psychoactive substance
a chemical that alters mental ability, mood, or behavior
substance use disorders
psychological disorders characterized by abuse of or dependence on psychoactive substances
substance intoxication
the reversible dysfunctional effects on thoughts, feelings, and behavior that arise from the use of a psychoactive substance
substance abuse
a pattern of use of a psychoactive substance that leads to harm or other adverse effects
substance dependence
the persistent and compulsive use of a psychoactive substance, despite its negative effects on work, relationships, health, or its legal consequences
tolerance
the physiological response that arises from repeated use of a substance such that more of it is required to obtain the same effect
withdrawal
the set of symptoms that arises when a regular user decreases or stops intake of an abused substance
common liabilities model
the model that explains how neurological, psychological, and social factors make a person vulnerable to a variety of problematic behaviors, including substance abuse and dependence; also called problem behavior theory
gateway hypothesis
the proposal that use can become abuse when "entry" drugs serve as a gateway to (or the first state in a progression to) use of "harder" drugs
polysubstance abuse
a behavior pattern of abusing more than one substance
dopamine reward system
the system of neurons, primarily in the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area, that relies on dopamine and gives rise to pleasant feelings
reward craving
the desire for the gratifying effects of using a substance
relief craving
the desire for the temporary emotional relief that can arise from using a substance
drug cues
the stimuli associated with drug use that come to elicit conditioned responses through their repeated pairings with use of the drug
delirium tremens (DTs)
the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal marked by confusion, convulsions, visual hallucinations and fever
detoxification
medically supervised withdrawal for those with substance dependence; also referred to as detox
antabuse
a medication for treating alcohol abuse and dependence that induces violent nausea and vomiting when it is mixed with alcohol
stages of change
a series of five stages that characterizes how ready a person is to change problematic behaviors; precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance
motivational enhancement therapy
a form of treatment specifically designed to boost a patient's motivation to decrease or stop substance use by highlighting discrepancies between stated personal goals related to substance use and current behavior; also referred to as motivational intervi