Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

Module-4
Module-4

Avoiding risks and harmful habits :

Characteristics of health compromising behaviors, Recognizing and
avoiding of addictions, How addiction develops and addictive behaviors,
Types of addictions, influencing factors for addictions, Differences
between addictive people and non addictive people and their behavior
with society, Effects and health hazards from addictions Such as..., how
to recovery from addictions.
Avoiding risks and Harmful Habits

Characteristics of health compromising behaviors

behaviours that undermine or harm current or future health. Habitual in nature leading to addiction in
certain cases. Substantial contributors to global burden of disease.

• Produce pleasurable effects: sensory pleasure – alliesthesia (external stimulus perceived as pleasant if main-
tains or improves internal homeostasis, perceived as unpleasant if threatens internal homeostasis).

• Thrill-seeking behaviour.

• Stress reduction, coping mechanisms: avoidance – negative reinforcement.

• Acquired gradually over time: degree of engagement & experimentation

• Developmental state seen as window of vulnerability, risk-taking behaviour.

• Problematic family relationships.

• Developed Gradually.

Recognizing and avoiding of addictions

Recognizing and avoiding of Additions
• Someone with an addiction will crave a substance or other behavioral habits. They’ll often ignore other areas
of life to fulfill or support their desires.
Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

• Lack of control, or inability to stay away from a substance or behavior

• Decreased socialization, like abandoning commitments or ignoring relationships

• Ignoring risk factors, like sharing needles despite potential consequences

• Physical effects, like withdrawal symptoms or needing higher dosage for effect

• Problems at school or work — frequently missing school or work, a sudden disinterest in school activities
or work, or a drop in grades or work performance.

• Physical health issues — lack of energy and motivation, weight loss or gain, or red eyes Neglected appear-
ance — lack of interest in clothing, grooming or looks.

• Changes in behavior — exaggerated efforts to bar family members from entering his or her room or being
secretive about where he or she goes with friends; or drastic changes in behavior and in relationships with
family and friends.

• Money issues — sudden requests for money without a reasonable explanation; or your discovery that money
is missing or has been stolen or that items have disappeared from your home, indicating maybe they’re being
sold to support drug use.

Recovering from addictions

• Admit There Is A Problem. The hardest part to recovery is admitting you have an addiction.

• Reflect On Your Addiction.

• Seek Professional Support.

• Appreciate The Benefits of Sobriety.

• Evidence-Based Care.

• Identify Your Triggers.

• Change Your Environment.

• Exercise.

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

Addiction is Mental Disorder

How addiction develops and addictive behaviours

Substance Use Disorder
• Substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use of a substance,
despite harmful consequences.

• People with SUD have an intense focus on using a

• certain substance(s) such as alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs, to the point where the person’s ability to
function in day to day life becomes impaired.

• People keep using the substance even when they know it is causing or will cause problems.

• The most severe SUDs are sometimes called addictions.

Types of addictions and influencing factors for addictions

Addictions
What is Addiction?
• Addictive behaviour: A behaviour based on the pathological need for the substance or activity, may involve
the abuse of substances, such as alcohol or tobacco/opium or the excessive ingestion of high caloric food,
resulting in extreme obesity

• Addiction is a chronic disorder with biological, psychological, social and environmental factors influencing
its development and maintenance.

• Addiction occurs when the act of using a substance takes over these circuits and increases the urge to con-
sume more and more of the substance in order to achieve the same rewarding effect.

Types of Addictions
• Alcoholism/Tobacco

• Drugs-Opium, Marijuana, Cocaine, Cannabis

• Internet/browsing addiction

• Cell phone addiction

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

• Video gaming

• Pornography

• Sedatives/Anxiolytics/inhalants

• Hyper obesity/Morbid obesity

More about Addiction

• About half the risk for addiction is genetic

• Genes affect the degree of reward that individuals experience when initially using a substance (e.g., drugs)
or engaging in certain behaviours (e.g., gambling), as well as the way the body processes alcohol or other
drugs.

• Heightened desire to re-experience use of the substance or behaviour, potentially influenced by psycho-
logical(e.g., stress, history of trauma), social (e.g., family or friends & use of a substance), and environ-
mental factors (e.g., accessibility of a substance, low cost) can lead to regular use/exposure, with chronic
use/exposure leading to brain changes

• All addictions are part of mental disorders!

