Topic 3: Psychological Problems — Addiction

Welcome to your study notes on Addiction! This chapter is part of the Psychological Problems topic. We are going to look at what addiction actually is and, most importantly, how doctors and psychologists identify it using a specific set of rules called the ICD.

Don't worry if this seems like a lot of technical information at first. We will break it down into simple steps so you can feel confident for your Paper 1 exam.

What is Addiction?

In psychology, addiction is more than just "liking something a lot." It is a mental health problem where an individual takes a substance (like alcohol) or engages in a behaviour (like gambling) that becomes pleasurable but eventually becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities.

Note: In this topic, we focus only on unipolar depression and addiction. You can find out more about depression in the next chapter.

The ICD: The "Rulebook" for Diagnosis

To make sure doctors all over the world are diagnosing mental health problems in the same way, they use a manual called the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

The ICD is produced by the World Health Organization (WHO). It lists the symptoms (what the person feels) and features (the facts and statistics) of various conditions. If a person meets a certain number of these criteria, they can be officially diagnosed with an addiction.

Quick Tip: You might hear about other manuals like the DSM, but for your Edexcel GCSE exam, you must focus on the ICD.

Symptoms of Addiction (ICD Criteria)

According to the ICD, for a person to be diagnosed with "dependence syndrome" (addiction), they usually need to show three or more of the following symptoms within the last year:

1. A Strong Desire or Compulsion
The person feels an overwhelming "need" or "craving" to take the substance or carry out the behaviour. It feels like it is no longer a choice.

2. Difficulty Controlling Use
The person finds it hard to stop, start, or limit how much they are using. For example, they might promise to only have one drink but find they cannot stop until they are drunk. Think of this as a "broken brake" on a car.

3. A Physiological Withdrawal State
When the person stops using the substance, they experience physical or mental "withdrawal." This might include shaking, sweating, or feeling very anxious. Often, they use the substance again just to make these bad feelings go away.

4. Evidence of Tolerance
The person needs more of the substance to get the same effect that a smaller amount used to give them. Their body has "gotten used" to it. \( \text{Initial Amount} < \text{Current Amount needed for same effect} \)

5. Neglecting Other Interests
The person starts to give up on hobbies, social activities, or work because the addiction takes up all their time and energy. The addiction becomes the most important thing in their life.

6. Persisting Despite Harm
Even when the person knows the substance is hurting them (e.g., health problems, losing their job, or ruining relationships), they continue to use it anyway.

Key Takeaway:

To be diagnosed using the ICD, a person typically needs to show three or more of these symptoms at the same time during the previous year.

Features of Addiction

While symptoms are what the individual experiences, features are the general facts and patterns of the disorder in society.

1. Prevalence and Incidence
The ICD looks at how many people have the disorder. Features include how the incidence (number of new cases) of addiction changes over time. For example, as certain substances or behaviours (like internet use) become more available, the number of people with addictions may increase.

2. Types of Addiction
The ICD recognises that addiction isn't just about drugs or alcohol (substances). It also includes behavioural addictions, such as gambling. The features of both types are similar: they both involve a loss of control and negative impacts on life.

3. How it affects different groups
Features also include data on who is most likely to be affected. For example, statistics might show differences in addiction rates between men and women, or between different age groups.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Confusing Symptoms and Features: Remember, a symptom is what the person feels or does (e.g., "I have a craving"). A feature is a fact about the disorder in the population (e.g., "Addiction rates are rising in teenagers").

Mixing up the ICD and DSM: Always mention the ICD in your exam answers for this topic, as it is the specific manual mentioned in your syllabus.

Quick Review: The ICD Check-list

Can you remember the 6 main symptoms? Use the mnemonic C-C-W-T-N-P to help:

  • Compulsion (Strong urge)
  • Control (Difficulty stopping)
  • Withdrawal (Physical/mental sickness when stopping)
  • Tolerance (Needing more for the same "hit")
  • Neglect (Ignoring hobbies/friends)
  • Persistence (Continuing even though it's causing harm)

Next, you might want to look at the chapter on "Incidence over time and effects on individuals and society" to see how these symptoms impact the world around us.