Chapter 14: Substance Use and Abuse
Drug = any chemical other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body
Addictive Behavior
•Addictive behavior = any habit that has gotten out of control, resulting in a negative
impact on a person’s health
•General characteristics associated with addictive behaviors:
-Reinforcement
-Compulsion or craving
-Loss of control
-Escalation
-Negative consequences
The development of Addiction:
•Common behaviors are potentially addictive
•No single cause of addiction
-Individual characteristics
-Substitute for effective coping abilities
-Environmental factors or aspects of the specific behavior or substance
Examples of Addictive behaviors
•Compulsive or pathological gambling
-an increasing problem
-high suicide rate
•Compulsive buying or shopping
•Internet addiction
Substance Abuse
• Recurrent use of a substance, resulting in a failure to fulfill major responsibilities at work,
school, or home
•Recurrent use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g. before driving)
•Recurrent legal problems
