- Information
- AI Chat
Discussion 10
Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 3303)
University of Colorado Boulder
Students also viewed
Preview text
Many of the drugs discussed in this chapter have effects similar to the symptoms of psychological disorders, such as mood swings and paranoia. What does this tell you about underlying biological or other factors in drug use?
By observing that some drugs produce similar symptoms to psychological disorders we can start to understand some of the biological factors that underline these disorders. Drugs are substances which “refers to chemical compounds that are ingested to alter mood or behavior” (Barlow et al., 2019). These chemical compounds work biologically on the body and its chemical pathways to cause specific alterations. When these alterations produce behaviors and symptoms similar to psychological disorders, we can infer that the symptoms of these disorders are also produced by alterations of the same type, but from different sources, to these same chemical and biological processes.
How is pathological gambling similar to, and different from, substance use disorders? What have we learned from the treatment of substance-related disorders that may be applied to pathological gambling?
In both substance abuse disorders and pathological gambling there are many similarities in causes, symptoms, and treatments. When looking at causes, we can see both environmental and biological influences. “Studies indicate the brain appears to have a natural ‘pleasure pathway’ that mediates our experience of reward”(Barlow et al., 2019) which can be activated by both substance use and the act of gambling. The activation of this pleasure pathway can be addictive. “The DSM-5 criteria for gambling disorder include the same pattern of urges we observe in the other substance-related disorders”... “these parallels to substance-related disorders led to the re- categorization of gambling disorder as an ‘Addictive Disorder’ in DSM-5” (Denis, Fatséas, & Auriacombe, 2012 as cited in Barlow et al., 2019). Genetics also play a role in both cases, “research in general suggests that genetic risk factors cut across all mood-altering drugs” (Kendler et al., 2012 cited in Barlow et al., 2019) additionally when looking at gambling “research in this area and others (e., genetic research) show strong similarities in the biological origins of gambling disorders and substance use disorders”(Barlow et al., 2019). One main difference between substance abuse disorders and pathological gambling is that with the former, the addiction comes from an outside chemical substance manipulating internal biology, while the latter is the disrupted function of the typical chemical physiology in the brain by the body’s own anatomy and chemicals compounds.
As there are many similarities in these two disorders treatments for them are approached similarly as well. “Treatment is often similar to substance dependence treatment, and there is a parallel Gambler’s Anonymous that
incorporates the same 12-step program”(Barlow et al., 2019) utilized by substance abuse treatment programs.
Your friend wants to drink because she is feeling sad and overwhelmed. She says she needs to escape and feel happy for a little. She quickly adds that she plans on stopping drinking once she is out of college. Explain why this approach might backfire (use the diathesis stress model as part of your response).
The Diathesis stress model hypothesizes that “both an inherited tendency (a vulnerability) and specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder”(Barlow et al., 2019). When approaching this scenario through this model we can see that our friends plan may be good in theory but factors beyond her control can interfere and prevent this plan from coming to fruition. Firstly, this friend could possibly have a genetic predisposition to alcoholism which may be make her “better able to appreciate the initial highs of drinking and be less sensitive to the lows that come later, making [her an] ideal candidate for continued drinking”(Barlow et al., 2019). Although this friend may be one of the “about 20% of people with severe alcohol dependence [who] have a spontaneous remission (they are able to stop drinking on their own) and do not re-experience problems with drinking” the odds are obviously against her 4 to 1. This means that though she may intend to quit after college, and may even be successful for a while, she will likely relapse back to drinking especially after a stressful event that may put her in the same “sad and overwhelmed” situation she found herself in when first abusing alcohol.
Discussion 10
Course: Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 3303)
University: University of Colorado Boulder
