Resources for what is addiction?

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t-shirt slogan 'getting the materials I need'
 
The tasks for this 1st topic are...
  1. To understand the nature of dependence.
  2. To explore the range of addiction related harms.
  3. To understand how drugs work - receptors and neurotransmitters.
  4. To debate the motion: 'Alcohol minimum pricing is the only way to reduce alcohol related harms'.
  5. Finally, discussion with your study group or mentor to be sure you have understood the nature of addiction problems. You can practise your skills with your group or with friends or colleagues.
Resources for What is addiction? topic

 

To understand the nature of addiction there are several things for you to digest when you go to the What is Addiction? page...

  • The concept of drug, set, and setting is important to remember when talking about addiction.
  • Watch the Rat Park video.
  • Read about the nature of dependence and watch the Pete Judo video.
  • Do the TikTok dependence test - if you do not use TikTok think of any other social media.
  • Next look at all the different addiction related harms - be sure that you understand the separation between dependence and harms.
This link will take you to ► What is an Addiction

 

Next you want to get an understanding of why drugs are addictive. This is the interesting part of the addiction field where psychology and pharmacology intersect...

  • There are four key concepts - work through each one and be sure you understand how you can apply them to any psychoactive drug.
  • At the end of the page you can inspect a chart where these principles of addictive potential are applied to commonly misued drugs.
This link will take you to ► Why are drugs addictive?

 

When you have finished go on to record your Reflections