The 9 types of drug addiction and their characteristics

Consumption of substances with psychoactive properties, specifically drugs of various kinds, is a very common phenomenon in today's society. Both in the case of legal and illegal substances, access to them is relatively easy despite the serious danger that many of them pose.

The consumption of these substances tends to cause different effects in the body, causing from inhibition and sedation to extreme excitement through hallucinations and other phenomena perceptual. Due to the effects they cause, and sometimes other factors such as psychological reactivity Due to its prohibition or the fact that its consumption is socially accepted, many people start consuming it more and more frequently.

Over time, the subject acquires tolerance to the substance in question, needing more and more amounts to achieve the same effects, and becoming dependent on the drug. Due to the high prevalence of substance use and dependence, it is essential to know the different types of drug addiction and the addictive process, which are explained in this article.

What is a drug and what is dependence?

We consider a drug to be any substance that before its administration in the body is capable of altering any of the functions of the subject. They generally cause pleasant sensations in those who consume them, and can cause permanent effects and damage to the system. nervous and can produce tolerance or physical and / or mental habituation to this and situations of dependence and withdrawal before the cessation of consumption.

To consider that a drug generates dependence, it is necessary that the subject has at least tolerance to the substance, abstinence before the cessation of consumption, lack of control in its use, damage in vital areas due to consumption or the time spent obtaining it and the continuation of consumption despite knowing its Adverse effects. Dependence can cause abusive consumption that can cause poisoning, and in the absence of a substance can lead to withdrawal syndromes. All this can have serious effects both on the functioning and on the subject's own health, and can lead to death.

1. Types of drug dependence according to the type of substance consumed

There are many types of drugs and psychoactive substances, most of which are used as a therapeutic tool in the medical field.. However, a part of the population uses some of these substances recreationally, despite the danger they can pose to health.

Although there are many possible classifications, addictive substances can be considered They can be divided into three large groups depending on the type of effects they present in the system highly strung. Therefore, these three types of substances can create three types of drug addiction.

1. 1. Psycholeptics or depressants

These substances are characterized by causing a depression of the nervous system, that is, by causing a decrease in the level of activation at the brain level. Behaviorally, this translates into feelings of calm and physical and mental relaxation, slowing down, tranquility, a decrease in the level of consciousness. In this group we find alcohol, opium and their derivatives (codeine, heroin and morphine), tranquilizer drugs (mainly barbiturates and benzodiazepines) and volatile or inhaled substances, such as glue.

Dependence on this type of substance is characterized by the search for tranquility or relaxation of certain functions, or it may even be due to social effects (alcohol facilitates disinhibition in some people by reducing the functioning of the frontal lobe and inhibit inhibition).

1. 2. Psychoanaleptics or excitators

These types of substances are characterized by producing an increase in the activation of the nervous system, producing changes in behavior such as greater excitability, motor activation, distraction and increased level of consciousness. Within this typology of substances are cocaine, amphetamines, xanthines (among which we find substances such as coffee, tea and chocolate, although their effects are comparatively less than those of the rest) and the nicotine.

Subjects addicted to this type of substance seek an increase in activity and sensations, as well as an increase in energy.

1. 3. Psychodysleptic or disturbing

This third group of substances is characterized by modifying the activity of the nervous system, being able to produce activation or inhibition and especially affecting perception. Perceptual delusions such as hallucinations and delusions are common. The best known components of this type of substance are cannabis and hallucinogens, along with other elements such as phencyclidine (initially used as anesthesia in surgery).

People who use these substances often go in search of new perceptual experiences and hallucinatory phenomena, or an increase or decrease in activation (for example, cannabis is characterized by having analgesic and relaxing effects).

2. Types of drug addiction according to the type of dependency

Regardless of the type of drug used, psychoactive substances act in the body and over time it gets used to their presenceJust as the consuming subject gets used to it and ends up needing the effects that the substance has on him. This consumption makes the nervous system begin to function in a different way, adapting its activity to the expectation that more and more will be consumed.

In this sense, we can find that a substance can cause two types of dependence, on a physical level and on a mental level.