Reasons for taking drugs

• To feel good — feeling of pleasure, “high” or "intoxication". Euphoria

• To feel better — relieve stress, forget problems, or feel numb

• To do better — improve performance or thinking

• Curiosity and peer pressure or experimenting

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

Symptoms of substance use disorder

• Impaired control: a craving or strong urge to use the substance; desire or failed attempts to cut down or
control substance use
• Social problems: substance use causes failure to complete major tasks at work, school or home; social, work
or leisure activities are given up or cut back because of substance use
• Risky use: substance is used in risky settings; continued use despite known problems
• Drug effects: Dependence: Involves physiological need for substance; tolerance (need for larger amounts to
get the same effect); withdrawal symptoms (different for each substance);
• Feeling that you have to use the drug regularly — daily or even several times a day.
• Having intense urges for the drug that block out any other thoughts.
• Over time, needing more of the drug to get the same effect.
• Failing in your attempts to stop using the drug.
• Taking larger amounts of the drug over a longer period of time than you intended
• Making certain that you maintain a supply of the drug Spending money on the drug, even though you can’t
afford it.
• Not meeting obligations and work responsibilities, or cutting back on social or recreational activities because
of drug use.
• Continuing to use the drug, even though you know
• it’s causing problems in your life or causing you physical or psychological harm.
• Doing things to get the drug that you normally wouldn’t do, such as stealing.
• Driving or doing other risky activities when you’re under the influence of the drug.

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

• Spending a good deal of time getting the drug, using the drug or recovering from the effects of the drug.

• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms. when you attempt to stop taking the drug.

Consequences
• Brain changes include alterations in cortical (pre-frontal cortex) and sub-cortical (limbic system) regions
involving the neuro-circuitry of reward, motivation, memory, impulse control and judgment.

• This can lead to dramatic increases in cravings for a drug or activity, as well as impairments in the ability to
successfully regulate this impulse, despite the knowledge and experience of many consequences related to
the addictive behaviour.

Complications
• Getting a communicable disease.

• Other health problems. Drug addiction can lead to a range of both short-term and long-term mental and
physical health problems. These depend on what drug is taken.

• While driving more likely do other dangerous activities while under the influence causing accidents.

• People who are addicted to drugs die by suicide.

• Family problems . Behavioral changes may cause marital or family conflict.

• Work issues. Decline in performance at work, absenteeism and eventual loss of employment.

• Problems at school. Academic performance and motivation to excel in school.

• Legal issues.While buying or possessing illegal drugs, stealing to support the drug addiction, driving while
under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

• Financial problems.

Differences between addictive people and non addictive people and their
behavior with society

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

What other factors increase the risk of addiction?

• Early use: Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, research shows that the earlier people
begin to use drugs, the more likely they are to develop serious problems.

• This may be due to the harmful effect that drugs can have on the developing brain.

• It also may result from a mix of early social and biological risk factors, including lack of a stable home or
family, exposure to physical or sexual abuse, genes, or mental illness.

How to recover from addictions

Treating Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)
• The first step is recognition of the problem

• A formal assessment of symptoms: Medical professional

• Multiple types of treatment: A combination of medication and individual or group therapy is most effective.

• Treatment approaches that address an individual’s specific situation and any co-occurring medical, psychi-
atric, and social problems is optimal for leading to sustained recovery.

• Varies depending on substance and circumstances Treating substance use disorder is challenging and in-
cludes one or more of the following:

– Acute detoxification,
– Prevention and management of withdrawal
– Cessation (or rarely, reduction) of use
– Maintenance of abstinence

What works
• Cognitive-behavioural therapy: CBT can help addicted patients overcome substance abuse by teaching them
to recognize and avoid destructive thoughts and behaviours.

• Motivational interviewing: This therapy technique involves structured conversations that help patients in-
crease their motivation to overcome substance abuse.

• Contingency management. Provide tangible incentives to encourage patients to stay off drugs

• Psychodrama and group therapies

• Alcoholic Anonymous and Narcotic anonymous

• Rehab centers and Therapeutic Communities and other tertiary care centers

13 principles of effective drug addiction treatment

• Addiction is a complex, but treatable, disease that affects brain function and behavior

• No single treatment is appropriate for everyone.

• Treatment needs to be readily available.

• Effective treatment attends to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug abuse.

• Remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical.

• Counselling: individual and/or group —and other behavioral therapies are the most commonly used forms
of drug abuse treatment.

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

• Medications are an important element of treatment for many patients, especially when combined with coun-
seling and other behavioral therapies.
• An individual’s treatment and services plan must be assessed continually and modified as necessary to ensure
it meets his or her changing needs.

• Many drug-addicted individuals also have other mental disorders.

• Medically assisted detoxification is only the first stage of addiction treatment and by itself does little to
change long-term drug abuse.
• Treatment does not need to be voluntary to be effective.

• Drug use during treatment must be monitored continuously, as lapses during treatment do occur.
• Treatment programs should assess patients for the presence of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis
and other infectious diseases, as well as provide targeted risk-reduction counseling to help patients modify
or change behaviors that place them at risk of contracting or spreading infectious diseases.

Effects and health hazards from addictions Such as...

Health Hazards
• Health issues: Cardiovascular, digestive and renal impairment, strokes, HIV/Aids, Cancer, Hepatitis B and
C, Lungs, Fetal Alcohol Syndromes, etc.
• Mental health issues: Anxiety, depression, Schizophrenias, organic mental disorders due to substance abuse,
cognitive dysfunction, personality disorder, etc
• Social health issues: Stigma, disrupted families, anti-social behaviours, higher crime records and law &
order problems.

