PSYC 207 Lecture 12: Addiction
Document Summary
Medical model of addiction: treating addiction like a disease. Depends on drug but usually men; that gap is closing though. Women use telescoping : moving more quickly through the stages of addiction. Usually begins in adolescence (due to time not teenage brain, if you start in teens your more likely to continue through adulthood); telescoping also an issue. Other - depression, anxiety - both a cause and effect of addiction, those who are depressed/anxious are more likely to become addiction and those who are addicted are more likely to be depressed/anxious. Genes for alcohol metabolism; there is no single gene for addiction though. Family clusters; if you have enzymes that can breakdown drugs easily you are more likely to become addicted. Alter motivation, lead to drug seeking behaviour. Addition is not a failure of willpower. Continued use despite adverse effects on life - criteria that makes it.
