Everything You Wanted to Know About Addiction And Were Afraid to Ask

35 Pages·2015·15.87 MB·English

Everything You Wanted to
Know About Addiction
And Were Afraid to Ask
Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM
Medical Director
Las Vegas Recovery Center
Objectives
Review and define addiction as brain

disease.
Describe causes of addiction

Discuss treatment and recovery

Addiction
Characterized by:
Compulsive use

Loss of Control

Continued use despite harm

Craving

Diagnosis of Drug Dependence(Addiction)
DSM IV
Tolerance

Withdrawal (Physical Dependence)

Used more and longer than planned

Unsuccessful attempts to quit or control use

Excessive time spent obtaining, or is pre-occupied

with using, or recovering from use
Reduces or abandons important work, social, or leisure

activities because of substance use
Continued use despite adverse medical or

psychological consequences
Diagnosis of Substance Use Disorder (Addiction)
DSM V
1.Taking substance in larger amounts or for longer than you meant to
2. Wanting to cut down or quit but not managing to
3. Spending time getting using or recovering from use
4. Cravings and urges to use the substance
5. Not managing to do what you should at work, home or school because of
substance use
6. Continuing to use, even when it causes problems in relationships
7. Giving up important social, work, or recreational activities because of substance
use.
8. Using substances again and again, even when it puts you in danger
9. Continuing to use even when you know you have a physical or psychological
problem that could have been caused or made worse by use
10. Needing more of the substance to get the effect (tolerance)
11. Withdrawal symptoms which can be relieved by taking more of the substance
(dependence)
ASAM Short Definition of Addiction
Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation,
memory and related circuitry.
Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological,
psychological, social and spiritual manifestations.
This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward
and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.
Addiction is characterized by
-inability to consistently abstain,
-impairment in behavioral control,
-craving,
-diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s
behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a
-dysfunctional emotional response.
Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse
and remission.
Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is
progressive and can result in disability or premature death.
Addiction is Similar to other Diseases
Both:
disrupt normal, healthy

functioning of the
underlying organ
have serious harmful

consequences
are chronic preventable,

and treatable
Causes of Addiction
-Genetics
-Time
-“Hyper” stress = trauma
-Exposure to the drug
Neurobiology
Addiction is a Brain Disease
Cortex
Midbrain
Positron
PET
=
Emission
Tomography
Limbic System
Brain Stem