Psychological Dependence Risk Factors & Examples What is Psychological Dependence? Video & Lesson Transcript

68 Calapai G, Mazzaglia G, Sautebin L, Costantino G, Marciano MC, Cuzzocrea S, Di R, Caputi AP. Inhibition of nitric oxide formation reduces voluntary ethanol consumption in the rat. 55 Bönsch D, Greifenberg V, Bayerlein K, Biermann T, Reulbach U, Hillemacher T, Kornhuber J, Bleich S. Alpha-synuclein protein levels are increased in alcoholic patients and are linked to craving. 51 Blood AJ, Zatorre RJ. Intensely pleasurable responses to music correlate with activity in brain regions implicated in reward and emotion. 45 Blednov YA, Walker D, Martinez M, Harris RA. Reduced alcohol consumption in mice lacking preprodynorphin. 25 Barr CS, Newman TK, Lindell S, Shannon C, Champoux M, Lesch KP, Suomi SJ, Goldman D, Higley JD. Interaction between serotonin transporter gene variation and rearing condition in alcohol preference and consumption in female primates. 16 Asyyed A, Storm D, Diamond I. Ethanol activates cAMP response element-mediated gene expression in select regions of the mouse brain. Only around 20–30% of alcohol-dependent patients benefit from the available interventions, and therefore, it would be extremely helpful if responders to pharmacotherapy could be identified . An important step towards individualized medicine in the field of alcoholism would be the ability to identify acamprosate or naltrexone responders through the use of novel diagnostic biomarkers. The advantage of animal neuroimaging is that a subject can be studied repeatedly over a long period, allowing the investigation of neuronal network activity in the transition phase from controlled to compulsive behavior. As a result of these cellular changes, DARPP-32 should be involved in the regulation of alcohol reinforcement.

The group includes sedatives and tranquillisers, amfetamines, cannabis, hallucinogens, alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. Behavioral addictions, such as kleptomania, gambling addiction, sex addiction, or video game addiction, have all been shown to share the qualities of both psychological and physical addiction, even though they don’t involve introducing any substances to the body. 543 Yoshimoto K, McBride WJ, Lumeng L, Li TK. Ethanol enhances the release of dopamine and serotonin in the nucleus accumbens of HAD and LAD lines of rats. 509 Vengeliene V, Leonardi-Essmann F, Perreau-Lenz S, Gebicke-Haerter P, Drescher K, Gross G, Spanagel R. The dopamine D3 receptor plays an essential role in alcohol-seeking and relapse. 508 Vengeliene V, Heidbreder CA, Spanagel R. The effects of lamotrigine on alcohol seeking and relapse. 493 Timpl P, Spanagel R, Sillaber I, Kresse A, Reul JM, Stalla GK, Blanquet V, Steckler T, Holsboer F, Wurst W. Impaired stress response and reduced anxiety in mice lacking a functional corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1. 466 Spanagel R, Sigmund S, Cowen M, Schroff KC, Schumann G, Fiserova M, Sillaber I, Wellek S, Singer MV, Putzke J. The neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene is critically involved in neurobehavioral effects of alcohol.

The Current Definition: Substance Use Disorder in the DSM-V

What is physiological dependence if not a warning that you need to quit using? For many, the withdrawal symptoms are the wake-up call they need to make changes. Depending on the drug that you’re using, you might be able to break this part of the addiction quickly. Physiological dependence is when your body becomes used to a substance and has trouble functioning without it. If you’re struggling to quit, reach out for help from a medical professional or an addiction treatment program.

• Although it can be managed and treated, like other chronic health conditions, at this time there is no “cure” for addiction.
• In a recent study, the effectiveness and safety of baclofen in achieving and maintaining abstinence from alcohol in patients with liver cirrhosis was investigated.
• 160 Gilpin NW, Stewart RB, Murphy JM, Li TK, Badia-Elder NE. Neuropeptide Y reduces oral ethanol intake in alcohol-preferring rats following a period of imposed ethanol abstinence.
• Both alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse are sometimes referred to by the less specific term alcoholism.

