Jekaterina takes an illegal drug - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 17 - 2022 - Paper 2
Question 17
Jekaterina takes an illegal drug. At first, she only took the drug a couple of times a week, but she now takes the drug daily. She finds that she needs to take twice... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Jekaterina takes an illegal drug - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 17 - 2022 - Paper 2
Step 1
Define physical dependence on drug use
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Answer
A person is said to be physically dependent on a drug when they have developed tolerance and experience withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance occurs when the body has adapted to the drug, requiring more to achieve the same effect as initially felt.
Step 2
Discuss tolerance in Jekaterina's case
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Answer
Jekaterina exhibits signs of tolerance as she now takes the illegal drug daily and requires double the amount to feel the same effects as she did when she first started. This suggests her body has adapted to the presence of the drug.
Step 3
Explain withdrawal symptoms
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When Jekaterina does not take the drug, she experiences severe headaches, which are indicative of withdrawal symptoms. This demonstrates her physical dependence on the drug, as her body reacts negatively when the substance is absent.
Step 4
Psychological dependence
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Jekaterina has also developed psychological dependence, believing that she cannot cope with her stressful job without the drug. This reflects a common issue where individuals feel they cannot manage their daily lives without the substance.
