PART 5: Cycle Of Addiction

Cycle of Addiction:

• Many drugs, if taken often enough, can lead to addiction or physical dependence

• Addiction often follows a pattern or cycle…

The Cycle of Addiction Has Three Parts:

1. TOLERANCE:

3. WITHDRAWAL

SYMPTOMS:

2. ADDICTION:(Physical Dependence)

The path to addiction:

1. TOLERANCE:

•Your body becomes used to the effects of a drug.

1. TOLERANCE:

After repeated doses, it takes more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect.

2. ADDICTION:

Your body and mind will not function normally unless the drug is taken.

2. ADDICTION:

Without the drug, the user will suffer painful withdrawal symptoms

3. WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS:

• Physical and mental reactions which occur when an addict does not take the drug

3. WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS:

May include nausea, vomiting, trembling, seizures, headaches, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat, and even death

Drugs that cause these withdrawal symptoms cause physical dependency.

Psychological Dependence:

In addition to being hooked physically, many users get addicted mentally and emotionally, too

Psychological Dependence:

• This makes it even more difficult to quit using drugs

• The user must break both the physical and psychological addiction!

Psychological Dependence:

• Is a person’s mental or emotional need for the drug.

• Withdrawal symptoms of psychological dependent drugs are depression, nervousness, sleeplessness, and irritability.

Most young people don’t fully understand this when they start drinking, smoking, or using other drugs

They think: “I can quit any time I want!”

CAN THEY?

How can you tell if you are developing a problem?

If you know someone who you think has a problem you should have them take the T.W.E.A.K. test on the next slide.

Copyright Alcohol Medical Scholars Program

The T.W.E.A.K. Test­ T (tolerance) “How many drinks / how many pills / how

many hits can you hold?” A lot?­ W (worried) “Have close friends or relatives worried or

complained about your drinking/drugging in the past year?”

­ E (eye opener) “Do you sometimes take drugs or a drink in the morning when you first get up?”

­ A (amnesia) “Has a friend or family member ever told you about things you said or did while drinking or drugging that you could not remember?”

­ K (cut down) “Do you sometimes feel the need to cut down on your drinking and drugging?”

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3 risky drug/alcohol use