A significantly higher percentage of patients who achieved and maintained abstinence throughout the experimental period were found in the group treated with baclofen compared with the placebo group. Craving scores in the baclofen group were also consistently lower than those observed in the placebo group. In a recent study, the effectiveness and safety of baclofen in achieving and maintaining abstinence from alcohol in patients with liver cirrhosis was investigated. Of the patients allocated to baclofen, 70% achieved and maintained abstinence compared with 30% assigned to placebo. Cumulative abstinence duration was around twofold higher in patients allocated baclofen than in those assigned placebo. Baclofen is effective in promoting abstinence from alcohol in alcohol-dependent patients with liver cirrhosis.

Alcohol Dependence, Withdrawal, and Relapse

Over the years, the DSM has faced criticism for giving the pharmaceutical industry an unhealthy influence on the revision process, pathologizing patterns of behavior and moods to encourage medicating patients¹. 539 Yao L, Arolfo MP, Dohrman DP, Jiang Z, Fan P, Fuchs S, Janak PH, Gordon AS, Diamond I. Βγ Dimers mediate synergy of dopamine D2 and adenosine A2 receptor-stimulated PKA signaling and regulate ethanol consumption. 521 Wang L, Liu J, Harvey-White J, Zimmer A, Kunos G. Endocannabinoid signaling via cannabinoid receptor 1 is involved in ethanol preference and its age-dependent decline in mice. 518 Walker BM, Koob GF. Pharmacological evidence for a motivational role of kappa-opioid systems in ethanol dependence. 503 Valverde O, Mantamadiotis T, Torrecilla M, Ugedo L, Pineda J, Bleckmann S, Gass P, Kretz O, Mitchell JM, Schutz G, Maldonado R. Modulation of anxiety-like behavior and morphine dependence in CREB-deficient mice.

264 Lê AD, Funk D, Harding S, Juzytsch W, Fletcher PJ, Shaham Y. Effects of dexfenfluramine and 5-HT3 receptor antagonists on stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking in rats. 75 Castaneda R, Sussman N, Westreich L, Levy R, O’Malley M. A review of the effects of moderate alcohol intake on the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders. Topiramate , an anticonvulsant compound that inhibits glutamate function and facilitates GABA function, reduces the harmful effects of excessive drinking as well as relapse rates in alcohol-dependent subjects . In a recently published study, continuously drinking alcohol-dependent subjects reached their goal of abstinence significantly quicker when treated with 300 mg/day topiramate compared with placebo .

D. Drug Discrimination to Study the Psychotropic Effects of Ethanol

On the basis of the detailed mapping and knowledge of the brain circuitry involved in ethanol action, a growing number of studies have attempted a pharmacogenomic analysis of alcohol-responsive genes in the brain of experimental animals and humans. Since this has recently been comprehensively reviewed , only a few results will be highlighted here. In conclusion, the ethanol stimulus is composed of several components, with the NMDA receptor and GABAA receptor complex being of particular importance. This demonstrates that the primary sites of alcohol’s action do not simply induce intoxication but also mediate subjective effects. Therefore, an understanding of the receptor mechanisms that mediate the discriminative stimulus effects of alcohol can be used to develop medications aimed at decreasing the subjective effects induced by alcohol.

Alcohol may decrease the activity of these GABAergic neurons, which subsequently leads to a disinhibition of mesolimbic DA neurons . In recent studies it has finally been demonstrated that the NAC is the primary hot spot for the DA releasing properties of ethanol but that a secondary effect occurs in the VTA as well (Fig. 5). Addictive behavior is, therefore, the result of cumulative responses to alcohol exposure, the genetic make-up of an individual, and environmental perturbations over time. The complex gene × environment interaction leads to a large clinical heterogeneity, in terms of both the symptom dimensions and the severity of the disorder. Having highlighted this complex interaction, it is obvious that a reductionistic approach has certain limitations in achieving a better understanding of the pathological processes leading to an addictive behavior.
136 Ericson M, Lof E, Stomberg R, Chau P, Soderpalm B. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the anterior, but not posterior, VTA mediate ethanol induced elevation of accumbal dopamine levels. 5-HT3 receptor over-expression decreases ethanol self administration in transgenic mice. 126 Economidou D, Hansson AC, Weiss F, Terasmaa A, Sommer WH, Cippitelli A, Fedeli A, Martin-Fardon R, Massi M, Ciccocioppo R, Heilig M. Dysregulation of nociceptin/orphanin FQ activity in the amygdala is linked to excessive alcohol drinking in the rat. 104 Crews FT, Braun CJ, Hoplight B, Switzer RC 3rd, Knapp DJ. Binge ethanol consumption causes differential brain damage in young adolescent rats compared with adult rats. 101 Cowen MS, Schroff KC, Gass P, Sprengel R, Spanagel R. Neurobehavioral effects of alcohol in AMPA receptor subunit deficient mice.

