Substance Use Disorders and Treatment

The percentage of variation in alcohol dependence that is attributable to genetic factors. Studies estimate this to be around 50-60%, particularly high in males who develop dependence early in life.

A large-scale study investigating the impact of genetics and environment on drinking patterns. It followed a birth cohort of children separated from their biological families and raised by adoptive relatives. This allowed researchers to disentangle genetic and environmental contributions to alcohol dependence.

Individuals with a pattern of early-onset, heavy alcohol consumption, primarily seen in males. This type is strongly influenced by genetics and often accompanied by antisocial traits. Family environment has little impact.

Individuals with a pattern of long periods of abstinence followed by episodes of uncontrollable drinking. This type is less influenced by genetics than Type 2 and is linked to personality traits.

Certain personality traits, such as harm avoidance, novelty seeking, and antisocial tendencies, can influence the development and severity of alcohol dependence. These traits are often linked to the different types of alcoholics identified by Cloninger.

The brain's mechanism to counteract the effects of excessive drug use, preventing potentially fatal consequences.

The association of environmental cues (e.g., injection paraphernalia) with drug effects, leading to physiological changes (e.g., increased pain sensitivity) in anticipation of the drug.

The body's physiological reaction to a drug, often opposing the drug's direct effects, aiming for a balance.

Higher risk of overdose when drug use occurs in unfamiliar settings due to the absence of the usual compensatory response triggered by familiar cues.

The process of increasing drug consumption over time, often leading to substance use disorder.

The role of social norms, cultural practices, and individual experiences in shaping patterns of drug use and the development of substance use disorders.

The complex factors contributing to the development of substance use disorder, including biological, psychological, and social factors.

The primary behavior characterizing substance use disorder, characterized by excessive drug use, although the amount varies across individuals.

A type of addiction treatment that uses drugs to block the effects of the abused substance, preventing the user from experiencing the desired high.

A medication used in Antagonist Treatment for heroin and alcohol addiction. It blocks opioid receptors, reducing the intoxication and cravings associated with these substances.

This type of addiction treatment focuses on reducing the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms experienced when quitting a substance.

A medication used in Anti-Withdrawal Treatment for alcohol addiction. It reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings, potentially by restoring neurotransmitter balance.

A community-based approach to addiction recovery based on the disease model, powerlessness, spirituality, and social support.

The belief that addiction is a chronic, progressive, and potentially fatal disease.

A key element of AA recovery, involving shared experiences, mutual support, and building new relationships outside the culture of addiction.

A public health approach that aims to minimize the risks associated with drug use, rather than focusing solely on abstinence.

An approach within the Harm Reduction movement that allows people to use drugs in a controlled and safe manner, offering a potential alternative to abstinence.

There's a complex relationship between substance use and schizophrenia, likely affecting each other. Early substance use might increase the risk of developing schizophrenia, and schizophrenia might lead to self-medication with substances.

Chronic marijuana use, especially abuse, is linked to a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. This is due to the effects of THC on dopamine transmission in the brain.

There's a likely bidirectional relationship between tobacco use and schizophrenia. Smoking increases the risk of developing schizophrenia, and those with schizophrenia often smoke more.

Schizophrenia typically starts in late adolescence or early adulthood. Men tend to develop it earlier and have a more severe course, while women experience it later and with fewer symptoms. This may be linked to the protective effect of estrogen.

Schizophrenia can negatively impact education early on, which can lead to difficulties in acquiring higher socioeconomic status.

While symptoms are generally equivalent across different ethnic groups, Black Americans are diagnosed with schizophrenia twice as often as White or Latino Americans. This may be due to biases among clinicians.

Individuals with a family history of substance use disorders are more likely to develop schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia significantly impacts relationships and self-care, often leading to reliance on family or homelessness.

Abnormal cognitive, perceptual, and behavioral patterns such as delusions, hallucinations, and bizarre behavior. These symptoms fluctuate and can go into remission between episodes.

A reduction or deficit in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral areas like avolition (lack of motivation), alogia (reduction in speech), anhedonia (loss of pleasure), asocial behavior (withdrawal), affective flattening (blunted emotions), apathy, and amotoricity (slowed movement).

Unshakable, logically inconsistent false beliefs not attributable to educational, social, or cultural background. Common themes include persecution, grandiosity, jealousy, religious beliefs, and influence/control.

False perception of a stimulus that is not actually present, like hearing voices or seeing bugs on the wall when they are not there.

The most common type of hallucination, where the patient hears voices talking to them, criticizing them, or talking to each other. The voices are often perceived as objective and clear, repeating the patient's thoughts or commenting on their actions.

Actions that are not consistent with reality, have no apparent reason, and are strange or unusual. Examples include taking off clothes in public, lining up objects, or wandering aimlessly.

A state where a person becomes rigid and immobile, unresponsive to stimuli, and potentially stares blankly. They are conscious but behave as if they are not.

The lack of motivation and inability to initiate and complete goal-directed activities. People with avolition might have trouble starting or finishing tasks, or even getting out of bed in the morning.

A reduction in the amount of speech or the content of speech, producing empty replies or short answers. It can also involve difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings.

A loss of the ability to experience pleasure or joy in normally enjoyable activities. People with anhedonia may feel emotionally flat and disinterested in things that used to bring them pleasure.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) defines Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on two core areas of impairment: persistent deficits in social communication & social interaction AND restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Early developmental symptoms must also be present.

Reciprocity refers to the back-and-forth nature of social communication. In ASD, this can range from abnormal social approach and failure of normal conversations to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, and affect. It can also include failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.

Nonverbal communication includes gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and body language. Individuals with ASD may have difficulties interpreting or using these cues effectively, leading to misunderstandings in social interactions.

Relationship skills refer to the ability to develop and maintain social relationships. People with ASD may struggle with aspects like understanding social rules, building friendships, and managing social situations.

This criteria describes the presence of at least two out of four specific behaviors: stereotyped or repetitive motor movements (like hand flapping), insistence on sameness (routine changes cause distress), highly restricted interests (intense preoccupation with specific topics), hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input (unusual reactions to sounds, textures, or sights).

The DSM-5 requires that symptoms of ASD must be present during early developmental periods. This means that these difficulties are evident early in life, often before a child reaches school age.

There is NO scientific evidence to support the claim that vaccines cause autism. This is a debunked myth that unfortunately persists.

Facilitated communication is a discredited method where a person with ASD is physically supported, usually by holding their arm or hand, to allow them to type or point to letters. It has been proven to be a bogus treatment, as the facilitator often influences the communication, not the individual with ASD.