Substance Use Disorders

• Sociocultural causes of SUD

  Environmental factors (stress or social norms)

  Socioeconomic status

  Stigma Related stress (racial, sexual, or gender minority)

  Social norms
• Psychological/Psychodynamic causes of SUD

  Lack or early nurturing or strained relationships to caretakers can create dependency needs that cause them to develop substance use disorders
• Cognitive Behavioral Causes of SUD

  People develop substance use disorders because they become conditioned by the rewarding effects of the drug
• Biological Causes of SUD

  Substances activate the "reward pathway" in the brain

  • When you take substances, neurotransmitters like dopamine are released, making you feel happy and elevated
• Reward deficiency sydrome


  The reward system is no longer activated by normal life so you only look to drugs for that reward
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for SUD

  • Behavioral self-control training (BSCT)
  • Relapse-Prevention Training
• Behavioral self-control training

  • Clients keep track of their own use and triggers
  • Learn coping strategies for such events
  • Learn to set limits on drinking
• Relapse-Prevention Training

  • Planning ahead for triggering situations
  • Gaining control of cravings or urges to use
• Biological Therapies

  • Detox: ideally medically managed in either outpatient or inpatient care
  • Antagonistic Drugs: reduce symptoms and cravings after detox
  • Drug maintenance therapy: when people are given a medication substitute for the drug theyre using to reduce cravings and some of the dangers of using a street drug
• Self-help programs


  People opt-in to receive treatment

  • AA
  • Residential treatments
  • Therapeutic communities
  • Some programs are culture/gender specific
• Most common place of treatment

  Outpatient rehab
• Depressants


  Slow the activity of the central nervous system

  • Alcohol
  • ethyl alcohol is absorbed through the blood via the stomach. Alcohol helps GABA- an inhibitory messenger- block messages from transmitting from neuron to neuron which relaxes the user
  • Sedative-hypnotic (anxiolytic)
  • produce feelings of relaxation and drowsiness
  • Benzodiazepines and barbiturates
• Opioids are...


  Depressants
• Opioids

  • Oxycodone
  • Heroine
  • Morphine
  • Methadone
  • Fentanyl
• Opioid Addiction often treated with

  methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone
• Stimulants


  Substances that increase activity of the CNS- increase blood pressure, heart rate, and alertness
• Examples of stimulants

  • Cocaine
  • Amphetamines
  • Caffeine
• Hallucinogens


  AKA Psychedelics, can cause changes to sensory perception causing illusions or hallucinations
• Examples of Hallucinogens

  • Psilocybin
  • LSD
  • MDMA
• Hallucinogen effects


  Altered sensory perception, synesthesia, strong emotions
• Hallucinogens bind to


  Serotonin receptors
• Active ingredient in cannabis

  THC
• Possible negative effects of cannabis

  Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or cyclic vomiting syndrome
• Polysubstance Use


  More than one drug at a time
• Synergistic effects


  Complementary
• Antagonistic


  Opposite