Substance Abuse Treatment Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is one role of healthcare professionals in the treatment of substance abuse?

Conducting independent therapy sessions for addiction

Administering psychiatric medications without supervision

Creating patient-specific drug detoxification protocols

Providing recommendations for pharmacotherapeutic choices (correct)

Which activity involves collaboration with other healthcare professionals?

Developing drug detoxification protocols (correct)

Participating in substance abuse education programs

Documenting the quantities of dispensed methadone

Creating a list of substance abuse referral resources

What is a responsibility of pharmacists in methadone maintenance programs?

Conducting weekly medical assessments

Providing group therapy sessions

Prescribing methadone doses to patients

Dispensing daily doses of methadone (correct)

Which of the following is NOT a method of drug prevention mentioned?

Encouraging excessive prescribing of psychoactive substances Signup and view all the answers

What type of education do pharmacists provide to their peers concerning substance abuse?

Substance abuse education and prevention techniques Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes drug misuse from drug abuse?

Drug abuse results in negative consequences, while drug misuse does not. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following personality traits is NOT associated with drug abuse?

Strong interpersonal skills Signup and view all the answers

What role do peer influences play in the context of drug abuse?

Peers primarily facilitate social interactions through drug use. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a common reason for drug experimentation?

Curiosity and self-discovery Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant factor in the reinforcement of drug use?

Euphoria experienced during drug use Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of drug abuse?

Improved social relationships Signup and view all the answers

What is addiction best characterized as?

A chronic disease involving compulsive behavior Signup and view all the answers

Which reason for drug abuse highlights a psychological need?

Need for immediate gratification Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of physical dependency on a drug?

The emergence of withdrawal symptoms when drug use ceases Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a stimulant abused by athletes?

Cocaine Signup and view all the answers

Which drug class is best known for its pain-relieving properties?

CNS depressants Signup and view all the answers

What is tolerance in the context of drug use?

The reduced effectiveness of a drug requiring higher doses Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a typical withdrawal symptom associated with drug dependency?

Euphoria Signup and view all the answers

Which group of drugs primarily treats anxiety disorders?

Benzodiazepines Signup and view all the answers

How can opiates be administered?

Chewed, inhaled, or injected Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a depressant?

Morphine Signup and view all the answers

Which stimulant is most commonly associated with snorting as a method of intake?

Cocaine Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary psychoactive agent in marijuana?

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a major component of alcoholism?

Inhalant usage Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is classified as a serotonergic hallucinogen?

LSD Signup and view all the answers

What type of substance is toluene commonly found in?

Paint thinners Signup and view all the answers

What effect does alcohol primarily have on the central nervous system?

Sedative effect Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following plants is associated with the production of DMT?

Virola tree Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a pharmacologic treatment specifically for alcoholism?

Acamprosate Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of pharmacists in substance use disorder management?

Provide drug education Signup and view all the answers

Which stimulant is often classified as an over-the-counter sympathomimetic?

Cold medications Signup and view all the answers

Which drug is NOT a serotonergic hallucinogen?

Oxycodone Signup and view all the answers

Inhalants elicit psychological or physiological changes when introduced into the body via which method?

Lungs Signup and view all the answers

What is the typical duration of a medically supervised detox program for drug withdrawal?

28 days inpatient or up to 12 weeks outpatient Signup and view all the answers

What is a common effect of combining alcohol with other sedative medications?

Produces a synergistic effect Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following drugs is suggested as a first-line treatment in opioid detoxification?

Methadone Signup and view all the answers

What type of treatment involves the use of counseling and support groups for substance abuse?

Psychosocial and other treatments Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Misuse of Medicines and Drugs

Misuse of medicines involves unintentional or inappropriate use of prescribed or over-the-counter drugs.
Drug abuse is the intentional and inappropriate use of a drug, leading to physical, emotional, financial, social, or intellectual consequences.
Addiction is a chronic, recurring disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite negative consequences. The prolonged effects of drugs impact the brain.

Learning Objectives

Identify commonly abused drugs.
Understand treatment options for drug abuse and dependence.
Understand the role of pharmacists in managing drug abuse and dependence.

Definitions

Drug Misuse: Unintentional or improper use of prescribed or over-the-counter drugs.
Drug Abuse: Intentional and improper use of a drug, resulting in negative consequences.
Addiction: A chronic disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use in spite of negative consequences.

