University of Central Florida (UCF) PSY2012 General Psychology Practice Exam 2

The body's need for higher doses of a substance to achieve the same effect due to regular usage is referred to as tolerance. Tolerance occurs when the body's response to a drug diminishes over time with continued use, leading individuals to consume larger quantities to attain the initial effects they experienced. This physiological adaptation arises because the body becomes accustomed to the substance, often involving changes in brain chemistry or receptor sensitivity.

Understanding tolerance is essential in the context of substance use and addiction, as it often precedes more serious issues like substance dependence or substance abuse. While dependence may involve physical or psychological reliance on a substance, and abuse typically refers to harmful patterns of use, tolerance specifically denotes the increased quantity needed to achieve the same level of effect. Abstinence syndrome, on the other hand, refers to withdrawal symptoms that occur when a person stops using a substance after dependence has developed. Thus, tolerance is a fundamental concept in understanding the dynamics of substance use.