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 Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

Module 4 Quiz Questions for Practice in MCQ Pattern

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of addiction?
a) Negative consequences
b) Loss of control
c) Habitual behavior
d) Denial

Which term describes the use of a drug for a purpose for which it was not intended?
a) Abuse
b) Tolerance
c) Addiction
d) Misuse

An individual who knowingly tries to protect an addict from natural consequences of his or her destructive
behavior is
a) enabling.
b) intervening.
c) encouraging.
d) Sheltering.

Addiction involves an excessive

a) amount of debt or financial problems.
b) risk of losing one's job or failing out of school.
c) preoccupation with the addictive behavior.
d) tolerance for alcohol or drugs.
Denial is a person's
a) inability to perceive that a behavior is self-destructive.
b) experience of a blackout episode or memory loss.
c) failure to stop an addictive behavior.
d) change in the usual pattern of drinking or drug use.

When increased amounts of a drug, other substance, or behavior is needed to produce the desired effect, this
phenomenon is known
as
a) psychological dependence.
b) physiological dependence.
c) tolerance.
d) withdrawal.

Excessive use of any drug (legal or illegal) constitutes

a) drug abuse.
b) drug addiction.
c) drug misuse.
d) drug tolerance.

Temporary physical and psychological symptoms that occur when use of an addictive substance is
discontinued is
a) compulsion.
b) relapse.
c) withdrawal.
d) addiction.
e)
Process addictions include all of the following EXCEPT
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 Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

a) the use of Ritalin to help concentration when studying.

b) compulsive buying, both in stores and online.
c) exercise addiction to the point of working out at least 3 hours a day.
d) compulsive gambling that results in the need to borrow money.

Charlotte, a college student, is a habitual drinker. She has become preoccupied with obtaining alcohol and
obsessed with her need to drink. Charlotte is exhibiting
a) lack of responsibility.
b) tolerance.
c) denial.
d) compulsion.

Rebecca takes medications for various conditions, including Prinivil (for high blood pressure), insulin (for
diabetes), and Claritin (for allergy symptoms). This is an example of
a) synergism.
b) cross-tolerance.
c) antagonism.
d) polydrug use.

Chemicals that relay messages (impulses) from one nerve cell to another or to other cells are
a) chemoreceptors.
b) enzymes.
c) neurotransmitters.
d) synapses.

Which of the following is NOT an example of drug misuse?

a) Not following the instructions when taking a prescription medication
b) Taking an over-the-counter medication more often than is recommended
c) Regular use of increasing amounts of cocaine to get high
d) Taking a friend's prescription medication to treat a migraine

A lack of judgment regarding whether a particular substance or behavior will be healthy or damaging to
oneself is known as
a) obsession.
b) loss of control.
c) denial.
d) compulsion.

Which of the following is classified as a stimulant?

a) Methamphetamine
b) Marijuana
c) Alcohol
d) LSD

Signs of compulsive buying include

1. purchasing several gifts when they go on sale.
2. repeatedly buying more than you need or can afford.
3. purchasing only one item in your favorite color.
4. showing new clothes to your friends or family when you bring them home.

Transdermal drug administration means that a drug is

a) absorbed through the skin.
b) inhaled.
c) injected into a vein.
d) placed under the tongue.
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 Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

Drugs in suppository form are absorbed into the bloodstream through the
a) rectal or vaginal walls.
b) alveoli.
c) stomach lining.
d) intestinal walls.

The psychoactive drug mescaline is obtained from which plant?

a) Peyote cactus
b) Marijuana
c) Mushrooms
d) Poppy

The illicit drug most commonly used in the United States is

a) amphetamines.
b) marijuana.
c) cocaine.
d) heroin.

Which of the following statements about cocaine is NOT true?

a) A cheap and widely available form of cocaine that can be smoked is known as crack.
b) It is a powerful stimulant.
c) When snorted, it can damage the mucous membranes.
d) It can cause drowsiness, depression, and loss of appetite.

Which of the following statements about amphetamines is true?

a) They are stimulants.
b) They have no known side effects.
c) They are not addictive.
d) They can cause a dangerous drop in heart rate and respiratory rate.

The most noticeable effect of THC, the psychoactive substance in marijuana, is

a) slouching posture.
b) bloodshot eyes.
c) hyperactivity.
d) loss of appetite.

Morphine, codeine, and heroin have what in common?

a) They are all opioids.
b) They are all amphetamines.
c) They are illegal in the United States.
d) They are all available without a prescription.

PCP was originally developed as

a) an experimental psychiatric medication.
b) an anesthetic with which a person remains conscious but feels no pain.
c) a drug to induce vomiting.
d) an anesthetic used in veterinary practice

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Scientific Foundations of Health 21SFH19/29

MODULE -V

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