Prescription Drug Safety: Science of Addiction Assessment

Maya and James are learning about drug addiction in class. Which statement best describes what drug addiction is as a clinical diagnosis?

• anyone using substances can develop

• people with family history cannot avoid

• people can avoid if they really wanted to

• only people misusing drugs can develop

Emma and Arjun are curious about which brain chemical is most often linked to drug misuse. Can you help them out? Drugs that affect the brain by increasing _______ activity are the most commonly misused ones.

• insulin

• melatonin

• dopamine

• adrenaline

Abigail and William are learning about how the body reacts to different substances. What best describes the term drug tolerance?

• State of being emotionally connected to oneself

• Developing and overcoming an addiction at an early age

• Needing more of a drug over time to get the same effect

• Symptoms experienced when someone suddenly stops taking drugs

Abigail and Luna are talking about pain relief. Abigail tells Luna that she’s thinking about taking more of her prescribed opioids for her back pain to feel better faster. Why is this a bad idea?

• It can make her feel more pain.

• It can make her develop an opioid tolerance.

• It can make her experience withdrawal symptoms.

• It can make her feel more sensitive to feelings of pleasure.

Zoe and Nora are talking about recovery. Zoe says, "Recovery is possible but it is a process." What does she mean?

• recovery is temporary until people return to drugs

• people may need support to continue their recovery

• it’s easy for people to quit taking drugs when they want to

• people have to work on their own to be in complete recovery

Imagine William, Evelyn, and Liam are discussing addiction in their health class. Which statement best reflects the true clinical nature of addiction?

• Addiction is a moral failing.

• Addiction is diagnosed based on clinical criteria and can affect anyone using substances.

• Addiction only happens to people with a strong family history.

• Addiction can always be avoided by willpower alone.

Aiden, Noah, and William are discussing which neurotransmitter is most famously linked to the effects of commonly misused drugs. Can you help them figure it out?

• Serotonin

• Dopamine

• GABA

• Glutamate

Emma used to take one pill for her headache, but now she needs two pills to feel the same relief. What concept does this situation best illustrate?

• Withdrawal

• Tolerance

• Dependence

• Relapse

Michael and Maya are learning about the dangers of misusing medications. If someone uses opioids more often than prescribed, which risk related to addiction increases for them?

• Developing insulin resistance

• Developing opioid tolerance that can lead to addiction

• Developing melatonin imbalance

• Developing adrenaline deficiency

Emma, Priya, and Rohan are talking about recovery. Why do you think recovery might need ongoing support instead of being a one-time event?

• Recovery is effortless once treatment starts.

• Recovery is a process that may need continued support to sustain progress.

• Support only helps before treatment begins.

• Recovery cannot be maintained with support.