The Psychology Of Addiction

When does a harmless habit become an addition? Why do only some of us get addicted? What can make recovery possible? The Psychology of Addiction is a fascinating introduction to the psychological issues surrounding addiction and the impact they have on social policy, recovery and an addict’s everyday life. The book focuses on drug and alcohol addiction and tackles topics such as whether drug use always leads to addiction and the importance of social networks to recovery. It also looks at how people can become addicted to activities like gambling, gaming and sex. In a society that still stigmatises addiction The Psychology of Addiction emphasises the importance of compassion, and provides a sensitive insight to anyone with experience of addiction.

This text provides a comprehensive overview of psychological approaches to understanding addictions. Without denying the importance of biological Factors, Emphasis Is Placed More Upon Social, Psychological And Emotional factors as is necessary to a complete understanding of addiction. Within this framework, an addiction is not limited to substance-based behaviours such as drinking alcohol, smoking or drug use. Although these important areas are covered, a wider perspective is taken to include behavioural addictions such as gambling, violence and joy riding. Finally, prevention approaches are discussed with reference to the public health model which encompasses issues relating to the agent, the host and the environment. A list of resources and references is provided for those wishing to obtain further information.; Written in a jargon-free style, "The Psychology of Addiction" is aimed at students at the beginning of their courses. It should also be a valuable resource for professionals: nurses, social workers, police and probation officers and medical students, who often encounter the problems described in the book.

Addiction: Psychology and Treatment brings together leading psychologists to provide a comprehensive overview of the psychology of addictions and their treatment across specialities and types of services. Emphasises the use of several approaches including CBT, psychodynamic and systemic and family treatments, and consideration of the wider picture of addictions As well as the theories, gives a clear overview of the application of these models Reflects the very latest developments in the role played by psychological perspectives and interventions in the recovery agenda for problem drug and alcohol users

This book is a guide for psychologists working with substance users in different healthcare settings, from private clinical practice to larger health institutions and community services. It presents a comprehensive overview of the different aspects involved with substance use disorders from a psychological perspective, from prevention to recovery. The volume offers an integrative view about neurobiological, behavioral and psychosocial aspects related to becoming a substance user; shows how psychological assessment tools can be used to diagnose substance use disorders; describes how different kinds of psychotherapy can be applied in the treatment of substance use disorders; and presents a range of evidence-based clinical and social interventions designed for both prevention and treatment of substance use disorders. Apart from covering the whole range of services related to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorders, the volume also shows how these issues can be approached from different theoretical perspectives within psychology, such as: Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology Neuropsychology Existential Psychology Phenomenology Psychoanalysis Analytical Psychology Community and Social Psychology Psychology of Substance Abuse: Psychotherapy, Clinical Management and Social Intervention will be a useful resource for psychologists and other health professionals working with substance users, as well as to undergraduate and graduate students looking for a comprehensive introduction to the psychology of substance abuse.

In the time of Freud, the typical psychoanalytic patient was afflicted with neurotic disorders; however, the modern-day psychotherapy patient often suffers instead from a variety of addictive disorders. As the treatment of neurotic disorders based on unconscious conflicts cannot be applied to treatment of addictive disorders, psychoanalysis has been unable to keep pace with the changes in the type of patient seeking help. To address the shift and respond to contemporary patients’ needs, Ulman and Paul present a thorough discussion of addiction that studies and analyzes treatment options. Their honest and unique work provides new ideas that will help gain access to the fantasy worlds of addicted patients. The Self Psychology of Addiction and Its Treatment emphasizes clinical approaches in the treatment of challenging narcissistic patients struggling with the five major forms of addiction. Ulman and Paul focus on six specific case studies that are illustrative of the five forms of addiction. They use the representative subjects to develop a self psychological model that helps to answer the pertinent questions regarding the origins and pathway of addiction. This comprehensive book links addiction and trauma in an original manner that creates a greater understanding of addiction and its foundations than any clinical or theoretical model to date.

Stress is one of the most commonly reported precipitants of drug use and is considered the number one cause of relapse to drug abuse. For the past several decades, there have been a number of significant advances in research focusing on the neurobiological and psychosocial aspects of stress and addiction; along with this growth came the recognition of the importance of understanding the interaction of biological and psychosocial factors that influence risk for initiation and maintenance of addictive behaviors. Recent research has started to specifically focus on understanding the nature of how stress contributes to addiction - this research has influenced the way we think about addiction and its etiological factors and has produced exciting possibilities for developing effective intervention strategies; to date there has been no available book to integrate this literature. This highly focused work integrates and consolidates available knowledge to provide a resource for researchers and practitioners and for trainees in multiple fields. Stress and Addiction will help neuroscientists, social scientists, and mental health providers in addressing the role of stress in addictive behaviors; the volume is also useful as a reference book for those conducting research in this field. Integrates theoretical and practical issues related to stress and addiction Includes case studies illustrating where an emotional state and addictive behavior represent a prominent feature of the clinical presentation Cross-disciplinary coverage with contributions by by scientists and practitioners from multiple fields, including psychology, neuroscience, neurobiology, and medicine

Runner-up winner of the Hamilton Book Author Award, this book is a comprehensive overview of the neurobiology behind addictions. Neuroscience is clarifying the causes of compulsive alcohol and drug use––while also shedding light on what addiction is, what it is not, and how it can best be treated––in exciting and innovative ways. Current neurobiological research complements and enhances the approaches to addiction traditionally taken in social work and psychology. However, this important research is generally not presented in a forthright, jargon-free way that clearly illustrates its relevance to addiction professionals. The Science of Addiction presents a comprehensive overview of the roles that brain function and genetics play in addiction. It explains in an easy-to-understand way changes in the terminology and characterization of addiction that are emerging based upon new neurobiological research. The author goes on to describe the neuroanatomy and function of brain reward sites, and the genetics of alcohol and other drug dependence. Chapters on the basic pharmacology of stimulants and depressants, alcohol, and other drugs illustrate the specific and unique ways in which the brain and the central nervous system interact with, and are affected by, each of these substances Erickson discusses current and emerging treatments for chemical dependence, and how neuroscience helps us understand the way they work. The intent is to encourage an understanding of the body-mind connection. The busy clinical practitioner will find the chapter on how to read and interpret new research findings on the neurobiological basis of addiction useful and illuminating. This book will help the almost 21.6 million Americans, and millions more worldwide, who abuse or are dependent on drugs by teaching their caregivers (or them) about the latest addiction science research. It is also intended to help addiction professionals understand the foundations and applications of neuroscience, so that they will be able to better empathize with their patients and apply the science to principles of treatment.

Through the vivid, true stories of five people who journeyed into and out of addiction, a renowned neuroscientist explains why the “disease model” of addiction is wrong and illuminates the path to recovery. The psychiatric establishment and rehab industry in the Western world have branded addiction a brain disease, based on evidence that brains change with drug use. But in The Biology of Desire, cognitive neuroscientist and former addict Marc Lewis makes a convincing case that addiction is not a disease, and shows why the disease model has become an obstacle to healing. Lewis reveals addiction as an unintended consequence of the brain doing what it’s supposed to do—seek pleasure and relief—in a world that’s not cooperating. Brains are designed to restructure themselves with normal learning and development, but this process is accelerated in addiction when highly attractive rewards are pursued repeatedly. Lewis shows why treatment based on the disease model so often fails, and how treatment can be retooled to achieve lasting recovery, given the realities of brain plasticity. Combining intimate human stories with clearly rendered scientific explanation, The Biology of Desire is enlightening and optimistic reading for anyone who has wrestled with addiction either personally or professionally.