Reasons for Drug Abuse

Environmental Influences: Cost of drugs, parental influences, community factors (social acceptance or not), peers (positive or negative reinforcement), federal laws related to drug use, interpersonal and social influences, marketing of drugs, personal situations (anxiety, stress, depression), local law enforcement (enforcement policies), representation of drugs in media/movies, and minimum drinking age.
Individual Influences: Curiosity, pleasure/escape from boredom, peer influence (gaining acceptance or approval), low self-esteem, poor interpersonal skills, need for immediate gratification, rebelliousness, lack of tolerance for anxiety/frustration/depression, impulsivity, risk-taking behavior, and disregarding personal health.
Desire to enhance performance in sports: Athletes may abuse anabolic steroids, human growth hormones, erythropoietin (EPO), androstenedione, or stimulants.

Reasons for Drug Abuse: Other Key Points

Experimentation: Curiosity is a common reason for young people trying drugs. Drugs can also be seen as tools for self-discovery.
Pleasure/Escape: Drugs increase pleasure or reduce boredom, leading to reinforcement due to euphoria. The user seeks physical or social reward.
Peer Influence: Many young people use drugs to gain peer acceptance or facilitate social interactions. Peers may have a more significant influence than family in early adolescence, but strong family connections might reduce problematic drug use.
Personality Traits: Some characteristics linked to drug misuse include low self-esteem, poor interpersonal skills, a need for immediate gratification, rebelliousness, low tolerance for stress/anxiety, impulsivity, risk-taking, and disregard for personal well-being.

Drug Dependency

Dependency involves needing a drug for its pleasurable effects. Behavioral changes occur when drug use stops. Maintaining the desired effects requires increasing dosage or frequency.
Physical Dependency: Withdrawal symptoms (physical symptoms) manifest when drug use stops. People with physical dependency need the drug to avoid these symptoms.
Psychological Dependency: The perceived need for a drug.

Tolerance

Tolerance occurs when repeated exposure to a drug diminishes its effect. Higher doses are needed to attain the same effect.
Common with depressants (e.g., alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates) and stimulants (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines).

Types of Drugs/Substances Abused

Narcotics
Sedative-Hypnotics
Stimulants
Hallucinogens
Marijuana/Cannabis
Alcohol
Inhalants

Narcotics

Naturally derived from opium or produce similar effects.
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants.
Relieve pain and induce profound sleep ("narcosis").
Examples: Opium, Morphine, Heroine, Codeine, synthetic opiates (pethidine, methadone, oxycodone, fentanyl).
Administration methods include oral (pills, chewing), inhalation (smoking), injection, and snorting.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Include diarrhea, runny nose, constant yawning, insomnia, muscle aches and pains, dysphoria (feeling of unease), tearing, nausea and vomiting, fever, and perspiration.

Sedative-Hypnotics

CNS depressants.
Types include barbiturates (e.g., pentobarbital, secobarbital) and benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium, Xanax).
Other examples include antihistamines, sedatives, anxiolytics, hypnotics, and amnesics.

Stimulants

Increase activity levels and alter mood, enhancing performance.
Major stimulants include amphetamines (e.g., speed, crystal meth) and cocaine.
Common intake method is snorting.
Minor stimulants include over-the-counter (OTC) sympathomimetics (cold, allergy, and diet medications) and caffeine-like drugs.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that cause hallucinations, altering thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.
Examples include:
- Serotonergic hallucinogens (e.g., LSD, mescaline, psilocin).
- Phencyclidine (PCP).
- Methylene-dioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/Ecstasy).

Marijuana/Cannabis

Derived from the Cannabis sativa plant.
Primary psychoactive agent is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Works quickly and intensely when smoked.
Used to treat asthma, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, nausea, and vomiting.

Alcohol

Produces a sedative effect on the CNS.
Affects many bodily organs (brain, liver, GI tract, cardiovascular system, immune system).
Often interacts with prescription medications in a synergistic way, increasing the CNS depressive effect.
Alcoholism is characterized by physical and psychological addiction to ethanol. Major components include craving, impaired or loss of control, physical dependence, and tolerance.

Inhalants

Volatile substances.
Include aerosols (e.g., spray paints, deodorants, hair sprays), toluene (in glues, paints, thinners, nail polishes), butane/propane (hair/paint sprays), gasoline, freon (refrigerators, air conditioners, airbrushes), and anesthetics (e.g., ether, chloroform, halothane, nitrous oxide).
Inhaled into the lungs to cause physiological and psychological changes.