Treatment and Recovery from Physiological Dependence

7 Almeida OF, Shoaib M, Deicke J, Fischer D, Darwish MH, Patchev VK. Gender differences in ethanol preference and ingestion in rats. Psychological dependence occurs when drugs or alcohol interfere with a person’s thoughts and emotions. Talking and expressing oneself is a great way to help ease pain both physically and psychologically. Taking either a cold or warm bath is another way to ease the pain of physiological dependence on alcohol withdrawal symptoms by soothing the discomforts of sweating or chills. Consuming the drug or alcohol at an excessive level is a social symptom of an addict. There is also an overlapping of symptoms of psychological effects and physical effects. An example of one of these effects of overlapping symptoms is to redirect your food budget to buy the substance in question, which is a psychological effect.

There is less of a hangover, but the effects are also felt less intensely, which may lead to increasing doses. During early substance abuse, before physical addiction develops, the body has not adapted and the “hangover” is at its height. Stopping the substance is a relief to the system, and the body quickly returns to normal. Discover commonly misused drugs, symptoms of misuse, where to seek help, and more. In most cases, though, working with a therapist is the best course for addressing psychological dependence, whether it occurs on its own or alongside physical dependence. Some estimates suggest approximately 90 percent of people recovering from opioid addiction and 75 percent of people recovering from alcohol addiction or other substance addictions will have symptoms of PAWS. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome is another example of psychological withdrawal. It’s a condition that sometimes pops up after the symptoms of physical withdrawal have subsided. Psychological dependence is a term that describes the emotional or mental components of substance use disorder, such as strong cravings for the substance or behavior and difficulty thinking about anything else.

What Drugs Can Cause Physical and Psychological Dependence?

The working hypothesis is that the nigrostriatal pathway may be involved in the habit-forming properties of alcohol and other drugs of abuse . More precisely, a neuroanatomical principle of striatal organization is that ventral domains, including the NAC, exert control over dorsal striatal processes that are mediated by so-called “spiraling,” striatonigrostriatal circuitry. Chronic administration of drugs of abuse may lead to alterations in this serial connectivity and, as a result, drug-seeking habits are triggered . A selective upregulation of DA D3 receptors in the striatum has been observed in several rat lines undergoing long-term alcohol self-administration with repeated deprivation phases . Administration of DA D3 antagonists in these rats decreased alcohol-seeking reponses and relapselike drinking behavior in a dose-dependent manner . In conclusion, upregulation of D3Rs following long-term home-cage alcohol exposure may not be related to the alcohol intake per se, but rather to the stimulus-response habit. Functional connectivity studies with good resolution conducted in a high-field scanner provide a tool to prove this attractive hypothesis of alcohol/drug-induced alterations of striato-midbrain-striatal serial connectivity. Cue exposure paradigms conducted in the scanner have demonstrated that specific brain regions become activated in alcohol-dependent subjects. Compared with social-drinking subjects, alcohol-dependent subjects were shown to have increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior limbic regions after ingestion of a sip of alcohol while viewing alcohol cues. In addition, brain activity in the left NAC, anterior cingulate, and left orbitofrontal cortex has been shown to be significantly correlated with subjective craving ratings in alcohol-dependent subjects, but not in control subjects .

The effects of carbamazepine and lorazepam on single versus multiple previous alcohol withdrawals in an outpatient randomized trial. Psychological vs. Physiological Dependence – The idea that behavior can be divided into components independent of each other, such as being purely mental or physical, does not mesh with what we now know about behavior and the processes that influence it. Moreover, all psychological processes have physical underpinnings, and all complex behaviors have significant psychological Sober Home elements. While you know that it doesn’t, your body insists that it must have the substance to live. What has happened is that your body adapted to the influx of the drug’s chemicals. The material is not a substitute for qualified medical diagnoses, treatment, or advice. It should not be used to replace the suggestions of your personal physician or other health care professionals. A. Omega-3 fatty acids, phosphatidylserine, zinc and magnesium may have benefits with regard to ADD symptoms.

