Chapter 3

Motivations for Drug Use

Reasons for Drug Use

Experimentation: Curiosity to try a drug

Pleasure/Escape from Boredom: User enjoys the effects of the drug or the use of the drug relieves boredom.

-Drugs that are used to increase pleasure or reduce boredom are reinforcing

Peer Influence: Young people in particular use drugs to gain peer acceptance or approval

Spiritual Purposes: Use of drugs to seek out or communicate with something or someone greater than themselves.

Self-Discovery: Use of drugs to fill a void in one’s life

Social Interaction: Use of drugs to facilitate interactions with others.

Rebelliousness: Use of drugs because they are told not to. One of the best predictors of increased drug use among adolescents.

Drug Dependency vs. Drug Addiction

Drug dependency: Recurring desire for drugs based on a psychic or a physical need

Drug dependency: Continuing desire for drugs based on a physical need.

Both drug dependency and drug addiction connote a compulsive need to use a drug and an inability to cease even if serious consequences ensue.

Theories of Drug Addiction

Personality Theories Reinforcement Theory Biological Theory Social Theories

Personality Theory

Specific traits that are related to drug dependence. These traits can include:

-Low self-esteem-Poor interpersonal skills-Need for immediate gratification-Defiant feelings toward authority-Little tolerance for anxiety-Impulsivity, Risk taking, Low regard

for personal health

Reinforcement Theory

Reinforcers are stimuli or events that increase the likelihood of a particular behavior.

Primary Reinforcers: reduce physiological needs or are inherently pleasurable (food, water, sex)

Secondary Reinforcers: signals for increased probability of obtaining primary reinforcers (money)

Biological Theories

Theories focus on genetic determination and metabolic imbalances

-Genetic determination: postulates that a person is predisposed to drug addiction because of heredity influence.

-Metabolic influence: attributed to a metabolic disorder

Social Theories

Premise is that cultural and social influences contribute to drug abuse. Further, drug abuse is socially learned and benefits the individual by group acceptance.

Mass Media and Drugs The impact of the media on drug use

is hard to determine More than $2.5 billion was recently

spent on advertising for prescription drugs.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest over $740 million was spent on beer advertisements, $280 on liquor advertisements, and $92 million on wine advertisements.

Advertisement for drugs reinforce the message that drug-taking is acceptable and is the norm

Billboards, television, music, and celebrities can all be forms of media that can potentially influence drug behavior

Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Performance-enhancing drugs are also known as ergogenic aids.

Ergogenic aids are used to gain a competitive advantage. This notion is not new and dates back to as early as 300 B.C. when some Greek athletes ate mushrooms to enhance their performance

Common performance-enhancing drugs include anabolic steroids, human growth hormones, creatine, tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), Androstenedione (Andro), stimulants, and depressants.

Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances similar to testosterone and are used to build muscle

Taken during puberty augments muscle mass

Users experience a stimulant-like high and feelings of aggressiveness

“Stacking” is a term used to describe taking several steroids at one time

Problems with Anabolic Steroids-Liver and kidney tumors-Acne-Increased susceptibility to infections-Abrupt mood changes-Hypertension-Stunted Growth

Gender Specific Problems with Anabolic Steroid Use

Men: atrophied testicles, enlarged breasts, enlarged prostate, infertility,baldness

Women: baldness, decreased breast size, increased facial hair, menstrual irregularities, deepened voice

Human Growth Hormones (HGH) and Erythropoietin (EPO)

Human Growth Hormones (HGH) stimulate protein synthesis.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone that increases red blood cell production and improves endurance.-Side effects can include blood clots, increased bone growth in jaw, forehead, feet and hands.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is an over-the-counter substance marketed as a nutritional supplement.

Creatine is believed to increase water content in muscles adding to their size.

Because creatine is a nutritional supplement it is not scrutinized by the FDA

Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG)

Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) is a synthetic hormone gaining in popularity. There is some speculation that the side effects are similar to other steroids

Androstenedione (Andro)

Androstenedione is a precursor molecule that is one molecular step away from testerone and is available over-the-counter.

Androstenedione is classified as a nutritional supplement and made famous by Mark McGuire

Stimulants

Numerous stimulants ranging from caffeine to cocaine have been used to increase endurance and subsequently increase performance

Depressants

Depressants can reduce tremors and can potentially influence performance

Summary

People sometimes turn to drugs to cope

Drugs are easy to use, work quickly and are transported easily

Drug dependency and addiction are different

To determine the effects of the mass media on drug use is difficult

Current studies show that public service announcements reduce drug use

Drugs are used by many to increase performance