ADC Exam Study Guide Questions
and Answers 100% Pass
What 3 parts of the brain are impacted most with substance misuse? - ✔✔The prefrontal
cortex, the basal ganglia, and the extended amygdala
What about the prefrontal cortex is affected by addiction? - ✔✔The assessment of
situations, judgement, decision-making, controlling emotions, and controlling desires
becomes difficult.
What about the basal ganglia is affected by addiction? - ✔✔This is known as the reward
system/circuit of the brain which plays a role in motivation and creation of
habits/routines. Substances will over-activate this circuit, ultimately leading to
decreased sensitivity and euphoria overtime.
What receptor of the brain is affected most by addiction? - ✔✔Dopamine (D2 Receptor)
What about the extended amygdala is affected most by addiction? - ✔✔This is the
emotion and memory center. Withdrawal symptoms and memories tied to cravings lie
here. This is the area of the brain that will change to make the user seek the substance to
relieve w/d symptoms.
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,How does the reward pathway change with substance misuse? - ✔✔When a person
misuses a drug, the brain produces fewer D2 receptors/neurotransmitters and/or
reduces the number of D2 receptors willing to accept signals. This change becomes
permanent which leads to tolerance.
What is acute tolerance? - ✔✔A decrease in response to alcohol or drugs within a single
exposure to a drug/alcohol.
What is cross-tolerance? - ✔✔Resistance to the effects of a substance because of
exposure to a pharmacologically similar substance.
What is chronic tolerance? - ✔✔A decrease in response to substances over a longer time
period following continuous or intermittent exposure to the substance.
What is reverse tolerance? - ✔✔When a heavy user creates enough damage to an
internal organ, thus decreasing the organ's ability to process the substance. This creates
a lower tolerance.
What is a craving? - ✔✔The desire to experience the positive effects of a substance.
What is an urge? - ✔✔The impulse to satisfy a craving.
Do cravings ever go away permanently? - ✔✔No, these may never go away for heavy
users due to severe neurocircuit damage/changes.
Is return-to-use likely in addiction treatment? - ✔✔Yes.
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,What are risk factors for developing a substance use disorder? - ✔✔Aggressive
behavior in childhood, Lack of parental supervision, Low peer refusal skills, Drug
experimentation at a young age, Availability of substances, Community poverty,
Genetics, Trauma expose, High ACES
What does ACES stand for? - ✔✔Adverse Childhood Experiences
What are withdrawal symptoms of alcohol? - ✔✔Autonomic hyperactivity, Hand
tremor, Insomnia, Nausea or vomiting, Hallucinations or illusions, Psychomotor
agitation, Anxiety, Generalized tonic-clonic seizures
Can someone overdose on alcohol? - ✔✔Yes, it can be deadly.
What are signs of an overdose on alcohol? - ✔✔Mental confusion, Loss of
consciousness, Vomiting and choking, Seizure, Troubles breathing, Slowed heart rate,
Dull responses
What are 3 common types of alcohol? - ✔✔Beer, Wine, Liquor
What are common types of cannabis? - ✔✔Hashish, K2, Marijuana, Marinol, Spice, THC
What are symptoms of cannabis withdrawal? - ✔✔Irritability, Anger, Aggression,
Nervousness/anxiety, Sleep difficulty, Decreased appetite or weight loss, Restlessness,
Depressed mood, Abdominal pain, Shakiness or tremors, Sweating, Fever or chills,
Headache
Disclaimer: Original Content, No Copyright Infringement, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, Can someone overdose on marijuana? - ✔✔Not likely.
What are the types of known hallucinogens? - ✔✔DMT, DOM, LSD, Mescaline,
Mushrooms, Peyote, Psilocyn, Salvia, STP
What are signs of withdrawal from hallucinogens? - ✔✔This criteria does not apply to
hallucinogens according to the DSM-5TR.
Can someone overdose on hallucinogens? - ✔✔Yes. Signs include loss of muscle
control, comas, convulsions, high BP, rapid eye movements, extreme tolerances to pain.
What are common forms of inhalants? - ✔✔Butane, Chloroform, Correction Fluid, Dust-
Off, Gasoline, Lighter Fluid, Glue, Nasal Sprays, Paint, Solvents, Spray
Cans/Paint/Propellant
What are signs of withdrawal from inhalants? - ✔✔Signs and symptoms are not
established for inhalants according to the DSM-5TR.
Can someone overdose on inhalants? - ✔✔Yes, this can be deadly on the first try. Can
lead to heart attack and suffocation.
What is "Sudden Sniffing Death?" - ✔✔An overdose on inhalants that can occur within
minutes from huffing.
What are common types of opioids? - ✔✔Codeine, Darvocet, Darvon, Demerol,
Dilaudid, Fentanyl, Heroin, Hydrocodone, Lomotil, Lortab, Methadone, Morphine,
Disclaimer: Original Content, No Copyright Infringement, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
and Answers 100% Pass
What 3 parts of the brain are impacted most with substance misuse? - ✔✔The prefrontal
cortex, the basal ganglia, and the extended amygdala
What about the prefrontal cortex is affected by addiction? - ✔✔The assessment of
situations, judgement, decision-making, controlling emotions, and controlling desires
becomes difficult.
