A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza

Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565

I/O & Clinical Psychologist
1
Addiction and Impulse Control Disorders
Definitions, Types and Characteristics of Addictions
Definitions of addiction
Addiction is the compulsive, uncontrolled use of habitforming drugs. (Websters
New International Dictionary, 3rd edn.)
An addict is a person addicted to a habit, especially one dependent on a
(specified) drug. (Concise Oxford Dictionary).
An addict is one who habitually uses and has an uncontrollable craving for an
addictive drug. (Websters New International Dictionary, 3rd edn.)
These definitions all mention drugs, and traditionally chemicals were thought to
be central to addiction. Increasingly, however, psychologists have recognised
that we can become addicted to a wider range of stimuli, such as exercise, the
internet, or sex.
Griffiths (1995) proposed a definition for addictive behaviours that highlighted 6
components: salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse.
These components can be applied to both drug abuse AND activities other than drug
abuse
A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza
Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565
I/O & Clinical Psychologist
2
Types of addiction
1. Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a disease characterized by the
habitual intake of alcohol. In order to classify
as an alcoholic the sufferer must display
chronic alcohol use to the degree that it
interferes with their physical or mental health,
or with normal social or work behaviour (it
must have a significant impact on their life).
Alcoholism produces both physical and
psychological addiction. Chemically,
alcohol is a depressant that reduces anxiety,
inhibition, and feelings of guilt. It lowers
alertness and impairs perception, judgment, and motor coordination. In high doses, it
can cause loss of consciousness and even death. Alcohol abuse has been found to
cause damage to the brain, liver, heart, and other organs.
2. Impulse control disorders
These are disorders where impulses cannot be
resisted (hence the name)! Examples
include kleptomania (stealing), pyromania (setting
of fires) and compulsive gambling.
Again, these conditions must have a significant
impact on the life of the sufferer if they are to class
as an addiction.
These conditions are associated with
psychological, but not physical addiction.
Impulsivity has five distinct stages of behaviour:
1. An impulse
2. A growing tension
3. Pleasure when impulse is satisfied
4. Relief from satisfaction
5. Guilt or lack of guilt
A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza
Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565
I/O & Clinical Psychologist
3
Klept omania
An irresist ible I mpulse t o St eal, St emming from
emot ional dist urbance rat her t han Economic Need
Pyromania
A Compulsion t o set t hings on fire
A Ment al illness t hat makes people has a st rong desire t o
set fires
Compulsive gambling
The uncont rollable urge t o keep gambling
despit e t he t oll it t akes on your life
A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza
Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565
I/O & Clinical Psychologist
4
Physical vs Psychological dependence
Physical dependence describes a situation
where someone has taken drugs in quantity
for a time and comes to rely on the use of
them in order to feel well and for their body
to function 'normally'. If they don't take the
drug they suffer withdrawal symptoms, and
so the drug is often taken simply to avoid
these.
Alcoholism and drug addiction lead to clear
physical dependence (though there may also
be psychological dependence)
Psychological dependence involves a
dependence on something which
provides a psychological need, such as a need
for stimulation, excitement, pleasure or to
escape reality.
It is not associated with withdrawal
symptoms.
Impulse control disorders (such as
pyromania) would involve psychological
dependence.
Causes of Addiction and Impulse Control Disorders
Genetic explanations for alcohol addiction
Schuckit (1985)
Schuckit (1985) investigated the genetic basis of
alcoholism. His study on the sons of alcoholics
involves 400 college men, half of which had
alcoholic fathers. Alcoholic mothers were excluded
so that any pregnancy-related effects could be
avoided. None of the men were alcoholics
themselves.
Schuckit gave the volunteers an alcoholic or non-
alcoholic beverage without their knowledge. Every
drink had the odour and taste of alcohol to help in deception. The men were given four or five
drinks and then their blood alcohol levels were tracked.
A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza
Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565
I/O & Clinical Psychologist
5
The sons of alcoholics said that they felt less drunk than the sons of non-alcoholics, and they
even performed better in tests of hand-eye coordination. This all happened even though both
groups of men had the same blood alcohol level. Schuckit reported that the sons of alcoholics
swayed much less when walking and had less obvious changes in their hormones.
In total 40% of the sons of alcoholics showed a decreased sensitivity to alcohol in terms of
drunkenness, performance and hormone levels. This was seen in less than 10% of the sons of
non-alcoholics. Schuckit also cited high concordance rates among identical twins as compared
with fraternal twins (e.g. Kendler, 1992, found a 54% concordance rate for MZ twins but only
a 28% concordance rate for DZ twins) and the fourfold greater risk of alcoholism in children of
alcoholics, even in adopted children.
Peters and Preedy (2002)
Below is a summary of the main points
Biochemical explanations for addiction - dopamine
A2-Psychology (Addiction & Impulse Control Disorder) Shoaib Mirza
Shoaib Mirza | M.Phil. Cell: 03217655565
I/O & Clinical Psychologist
6
We've already met the neurotransmitter dopamine in the Schizophrenia section, but dopamine is also
implicated in addiction and addictive behaviours. This is because it is a neurotransmitter heavily involved
in the activity of brain areas associated with reward. A release of dopamine in certain areas of the brain
(called the 'mesolimbic system') is associated with feelings of pleasure and a desire to repeat the action
that caused the release.
However, it is not a good idea to repeat behaviours constantly, regardless of how good they make us
feel. Starting a fire might be a thrill, but if we feel the need to repeat it again and again then soon it will
become a very harmful behaviour. We can become dependent on certain activities (e.g. starting fires, or
gambling) for our dopamine high, and once we've had the high we quickly want to do it again.
In addition, many drugs have a chemical shape similar to that of dopamine (cocaine and amphetamine
are two examples), so they interact directly with the dopamine system, for example by mimicking
dopamine and so causing the pleasure response themselves.