lead to jails, institutions, death, and dereliction, in no specific order.

Types of Addiction

Addiction means a person has no control over whether he or she uses a drug or drinks. Someone who's addicted to cocaine has grown so used to the drug that he or she has to have it. Addiction can be physical, psychological, or both.

Physical AddictionBeing physically addicted means a person's body

actually becomes dependent on a particular substance (even smoking is physically addictive). It also means building tolerance to that substance, so that a person needs a larger dose than ever before to get the same effects.

Someone who is physically addicted and stops using a substance like drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes may experience withdrawal symptoms. Common symptoms of withdrawal are diarrhea, shaking, nausea, vomiting, seizures etc.

Psychological AddictionPsychological addiction happens when the cravings

for a drug are psychological or emotional. People who are psychologically addicted feel overcome by the desire to have a drug. They may lie or steal to get it.

A person crosses the line between abuse and addiction when he or she is no longer trying the drug to have fun or get high, but depends on it. Their whole life centers around the need for the drug. An addicted person — whether it's a physical or psychological addiction or both — no longer feels like there is a choice in taking a substance.

Signs of Addiction Psychological signals:

use of drugs or alcohol as a way to forget problems or to relax

withdrawal or keeping secrets from family and friends

loss of interest in activities that used to be important

problems with schoolwork, such as slipping grades or absences

changes in friendships, such as hanging out only with friends who use drugs

spending a lot of time figuring out how to get drugs

stealing or selling belongings to be able to afford drugs

failed attempts to stop taking drugs or drinking

anxiety, anger, or depression

mood swings

Physical Signals

changes in sleeping habits

feeling shaky or sick when trying to stop

needing to take more of the substance to get the same effect (developing tolerance)

changes in eating habits, including weight loss or gain

TreatmentAddiction is a treatable disease.

There are a number of treatment methods and community resources, including outpatient or residential inpatient treatment programs.

Just as important as treatment is what the addict does after treatment, such as finding a support group & a network of positive friends who will hold the addict accountable for their actions.

Addiction is the interaction between a drug and a person

Are you at risk for addiction???-take this quiz and see…Are you at risk for addiction???-take this quiz and see…

#1: Multiple Choice

If you have both parents who are/were alcoholics, you have a (an) ______ chance of also being an alcoholic:

A) 50%

B) 60%

C) 80%

RISK FACTOR:

1. Family genetics

If you have both

parents who are/were

alcoholics, you have an 80%

chance of also being an

alcoholic.

C

You aren’t born with it. A great choice is

to choose not to drink or use drugs.

#2: Multiple Choice:

Teens who use marijuana weekly have _____ of depression later in life:

A) no risk

B) double the risk

C) triple the risk

RISK FACTOR:

2. Stress or problems in your life

Teens who use marijuana weekly

have double the risk of depression later

in life.

B

#3: Multiple Choice

Teens who start drinking alcohol before the age of 15 have ____ the risk of becoming an alcoholic.

A) 4 times

B) 8 times

C) 10 times

RISK FACTOR:

3. Early use of drugs

People who begin drinking before age 15

are 4x more likely to be addicted to alcohol

No one knows when the "chemical switch" goes off in your brain or who will get

addicted. It's a lot like playing Russian Roulette – you

just never know.

The only thing we do know is that if you don't do drugs, you definitely won't get

addicted.

A

#4: Short Answer

List 2 traumatic childhood experiences that can shape a child's brain chemistry and make them vulnerable to addiction.

1)2)

RISK FACTOR:

4. Childhood trauma

Scientists know that 1) physical or verbal abuse 2) neglect of children, 3) persistent conflict in the family, 4) sexual abuse

and other traumatic childhood experiences can shape a child's brain chemistry andsubsequent vulnerability to addiction.

#5: True / False

RISK FACTOR:

5. Drinking before the age of 15

True!

#6: Multiple Choice

Students in a national survey who drank alcohol were ______ more likely than non-drinkers to have low self-esteem.

A) 2 times

B) 2 to 10 times

C) 2 to 15 times

RISK FACTOR:

6. Low self-esteem

Students in this survey who had

faced harmful effects of alcohol

were 2 to 15 times more likely than

non-drinkers to have low self-esteem.

C

#7: Multiple Choice

____% of cigarette smoking seniors in high school who tried marijuana.

A) 50%

B) 64%

C) 94%

RISK FACTOR:

7. Using Tobacco

94% of smoking seniors in high

school tried marijuana compared to only

20% of non-smoking seniors.

C

#8: Multiple Choice

Students with an average grade of “D” or below were more than _______ as likely to have used marijuana in the past year as students who reported an average grade of “A.”

A) 1.5 times

B) four times

C) ten times

RISK FACTOR:

8. Poor grades

Students with an average

grade of “D” or below were

more than four times as

likely to have used marijuana in

the past year as students who

reported an average grade of “A

B

#9: Multiple Choice

Kids who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are ___% less likely to use than those who don’t talk with parents.

A) 25%

B) 50%

C) 60%

RISK FACTOR:

9. Lacking family support

Kids who learn a lot about

the risks of drugs at home

are up to 50 % less

likely to use than those

who do not talk to their

parents about drugs.

B

#10: Multiple Choice

Of these 3, what is the most powerful risk factor that a teen will use drugs in high school?:

A) Feeling unaccepted socially

B) Having friends who useC) Poor attendance

RISK FACTOR:

10. Friends who use

B

Answers at a glance:1. C

2. B

3. A

4. abuse, neglect, conflict

5. TRUE

6. C 9. B

7. C 10. B

8. B

10 – A9 – A-8 – B7 – C6 – D5 – F 4 – F3 – F2 – F1 - F

Top 10 RISK FACTORS in Review:

1. Family genetics

2. Stress or problems in your life

3. Early use of drugs

4. Childhood trauma

5. Drinking before the age of 15

6. Low self-esteem

7. Smoking Cigarettes or using Tobacco

8. Poor grades

9. Lacking family support

10. Friends who use

Protective Factors:

•relieve stress in healthy ways

•positive self-talk•manage anger•have empathy•get counseling

•care about your education•choose friends who don't

use•don't smoke cigarettes

•treat depression•don't drink alcohol until 21