Substance Abuse
Types of Addictions
- Drug use disorder
- Alcohol use disorder
- Smoking/Nicotine addiction
- Gambling
- Eating disorders
Cause of Addiction
Research has shown that often, addiction is caused when a stimulus (a specific signal or cue) becomes associated with a particular reward for an action in the mind of the individual. Eventually, simply seeing the signal triggers an intense desire for the substance or behavior that results in the reward. For example, seeing a flickering neon sign outside of a bar becomes associated with drinking a couple of beers, the consumption of which leads to the pleasant buzz of being drunk. Eventually, simply seeing the flickering sign makes you want to experience the feeling of being drunk, leading you to go inside and drink a few beers even if you are trying to cut back. Research has found that individuals with substance use disorders are more sensitive to signals that trigger cravings that individuals without addictions. This shows there is a biological component to addiction.
Research has shown that often, addiction is caused when a stimulus (a specific signal or cue) becomes associated with a particular reward for an action in the mind of the individual. Eventually, simply seeing the signal triggers an intense desire for the substance or behavior that results in the reward. For example, seeing a flickering neon sign outside of a bar becomes associated with drinking a couple of beers, the consumption of which leads to the pleasant buzz of being drunk. Eventually, simply seeing the flickering sign makes you want to experience the feeling of being drunk, leading you to go inside and drink a few beers even if you are trying to cut back. Research has found that individuals with substance use disorders are more sensitive to signals that trigger cravings that individuals without addictions. This shows there is a biological component to addiction.
Statistics
- More than 40 million people in the United States - 16 percent of all Americans over age 12 - suffer from nicotine, alcohol, or drug addiction.
- Only 10% of individuals who need treatment for drug or alcohol addiction actually receive treatment. This is in part due to the stigma associated with the term substance abuse.
- 1 in 15 people who take non-medical prescription pain relievers will try heroin within 10 years.
- Alcohol is the #1 abused substance in America. An estimated 135.5 million people drink alcohol, but of these people, 86 million are considered to be abusers.
Signs of Substance Abuse
- Failure to meet social, work, and academic obligations
- Physical injury or illness
- Alcohol- or drug-related legal problems, such as arrest for driving while intoxicated
- Relationship problems with intimate partners, friends, and family
- Impulsivity, such as spending money excessively
- Diminished interest in other activities
- Short-term memory loss or black-outs
Signs that Substance Abuse has Become Substance Addiction
- Increasing tolerance, or the need to consume more of the substance to reach the desired altered state
- Requiring the substance throughout the day
- Seeking the company of other users and cutting off social ties with non-users
- Dismissing or resenting the expressions of concern from loved ones
- Avoiding other activities and failing to meet obligations
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the substance
- Hiding use from family and friends
- Bingeing - using heavily - for many hours or several days
- Feeling unable to quit
Effective Treatments
- Other treatments act to reduce or eliminate the "high" the user gets from the drug to reduce the
rewards of drug use.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - CBT can help addicted patients overcome substance abuse by teaching them to recognize and avoid destructive thoughts and behaviors. A cognitive-behavioral therapist can, for example, teach a patient to recognize the triggers that cause his or her craving for drugs, alcohol, nicotine, or other addictive substances or behaviors, then to avoid or manage those triggers.
- Motivational Interviewing - This therapy technique involves structured conversations that help patients increase their motivation to overcome substance abuse by, for example, helping them to recognize the difference between how they are living right now and how they wish to live in the future.
- Contingency Management - Using this method, addiction counselors provide tangible incentives to encourage patients to stay off drugs. Those rewards might include offering cash, clinical privileges, work at a steady wage, or even restaurant vouchers for each clean drug test. Although these rewards may seem small in comparison with the force of addiction, studies have found that carefully structured contingency management programs can help people stay clean.
- Pharmaceutical treatments can be combined with the behavioral treatments mentioned above to increase the effectiveness of the treatments.
- Other treatments act to reduce or eliminate the "high" the user gets from the drug to reduce the
rewards of drug use.
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