Opioid Use Disorder Library

- Substance use disorder
- Chronic and complex neurobiological disease 
- Associated with frequent relapse of taking drugs
- Major public health issue 
- Craving is a main component of OUD and other substance use
disorders

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)

As a result of drug tolerance, some users of amphetamine would take large doses to experience a "high". From this, these users would develop symptoms of paranoia (auditory hallucinations, bizarre motor behavior, etc), which closely resembled schizophrenic symptoms.

Not only that, but amphetamine worsens symptoms of schizophrenia. Amphetamine is found to promote the release of dopamine and prolong the action of the released transmitter by blocking reuptake.

Drug Abuse as Support of the Dopamine Hypothesis of Antipsychotic Drugs

These are items used to prepare and inject opioids. As depicted in the image, examples include a tourniquet, syringes, cotton balls, a small cooking vessel like a spoon, a condom, sterile water, and an alcohol swab for cleaning the injection site.

Drug Paraphernalia for Intravenous Opioid Use

Data on drug use prevalence reveals distinct patterns across different age demographics, with young adulthood (ages 18-25) representing a peak period for the use of most substances. 

*   **Illicit Drugs:** Use is highest at approximately 22% for the 18-25 age group, compared to 10% for ages 12-17 and 7% for those 26 and older.
*   **Marijuana:** Follows a similar trend, with 18% prevalence in the 18-25 group, 7.5% in the 12-17 group, and 5% in the 26 and older group.
*   **Psychotherapeutics:** Usage peaks at 6% for ages 18-25, with lower rates of 3% for ages 12-17 and 2.5% for those 26 and older.
*   **Hallucinogens and Cocaine:** Use is also highest in the 18-25 age group (approximately 2.5% and 2% respectively) and significantly lower in other age brackets.
*   **Inhalants:** This category is an exception, with the highest prevalence among the youngest group (1% for ages 12-17), which then declines with age.

Prevalence of Drug Use by Age Group

A method of drug administration where heroin is injected directly into a vein using a hypodermic needle. The image provided shows this act being performed on an ankle.

Intravenous Heroin Injection

- Pattern of substance use that lasts more than one month but does not meet the criteria for dependence 
- 21.6 million Americans suffer from substance-related disorder in 2013 

Rutgers University

The main differences between drug abuse and addiction are the level of use and the resulting change in the brain. That said, there is much overlap between the two.

Drug abuse and addiction

Breedlove, S. & Watson, N. (2017). Behavioral neuroscience, eighth edition. Oxford University Press.

Behavioral Neuroscience 8th Edition

Drug/Substance Abuse 

- Falls under the umbrella of substance use disorder. The word "addiction" is not formally recognized in the DSM-5.
- Strong, uncontrollable compulsion to administer a drug of abuse to yourself due to dependence.
- Acts on reward circuitry in the brain (dopamine) and changes the chemical composition of your brain over time.
- According to the DSM 5, only gambling addiction has been listed as a diagnosable disorder, the rest of the behavioral addictions are yet to find themselves a place on the DSM manual.

Addiction

Alcohol Use Disorder is characterized by symptoms such as alcohol craving, recurrent use of alcohol that interferes with the fulfillment of one’s daily responsibilities, alcohol-seeking behavior, inability to control one’s drinking, drinking despite potential hazards (e.g., drinking while driving), the need for increased amounts of alcohol to achieve its effects (tolerance), and withdrawal symptoms when one stops or reduces alcohol intake (e.g., hand tremors, nausea, agitation, hallucinations). The disorder is distinguished as mild, moderate, or severe depending on the number of these symptoms that an individual may have: Mild cases present with two to three symptoms; moderate cases four to five symptoms; and severe cases six or more symptoms.

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