What is Addiction? (AQA A Level Psychology): Revision Note

Dependence & tolerance

• Addiction is

  • the physical and/or psychological dependence on the use of drugs or other substances, or dependence on activities or behaviours

• Examples of addiction include, but are not limited to

  • smoking

  • opiate addiction

  • alcohol addiction

  • gambling addiction

• Physical dependence is the physiological state of adaptation to a substance, resulting in tolerance, the absence of which produces withdrawal

• Psychological dependence is the compulsion to use a substance for its pleasurable effect, which can also lead to anxiety, memory issues, mood swings and an obsession with the substance

• Physical and psychological dependence overlap, with key behaviours being

  • over-use

  • taking the substance even when you know it is bad for you

  • problems maintaining everyday activities

  • inability to stop

• Tolerance can be explained by the idea of homeostasis

  • The brain tries to maintain its ‘balance’, but if large amounts of an addictive substance are consumed regularly, then it disrupts this balance and eventually the brain readjusts by rebalancing at the new level

• There are two types of tolerance:

  • Metabolic tolerance: the substance is metabolised quicker and therefore leaves the body quicker

  • Cellular tolerance: there are changes in the responsiveness of the neurons as the brain tries to rebalance at a new level

• Both types of tolerance result in more and more of the substance being needed to produce the same level of effect

Withdrawal syndrome

• Withdrawal syndrome occurs when the individual stops taking the addictive substance or consumes a smaller dose and experiences symptoms which are opposite to those induced by the drug

• Withdrawal syndrome symptoms are often very unpleasant, providing a strong motivation to continue the addictive behaviour

• Withdrawal symptoms vary depending on the individual and the substance, including the amount consumed and how regularly it was consumed:

  • Alcohol – intense symptoms for 1-3 days, which may include nausea, sweating and in some cases, delirium tremens (DTs), causing confusion, agitation and aggression

  • Nicotine – intense symptoms start at 24 - 48 hours, can last for many weeks and can include irritability, loss of sleep and weight gain

  • Psychostimulants (e.g., cocaine) – symptoms generally last up to two weeks and may include depression, anxiety and disturbed sleep

 Research which investigates addiction

• Marks et al. (1997) found that people dependent on alcohol were more likely to have a higher nicotine dependence, which may ultimately result in them experiencing greater discomfort from nicotine withdrawal, showing that symptom overlap can affect the severity of withdrawal

• Oliver and Foulds (2021) analysed an existing data set collected by the National Institutes of Health and found that almost two-thirds of those smoking only one to four cigarettes per day and a quarter of those smoking less than weekly were addicted to nicotine

  • This demonstrates that even light smokers may need treatment to successfully quit smoking

Evaluation of research investigating addiction

Strengths

• A better understanding of the interaction between physical and psychological dependence has meant treatment has improved from single efforts at detoxification to following this with longer-term rehabilitation

• Knowledge that there is a physical as well as a psychological component to addiction, which is identified as Substance use disorder in the DSM-5 (2013),  has removed some of the stigma surrounding addiction

Limitations

• Research investigating addiction cannot explain individual differences in the amount of a substance or the regularity of consumption needed to become dependent, as it cannot take all environmental and motivational factors into account, like home situation, economic worries, and loneliness

• Tolerance and withdrawal are difficult to research, as they tend to use self-report measures, which affect the validity of the data due to issues such as social desirability bias

Issues & Debates

• Biological aspects such as tolerance and withdrawal suggest a nature-based explanation, emphasising the role of brain chemistry and physiological dependence

  • However, psychological dependence and individual differences point to nurture, as environmental factors like stress, peer influence or trauma can contribute to addiction

• Much of the research into addiction uses nomothetic methods, applying general laws to large groups, such as measuring withdrawal symptoms

  • However, understanding addiction would benefit from incorporating idiographic insights, such as personal histories and individual differences in coping, motivation and vulnerability