2. 1. Physical dependency

This type of dependence always occurs in conjunction with psychic dependence. Physical dependence comes from the body's habituation to the presence of the substance, requiring it to maintain normal functioning to which the body has become accustomed and its absence producing physical alterations such as gastrointestinal disorders, seizures, vomiting or headaches.

It is the type of dependency that can cause death in abstinence processes, being necessary to avoid it that the cessation of consumption occurs gradually and controlled.

2. 2. Psychic dependence

Psychic dependence is an element of drug addiction that influences the incessant search for consumption due to the need to maintain the state achieved with the consumption of the substance and avoid the adverse effects of the homeostatic process once its effects have passed. It is a type of addiction mediated by expectations and habit.

For example, substances such as cannabis can generate high psychic dependence, since many are associated with a group of friends, an activity to do in your free time and even a public image that you want give.

3. The process of addiction and dependence

Taking into account the type of consumption, the existence of three phases in the addiction process can be considered. Although it is debatable that all of them are considerable types of drug dependence, they have common characteristics and involve a process that can lead to a real dependence on the substances. It is important to detect the first signs of drug dependence to prevent worse problems in the future.

3. 1. Occasional consumption

We consider occasional consumption the administration of a substance in particular situations that are not very common, in a context in which there is not a very prolonged use in time nor does it occur craving or compulsive desire to consume. This phase is generally not considered as drug addiction because the individual does not present a continuous dependence on a substance nor does he usually seek it with anxiety.

However, it can be considered as a type of drug addiction if when the consumption is carried out it is abusive and if, despite not being very frequent, this consumption is repeated over time and when it occurs it can generate lack of control. For example, Epsilon-type alcoholics are characterized by being excessively drunk and presenting behavioral problems, although their consumption is not common.

3. 2. Substance abuse situations

Over time, substance use can lead to situations of substance abuse, in which the taking of the substance is carried out more and more often and in situations of various kinds, having tolerance and wanting its consumption.

Despite this, the desire to consume is not yet present at an uncontrolled and compulsive level, and it can happen without its presence. It is not considered dependence yet, but if it is not controlled it can become it.

3. 3. Drug addiction situation

The last phase of the addictive process, in people with drug addiction, drug use is carried out in a compulsive way, presenting with abstinence in his absence and losing to a large extent control of his consumption, causing a clear damage in areas such as labor, social or academic.

4. According to the number of substances on which one is drug dependent

All these classifications take into account drug addiction based on various criteria such as the phases of dependence, the type of substance or the type of dependence they generate, but there is one more element to take into account.

And is that it is possible that the drug addiction situation occurs with a single substance, but it has also been observed that in some cases the same subject can become addicted to more than one type of substance, accumulating the effects of addiction to a drug and "projecting" it onto dependence on other. For this reason, one more type of drug addiction to consider is the following.

4. 1. Polydrug addiction

This type of drug addiction refers to subjects who, having a dependence on a substance, are consuming another, generally due to scarcity and difficulty in acquiring the first.

A) Yes, the second substance also becomes addictive for the subject, although he has not given up his addiction to the first drug.

Typically, multiple drug addiction is due in part to propensity to impulsivity that generate addictions. Once you have started consuming one, it is much easier to start consuming another, since you learn a pattern of behavior that leads all addictions to the experimentation of a "peak" of pleasure that mitigates the effects of abstinence.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth edition. DSM-V. Masson, Barcelona.

• Belloch, Sandín and Ramos (2008). Manual of psychopathology. Madrid. MacGraw-Hill (vol. 1 and 2). Revised edition.

• Kirby, K. C., Marlowe, D. B., Festinger, D. S., Lamb, R. J. and Platt, J. J. (1998). Schedule of voucher delivery influences initiation of cocaine abstinence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 761-767.

• Santos, J.L; García, L.I.; Calderón, M.A.; Sanz, L.J.; de los Ríos, P.; Izquierdo, S.; Roman, P.; Hernangómez, L.; Navas, E.; Ladrón, A and Álvarez-Cienfuegos, L. (2012). Clinical psychology. CEDE Preparation Manual PIR, 02. CEDE. Madrid.