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Definitions

By Patti Bland, from Hoog, Cathy. 2001. Enough and Yet Not Enough: An Educational Resource Manual On Domestic Violence Advocacy For Persons With Disabilities In Washington State. Seattle, WA: Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Definitions noted with asterisk are from Inaba, D.S. and W.E. Cohen. 2000. Uppers, Downers, All Arounders: Physical and Mental Effects of Psychoactive Drugs, 4th Edition, Ashland, OR: CNS Publications.

12-Step Program – a self-help group that is often used as an adjunct to treatment but which is not treatment. 12-step programs can support lifetime recovery and can be extremely useful; however, battered women will also benefit from referrals to gender-specific groups and battered women’s advocacy programs for safety planning as a recovery issue.

Addiction or Chemical Dependence – is characterized by continuous or periodic impaired control over drinking alcohol or using other drugs, preoccupation with use, use despite adverse consequences and distortions in thinking (e.g., denial). The neurochemical dysfunction in addiction is best described as a chemical deficiency in pathways of the brain.

Addict phobia – includes fear of addicts and addiction; holding negative stereotypes pertaining to people suffering from addiction; refraining from offering services, support or respect. Addict phobia creates barriers for those who are afraid of getting labeled and fearful about seeking help. Additionally, addict phobia negatively impacts people struggling to recover daily. Examples of addict phobia include mistaken belief systems about addiction, failure to understand triggers, unrealistic expectations, lack of knowledge about brain chemistry, liver function, relapse processes, resources and recovery options, as well as failure to understand appropriate role of accountability, consistency and structure. Addict phobia makes it possible for individuals and systems to establish overly rigid or overly permeable criteria, which can limit or prohibit access to services or successful outcomes to an entire class of people. Addict phobia is a form of oppression in our society.

Alcoholism – a treatable illness brought on by harmful dependence upon alcohol, which is physically and psychologically addictive. As a disease, alcoholism is primary, chronic progressive and fatal.

*Binge – using large amounts of alcohol or other drugs in a short period of time. Binge drinking for women may be defined as four or more drinks in one drinking session at least once every two weeks but being abstinent in between those times.

Blackout – an amnesia-like period often associated with heavy drinking. While blackouts impact memory, there is no evidence to support contention that blackouts alter judgment or behavior at the time of occurrence.

*Cocaine psychosis – a drug-induced mental illness; symptoms include extreme paranoia and hallucinations. Similar psychosis is associated with amphetamine use.

*Coke bugs – imaginary insects a long-term cocaine abuser thinks are crawling under the skin. They often cause substance abusers to scratch themselves bloody. Similar activity is associated with amphetamine use.

Cognitive Impairments – disruptions in thinking skills such as inattention, memory problems, disruptions in communication, spatial disorientation, problems with sequencing (the ability to follow a set of steps in order to accomplish a task), misperception of time, and perseveration (constant repetition of meaningless or inappropriate words or phrases).

*Craving – the powerful desire to use a psychoactive drug or engage in compulsive behavior. It is manifested in physiological changes such as change in heart rate, sweating, anxiety, drop in body temperature, pupil dilation and stomach muscle movements. Endogenous craving is caused by neurochemical changes in the brain, such as depletion of dopamine resulting from cocaine use. Other cravings are caused by environmental triggers (cue cravings).

*Cross-dependence – occurs when an individual becomes addicted to or tissue dependent on one drug, resulting in biochemical and cellular changes that support addiction to other drugs.

*Cross-tolerance – the development of tolerance to other drugs by the continued exposure to a drug that affects body mechanisms to tolerate other drugs (e.g., tolerance to heroin translates to morphine, alcohol and barbiturates).

Delirium Tremens (DTs) – When the level of alcohol in the blood drops suddenly and the person becomes delirious as well as tremulous and suffers from hallucinations that are primarily visual but also may be tactile.

Detoxification – The process of providing medical care during the removal of dependence-producing substances from the body so that withdrawal symptoms are minimized and physiological function is safely restored. Treatment includes medication, rest, diet, fluids and nursing care.

Dual Diagnosis – A clinical term referring specifically to patients who meet the diagnostic criteria for an addictive disorder as well as meeting the diagnostic criteria for:

An organic mental or developmental disorder
A major psychiatric disorder with or without current symptomology
A personality disorder, or
A compulsive disorder such as an eating or pathological gambling disorder.

Euphoric Recall – memories formed under the influence of alcohol or other drugs that may be used as inappropriate excuse to minimize, rationalize or deny behavior.

*Harm Reduction – a tertiary prevention and treatment technique that tries to minimize the medical and social problems associated with drug use rather than making abstinence the primary goal (e.g., needle exchange and methadone maintenance).

Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers (MICA) – A term used to designate people who have an alcohol or other drug disorder and a markedly severe and persistent mental disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Methadone – A synthetic narcotic. It may be used as a substitute for heroin, producing less socially disabling addiction or aiding in withdrawal from heroin.

Relapse – Is common in recovery from addiction and not considered treatment failure. As with other chronic illnesses, significant improvement is considered successful treatment even if complete remission or absolute cure is not achieved.

Substance abuse – a destructive pattern of drug use, including ETOH (alcohol), which leads to clinically significant impairment or distress. Often the substance abuse continues despite significant life problems. When a person exhibits tolerance and withdrawal, the person has progressed from abuse to Addiction (a disease consisting of a number of brain chemistry disorders).

Tolerance – the need for significantly larger amounts of substance to achieve intoxication. Drug effects decrease if the usual amount is taken.

Withdrawal – adverse reaction after a reduction of substance use. Withdrawal is the body’s attempt to balance itself after prolonged use of a psychoactive drug. The symptoms range from mild (caffeine withdrawal) to severe (heroin withdrawal) to life-threatening (alcohol and prescription drug withdrawal). The onset of symptoms is generally predictable.

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