Cognitive approach to alcohol

• Self-medication model is the discovery that specific effects of substances can relieve a range of symptoms which leads to repeated use of the substance.
• In terms of initiation people will start to drink as they are aware that it can relieve their negative feelings.
• In terms of maintenance people may continue to drink as they believe it makes them more likeable and sociable.
• In terms of relapse there is an added stress of trying to quit smoking and they have to cope with the withdrawal symptoms which may lead to an individual reverting back to original behaviour.
• The self-medication model suggests that for self-medication to occur there mist be some form of trauma from a persons childhood which prevents that from coping healthily.
• Adverse childhood experiences are linked to addiction later in life.
• For the model to be correct there must have been a disorder which precedes the addiction.