PSYCH 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Homeostasis, Classical Conditioning, Psychological Dependence
Document Summary
Tolerance: intensity of effects produced by the same dosage level may decrease over time when a drug is used repeatedly a person might need to take more doses to feel the same effect. Homeostasis: tolerance stems from the body"s attempt to maintain a state of optimal physiological balance. Reactions opposite to that of the drug, represent the body"s way of fighting the invasion of drugs. How environmental stimuli associated with drug use begin to elicit compensatory responses through this learning process. In an unfamiliar environment, the conditioned compensatory responses are weaker and the drug has a stronger physiological net effect than usual. Heroin addicts are not protected by their usual compensatory responses, resulting in an overdose situation. Substance dependence (formal way of saying drug addiction): Represents a maladaptive pattern of substance use that causes a person significant distress or substantially impairs that person"s life. Physiological dependence: if drug tolerance or withdrawal symptoms have developed.