What about the basal ganglia is affected by addiction? - ✔✔This is known as the reward
system/circuit of the brain which plays a role in motivation and creation of
habits/routines. Substances will over-activate this circuit, ultimately leading to
decreased sensitivity and euphoria overtime.
What receptor of the brain is affected most by addiction? - ✔✔Dopamine (D2 Receptor)
What about the extended amygdala is affected most by addiction? - ✔✔This is the
emotion and memory center. Withdrawal symptoms and memories tied to cravings lie
here. This is the area of the brain that will change to make the user seek the substance to
relieve w/d symptoms.
Disclaimer: Original Content, No Copyright Infringement, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,How does the reward pathway change with substance misuse? - ✔✔When a person
misuses a drug, the brain produces fewer D2 receptors/neurotransmitters and/or
reduces the number of D2 receptors willing to accept signals. This change becomes
permanent which leads to tolerance.
What is acute tolerance? - ✔✔A decrease in response to alcohol or drugs within a single
exposure to a drug/alcohol.
What is cross-tolerance? - ✔✔Resistance to the effects of a substance because of
exposure to a pharmacologically similar substance.
What is chronic tolerance? - ✔✔A decrease in response to substances over a longer time
period following continuous or intermittent exposure to the substance.
What is reverse tolerance? - ✔✔When a heavy user creates enough damage to an
internal organ, thus decreasing the organ's ability to process the substance. This creates
a lower tolerance.
What is a craving? - ✔✔The desire to experience the positive effects of a substance.
What is an urge? - ✔✔The impulse to satisfy a craving.
Do cravings ever go away permanently? - ✔✔No, these may never go away for heavy
users due to severe neurocircuit damage/changes.
Is return-to-use likely in addiction treatment? - ✔✔Yes.
Disclaimer: Original Content, No Copyright Infringement, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
,What are risk factors for developing a substance use disorder? - ✔✔Aggressive
behavior in childhood, Lack of parental supervision, Low peer refusal skills, Drug
experimentation at a young age, Availability of substances, Community poverty,
Genetics, Trauma expose, High ACES
What does ACES stand for? - ✔✔Adverse Childhood Experiences
What are withdrawal symptoms of alcohol? - ✔✔Autonomic hyperactivity, Hand
tremor, Insomnia, Nausea or vomiting, Hallucinations or illusions, Psychomotor
agitation, Anxiety, Generalized tonic-clonic seizures
Can someone overdose on alcohol? - ✔✔Yes, it can be deadly.
What are signs of an overdose on alcohol? - ✔✔Mental confusion, Loss of
consciousness, Vomiting and choking, Seizure, Troubles breathing, Slowed heart rate,
Dull responses
What are 3 common types of alcohol? - ✔✔Beer, Wine, Liquor
What are common types of cannabis? - ✔✔Hashish, K2, Marijuana, Marinol, Spice, THC
What are symptoms of cannabis withdrawal? - ✔✔Irritability, Anger, Aggression,
Nervousness/anxiety, Sleep difficulty, Decreased appetite or weight loss, Restlessness,
Depressed mood, Abdominal pain, Shakiness or tremors, Sweating, Fever or chills,
Headache
Disclaimer: Original Content, No Copyright Infringement, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
, Can someone overdose on marijuana? - ✔✔Not likely.
What are the types of known hallucinogens? - ✔✔DMT, DOM, LSD, Mescaline,
Mushrooms, Peyote, Psilocyn, Salvia, STP
What are signs of withdrawal from hallucinogens? - ✔✔This criteria does not apply to
hallucinogens according to the DSM-5TR.
Can someone overdose on hallucinogens? - ✔✔Yes. Signs include loss of muscle
control, comas, convulsions, high BP, rapid eye movements, extreme tolerances to pain.
What are common forms of inhalants? - ✔✔Butane, Chloroform, Correction Fluid, Dust-
Off, Gasoline, Lighter Fluid, Glue, Nasal Sprays, Paint, Solvents, Spray
Cans/Paint/Propellant
What are signs of withdrawal from inhalants? - ✔✔Signs and symptoms are not
established for inhalants according to the DSM-5TR.
Can someone overdose on inhalants? - ✔✔Yes, this can be deadly on the first try. Can
lead to heart attack and suffocation.
What is "Sudden Sniffing Death?" - ✔✔An overdose on inhalants that can occur within
minutes from huffing.
What are common types of opioids? - ✔✔Codeine, Darvocet, Darvon, Demerol,
Dilaudid, Fentanyl, Heroin, Hydrocodone, Lomotil, Lortab, Methadone, Morphine,
Disclaimer: Original Content, No Copyright Infringement, All Rights Reserved © 2025 4
