Addiction psychological

The overall effect that heroin has is to depress the body s central nervous system. However, other short-term effects include a brief euphoria, reduced pain, sedation/drowsiness, reduced anxiety, and reduced respiration. Because of its potent nature, addiction to heroin occurs rapidly. Once addicted, the user craves heroin about five hours after their last injection. The withdrawal symptoms of heroin are also acute and occur about 10 hours after the last use. Withdrawal symptoms progress in intensity and severity over the next three days and only slowly subside after about 10 days. Ultimately, the user is left with a psychological addiction that may take months or even years to overcome. 

These CNS stimulants have sometimes been referred to as hallucinogens but are more appropriately referred to as psychomimetics because few, if any, cause an absence of reality, that is, a hallucination. Psychomimetics distort or heighten sensory input, produce dream-like states, and can be psychologically addictive. There is no consistent evidence that they can produce tolerance or physical dependence. This is not to imply that these drugs are innocuous. The distortions of reality can lead to panic, anxiety, lack of concentration, and psychotic states to say the least. 

Unfortunately, chronic amphetamine use can result in a psychological addiction, the belief that a person needs the drug in order to function. Psychological dependence can develop quickly, especially in people who already have clinical depression. 

Dextroamphetamines are a part of the amphetamine class of drugs, central nervous system (CNS) stimulants that are used in the treatment of certain brain-based disorders. Because of their long-lasting and potent stimulant effects, they are also highly physically and psychologically addictive and have a high rate of abuse. 

Psychologically Addictive This side effect enhances the psychological effect the drag or chemical agent has on its user. A user that is psychologically addicted is mentally convinced... 

A rare case of physical and psychological addiction to an excessive dose of zolpidem and subsequent detoxification using diazepam has been reported. 

Unfortunately, there is also the psychological addiction, far worse than the word habit implies. The reason is very simple. We smokers learned to smoke a cigarette with everything from a phone call to a cup of coffee to lovemaking. These associations are... 

Choice of substance can make a difference. Although most any substance (and activity) can become psychologically addictive, only some tend to become physically addictive. Stimulants (cocaine, for example), depressants (alcohol, for example), and narcotics (heroin, for example) are more likely to become physically addicting than inhalants (paint thinner, for example) or hallucinogens (LSD, for example). Whether marijuana can be physically addictive seems open to debate (it meets the criterion of tolerance but not withdrawal, see "physical addiction" on page 53). 

The psychologic addiction is distinct from the physical addiction, and results from a dependence on the euphoric effects produced by the drug. This results in drug cravings. 

These drugs are both strong agonists and have similar peripheral effects. However, methadone does not produce euphoria and, therefore, does not promote psychological addiction. 

Methadone is a second-line choice in the treatment of chronic pain. It is highly bioavailable by oral and rectal routes, and has no euphoric effects (is not psychologically addictive). 

This opiate agonist is used as an antitussive. It does not cross into the CNS and thus does not promote psychologic addiction. 

Caffeine is psychologically addicting and tolerance develops to CNS and cardiovascular effects. Withdrawal often results in headaches. 

X V 1 1 IM/SC/PO. Excreted more slowly than morphine (haif-life = 25h). Thus withdrawal symptoms are less intense, but prolonged. Plasma protein binding. Cross dependent with morphine (basis for narcotic detoxification). Tolerance develops readily. Less psychologically addicting than morphine. Detoxification is based on replacing heroin dependence with methadone dependence. Then slowly reducing methadone administration to zero. 

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