Awareness of the negative consequences stemming from your substance abuse do not deter you from using. Psychological dependence does not produce physical sensations, but instead surfaces as the mental desire to use drugs and alcohol, and the feelings tied to substance abuse. Addiction is a complex disease that has lasting impacts on both the body and the mind. Over time, a complex web of physical and psychological changes develop that cause withdrawal syndrome as soon as substance abuse ends. An intensive treatment program in a sober living facility may be the safest route to recovery. The hormonal stress response is mediated by a system known as the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis. Within this system, stress induces the release of the hormone corticotrophin-releasing factor from a brain area called the hypothalamus. CRF acts on the pituitary gland located directly below the hypothalamus, where it initiates the production of a molecule called proopiomelanocortin . This compound is processed further into smaller molecules, such as β-endorphin and adrenocorticotropic hormone . ACTH is carried via the blood stream to the adrenal glands , where it induces the release of stress hormones (i.e., glucocorticoids) that then act on target cells and tissues throughout the body .

In this model dependence is induced by subjecting animals to a 4-wk period of intermittent vapor exposure during which they are exposed to ethanol vapor for half of the day. Following dependence induction, pharmacological or genetic manipulations can be made to modulate augmented self-administration of ethanol in postdependent rats. The increase of ethanol self-administration in this animal model is hypothesized to involve an allostatic-like adjustment in which the set point for ethanol reward is enhanced . After 2 mo of continuous access to alcohol, the rats are deprived of alcohol for 3 days. The introduction of repeated deprivation phases for several days/weeks is crucial in developing an addictive behavior, as the negative consequences of acute, protracted, and conditioned withdrawal triggers further drinking and induces relapse behavior . Following a deprivation phase, re-presentation of the alcohol solutions leads to a pronounced transient rise in alcohol intake and preference. This relapselike drinking phenomenon is observed across several species including rats, mice, monkeys, and human social drinkers . The increase in alcohol drinking probably reflects an increase in alcohol seeking, which, according to the self-reports of some alcohol-dependent subjects, can also increase progressively during abstinence and decrease after relapse during a drinking bout. In summary, the ADE in long-term voluntary alcohol-drinking rats is used as a measure of high motivation to drink alcohol and as a measure of relapse-like behavior. As well as cAMP-PKA signaling, early cell culture studies implicated the protein kinase C pathway in the mediation of both acute and chronic responses to ethanol exposure .

FMRI was used to examine brain activation during the induction of either positive or negative mood states in conjunction with an alcohol or non-alcohol-containing beverage. In the absence of alcohol, alcohol-dependent subjects displayed more activation in response to the induction of negative as opposed to positive mood states, and greater activation than controls to negative induction . In the presence of alcohol, the difference in the activation of cortical networks between negative and positive mood state induction was decreased in alcohol-dependent subjects . This is the first demonstration of diminished brain response to negative mood state induction in the presence of alcohol cues and supports the notion that some individuals take alcohol to reduce the intensity of their negative moods . The term epigenetics describes heritable genetic modifications that are not attributable to changes in the primary DNA sequence. Recent developments indicate that ethanol can induce epigenetic alterations, particularly acetylation and methylation of histones, and hypo- and hypermethylation of DNA. This has opened up a new area of interest in alcohol research and provides novel insights into actions of ethanol at the nucleosomal level in relation to gene expression and pathophysiological consequences. The dorsal raphe nucleus 5-HT system modulates the DAergic activity of the VTA and the NAC .

As a fierce proponent of mental health services, Jess believes in the compassionate care and person-centered approach at All Points North. She works to create content that inspires clients and families to advocate for the support they deserve. With targeted medication, intensive psychotherapy, professional care, and social support networks, clients can recover from addiction within the safety of an optimal healing environment. Yet if they experience no social or occupational consequences from their drinking and don’t have trouble stopping if they have to, we might not consider them psychologically addicted.