Abnormal Psychology - Lecture 17

● Pharmacokinetics - body metabolises and breaks down a substance

● Pharmacodynamics - the effects that a substance has on the body
● ^^^^ABSOLUTELY IS ON EXAM

● Terms
● Metabolism - The body breaking down some chemical
● Metabolite - End product of metabolism
● Peak concentration
● Route of administration
● Latency to effect - how long it takes to get to a high
● Duration of effect - how long the high lasts
● Half-life - The amount of time it takes to metabolise half of what is in the bloodstream
● Steady state

● Research Complications
● Abuse/dependence liability given substance use
○ If you don't use a substance, your liability to develop a disorder doesn't matter
○ Makes no difference if the individual does not have access to or is not exposed to
the substance
● Availability
● Ethics
○ Quasi-experimental designs
○ Animal models
■ Invaluable to evaluate treatment effectiveness

_____ Use Disorder (DSM)

● A problematic pattern of _____ use leading to clinically significant impairment or
distress...within a 12-mo period (2+)
● _____ is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period...
● ...unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control _____ use
● A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain _____, use _____, or
recover from its effects
● Craving
● Recurrent _____ use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations
● Continued _____ use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal
problems
● [Important activities] are given up or reduced
● Recurrent _____ use in situations in which it is physically hazardous
● _____ use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or
psychological problem [likely] caused or exacerbated by alcohol
● Tolerance
● Withdrawal *
 ● * Varies by substance; not established for all substances

● Focused on helping rid these individuals of impairment or distress

● Are focused on if the individual is gradually getting better when in treatment; should
acknowledge the benefits of cutting back rather than discrediting any improvement
simply if they are still using it at all
● Concerned with what other types of conditions the substance abuse can lead to

● Other Conditions
● _____ Intoxication
○ Recent use of _____
○ Clinically significant problematic behavioral or psychological changes...that
developed during, or shortly after, _____ use
○ SUBSTANCE SPECIFIC EFFECTS
○ The signs or symptoms are not attributable to another medical condition...or
another mental disorder
● _____ Withdrawal
○ Withdrawal is the opposite of intoxication
○ Reduction in _____ use (or blocked physiological response)
○ SUBSTANCE SPECIFIC EFFECTS
○ Substance specific effects cause clinically significant distress or impairment in
social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

● Considerations
● In early remission: None of the criteria for _____ use disorder have been met for 3-12
months
● In sustained remission: None of the criteria for _____ use disorder have been met for
12+ months
● Mild: 2-3 symptoms
● Moderate: 4-5 symptoms
● Severe: 6+ symptoms

Opiates
● Intoxication
● Pupillary constriction (pupils get small) (or dilation in severe cases) and 1+:
○ Drowsiness or coma
○ Slurred speech
○ Impairment in attention or memory
● Withdrawal
● 3+
○ Dysphoric mood
○ Nausea or vomiting
○ Muscle aches
○ Lacrimation or rhinorrhea
 ○ Pupillary dilation, piloerection, sweating
○ Diarrhea
○ Yawning
○ Fever
○ Insomnia

Cannabis
● Intoxication
● Clinically significant problematic changes (e.g., impaired motor coordination, euphoria,
anxiety, sensation of slowed time, impaired judgment, social withdrawal)...
● 2+
○ Conjunctival injection (red eye)
○ Increased appetite
○ Dry mouth
○ Tachycardia - sped up heart rate
● Withdrawal
● 3+
○ Irritability, anger, or aggression
○ Nervousness or anxiety
○ Sleep difficulty
○ Decreased appetite or weight loss
○ Restlessness
○ Depressed mood
○ abdominal pain, shakiness/tremors, sweating, fever, chills, or headache
● Shorter half-life = greater potential for withdrawal

Stimulant Intoxication
● Clinically significant problematic changes:
● euphoria or affective blunting
● changes in sociability
● Hypervigilance
● interpersonal sensitivity
● anxiety, tension, or anger
● impaired judgment
● 2+
○ Tachycardia or bradycardia
○ Pupillary dilation
○ Elevated or lowered blood pressure
○ Perspiration or chills
○ Nausea or vomiting
○ Weight loss
○ Psychomotor agitation or retardation
○ Muscular weakness, respiratory distress, chest pain, cardiac arrhythmias
○ Confusion, seizures, dyskinesias, dystonias, coma
Stimulant Withdrawal
● Fatigue
● Vivid, unpleasant dreams
● Insomnia or hypersomnia
● Increased appetite
● Psychomotor retardation or agitation
● Non-medical use of prescription drugs
○ Enantiomers
○ Extended Release (XR)

● Maintenance Models
● ‘Brain Disease’: changes in neural structure and chemistry transform use
● Are neural changes necessary or sufficient?
● Motivations for use (e.g., self-medication, enhancement)
● Increase in dopamine when people take a substance

● Behavioral Models
● Instrumental Learning: behavior maintained by its consequences
● Reinforcement vs. punishment
● Positive vs. negative
● Secondary reinforcers (ex. Paraphernalia)
○ Things associated with then getting the reward
○ Ex. dog only responds to owner when owner is in the kitchen since dog knows
that that is where its treats are
● Classical conditioning

● Ecological Momentary Assessment of Substance Use

● Participants report 1+ times / day
● Frequency & number of days
● Time-based
● Event-contingent
● Naturalistic validity
● Assess novel patterns of use
○ Triggers of use
○ Context
○ Patterns of use
○ Psychological Consequences
○ Physiological Consequences
● Idiographic (N=1) research
● Person-by-context interactions

● Concerned with when someone will develop this sense of substance abuse, not
specifically who