PSYC 328 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Binge Drinking, Relapse Prevention, Substance Abuse
Document Summary
Behaviors practices by people that undermine or harm their current or future health: many of these are habitual. Smoking: often, when one manages to break out of such a habit, other lifestyle changes come about too. Window of vulnerability in early adolescence: these bad habits can cluster together and form a problem behavior syndrome. Alcoholism = special risk for older adults. Development is gradual: from vulnerability, experimentation to regular use. Substance abuse can be predicted: high levels of conflict with parents, deviant behavior, low self esteem, long hours of work, difficult temperament and poor self control also contribute. Implication of larger social structure = the reason why social class is related to most diseases/causes of death: these behaviors are more common in lower ses. Great exposure to the practice + greater stress. One is dependent on a substance when he repeatedly self-administered it, resulting in tolerance, withdrawal and compulsive behavior.
