Addiction: Epidemiology &

Theories
DEFINITIONS
Specific definition of addiction: Strong physiological and
psychological dependence on a drug or other psychoactive
substance.

Dependence: is altered physical state due to repeated

substance administration.

Withdrawal: the negative symptoms experienced due to

decreased drug concentration in the blood.

Tolerance: the need to increase the dose to obtain the

same effect.

PREVALENCE
The number of people worldwide using drugs at least once
a year remained stable in 2016 with around 275 million
people, or roughly 5.6% of the global population aged 15-
64 years, The majority of people who use drugs are men.

EGYPT
 10% of the population uses drugs, but only 2.5% are
drug addicts.
 27% of drug users and addicts are women, the rest are
men.
 The most common drug abused in Egypt is tramadol
representing 51.8%.

MALAYSIA
The total number of drug users recorded 2006 is 300,241
people, approximately 1.1% of Malaysia’s population.

• 97.97% male

• 71.04% youth aged between 25-29 years old

 Addiction: Epidemiology &
Theories
• 60.73% abuse heroin/morphine

BAHRAIN
It is estimated that there are 20,000 to 30,000 drug users
in Bahrain.

INCIDENCE
The number of drug addiction cases globally is increased
by 32.2% to 275 Million in 2016, Compared to 208 Million in
2006.

EGYPT
Drug addict had a constituted less than 1% of the
population in 1998 but it was revealed that 12.6% of the
population was regular users issued in 2005.

MALAYSIA
The number of drug addiction cases in Malaysia is
increased by 14%.

THEORIES OF ADDICTION

BIOLOGICAL THEORY
1. Reward system
2. Genetic susceptibility: Some genetic differences may
make someone vulnerable to addiction, first degree
relatives are most likely to get addicted.
3. In utero damage to the fetus’s central or autonomic
nervous system.
4. Physiological differences that can occur at any time after
birth.

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY
 Addiction: Epidemiology &
Theories
1. Personality factors: Both impulsivity and sensation
seeking have been linked to substance use.
2. Trauma and abuse: Perhaps by sensitizing brain
pathways of alarm/distress.
3. Mental health factors: Conditions such as depression,
anxiety, attention deficit disorder, and PTSD increase the
risk of addiction.

SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY
1. Social acceptance.
2. Availability, and substance cost.
3. Advertising and modeling.
4. Peer pressure.
5. Laws and customs.