Psychological problems
What's covered
Key facts
The biological explanation of addiction is hereditary factors / genetic vulnerability.
Ellis's ABC model stands for Activating event, Belief, and Consequence.
A rise in diagnoses may reflect better recognition rather than a true rise in incidence, so increased diagnosis does not always mean increased incidence.
A key characteristic of addiction is a strong desire to use the substance despite harmful consequences.
CBT focuses on present ("here and now") problems rather than exploring the past.
A WHO study found about 15% of the cost of all health economic issues in the UK can be attributed to mental health problems.
Addiction is clinically known as dependence syndrome, where substance use becomes the priority despite harmful consequences.
CBT is a talking therapy that identifies and challenges negative thoughts and irrational beliefs.
Effects on individuals include damaged relationships, difficulty coping with day-to-day life, poor sleep, low energy and negative effects on physical health.
Peer influence explains addiction as learned from drug- or alcohol-using friends through social pressure.
Sample questions
A taste of the 51 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
Which is a defining characteristic of addiction?
- •A complete loss of all long-term memory
- •A lasting improvement in mood and focus
- •A reduced sensitivity to physical pain
- ✓A strong desire to use despite harm
Which best defines unipolar depression?
- ✓A continuous low mood with loss of enjoyment and energy
- •A short-lived sadness that passes within a few hours
- •Anxiety triggered by specific feared objects or situations
- •Mood swinging between extreme highs and deep lows
Which best describes good mental health?
- ✓Coping, good relationships and positive engagement with society
- •Never experiencing any sadness, worry or stress
- •Scoring above average on a personality test
- •Simply having no diagnosed mental illness at present
Which best describes withdrawal in addiction?
- •A strong desire to start using a substance
- •Choosing the substance over other activities
- •Needing more of the substance to feel an effect
- ✓Unpleasant symptoms when use is reduced or stopped
How do SSRI antidepressants increase serotonin in the brain?
- •They add extra serotonin molecules directly to the brain
- ✓They block the reuptake of serotonin at the synapse
- •They speed up serotonin being broken down by enzymes
- •They stop the neuron from ever releasing any serotonin
Which is a reason more people are now diagnosed with mental health problems?
- •Doctors are paid bonuses for each diagnosis
- •Mental illness is contagious and spreads easily
- •People today are biologically weaker than before
- ✓Reduced stigma means more people seek help
Try it for four weeks. Free.
One school. Unlimited classes. No card limit. No teacher limit. If your students aren't practising daily by the end of the trial, you owe us nothing.