National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

What is the term for the ability of pharmacologically similar psychoactive substances to substitute for one another?

1. Cross-Tolerance

2. Reliance

3. Addiction

4. Dependence

The correct answer is: Cross-Tolerance

The term that describes the ability of pharmacologically similar psychoactive substances to substitute for one another is cross-tolerance. This phenomenon occurs when a person develops a tolerance for one substance, which leads to a reduced response to another substance that has similar effects, often due to their shared pharmacological properties. For example, if someone develops tolerance to opioid drugs, they may find that they need higher doses or a switch to a different opioid to achieve the same effect. This concept is crucial when considering treatment options for substance use disorders, as it underscores the need for careful management when switching medications, as the body’s response may be unpredictable based on previous use of similar substances. Understanding cross-tolerance is particularly important in addiction counseling and pharmacotherapy, where the risk of overdose can be heightened. While reliance, addiction, and dependence are all important concepts in understanding substance use and abuse, they do not specifically refer to the substitutive relationship between pharmacologically similar substances as cross-tolerance does. Reliance emphasizes the habitual use of a substance, addiction describes the compulsive nature of substance use and the psychological and physiological reliance on it, and dependence refers to the physical or psychological condition that arises when the body becomes accustomed to a substance. Each refers to different aspects of the use