- Medical Model
- Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous Model
- Therapeutic Model

Addictions Counseling Principles

When helping individuals overcome an addiction, it is important for the counselor to help the client develop a greater sense of self-efficacy, so they believe they can move past the addiction and resist the temptation to relapse.

Self-Efficacy in Addictions Counseling

Individuals with Substance Abuse Disorder may also experience depression. When both conditions are present together, they are more difficult to treat. As a result, researchers have started reviewing different techniques to find a solution to this problem.

Co-occurrence of Depression and Substance-Abuse.

Addictions counseling, also called substance abuse counseling, is a specialization in counseling that focuses on treating individuals with a dependency on drugs or alcohol.

Villanova University

- Family and Couples Counseling
- Group Counseling
- Career Counseling
- Addictions Counseling

Counseling Specializations

It is a mental disorder that affects a person's brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances such as legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medication. Symptoms can range from moderate to severe, with addiction being the most powerful form of SUDs.

Substance Use Disorder

Addictions Counseling

Mindfulness has been studied for its usage in those suffering from addiction to substances. Mindfulness has been shown in some scenarios to be effective in decreasing addictive behaviors in people addicted to substances such as opioids, heroin, cocaine, drinking, and smoking. 

Mindfulness for those suffering from substance use disorder

Occurs after the body has adapted to the drug's presence after a period of time. When the drug is abruptly removed, it can cause a variety of physical symptoms. In some cases, this can be dangerous.

Substance Withdrawal Disorder

- Theories include opponent, inhibitory control, reward deficiency, incentive sensitization, aberrant learning, and anti-reward theory 

Neuroadaptive Theories in Addiction/Craving

A chronic syndrome characterized by anterograde and retrograde amnesia due to alcoholism, along with other cognitive deficits. It is caused by a lack of thiamine (vitamin B1), which damages neurons. It can also involve deficits in executive functioning, apathy, and social impairments. 

Korsakoff's Syndrome

Alcohol abuse is responsible for one in eight deaths among older Americans. It is predicted that there will be an increase in illicit drug use and alcohol abuse among the baby boomer cohort as many have showcased addiction to prescription medication in the past.

Substance Abuse in Geriatric People 

AUDIT-C is a screener test for evaluating current alcohol consumption risk. 

Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-C)

Alcohol Use Disorder is characterized by symptoms such as alcohol craving, recurrent use of alcohol that interferes with the fulfillment of one’s daily responsibilities, alcohol-seeking behavior, inability to control one’s drinking, drinking despite potential hazards (e.g., drinking while driving), the need for increased amounts of alcohol to achieve its effects (tolerance), and withdrawal symptoms when one stops or reduces alcohol intake (e.g., hand tremors, nausea, agitation, hallucinations). The disorder is distinguished as mild, moderate, or severe depending on the number of these symptoms that an individual may have: Mild cases present with two to three symptoms; moderate cases four to five symptoms; and severe cases six or more symptoms.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Health Psychology research studies relating to Substance Abuse include

- ICU Admissions and Alcohol Misuse
- Factors Associated with AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder)
- Alcohol Use and Gender



Health Psychology Research Relating to Substance Abuse

Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants are a category of drugs that increase nervous system activity. This group includes cocaine, amphetamines, cathinones, and MDMA, which act as dopamine agonists. Other stimulants like nicotine and caffeine function by affecting acetylcholine and adenosine neurotransmitter systems, respectively.

Central Nervous System Stimulants

Central nervous system depressants are drugs that affect GABA neurotransmission. Examples include alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines.

Central Nervous System Depressants

Opiate drugs are substances that serve as powerful analgesics through their effects on the endogenous opioid neurotransmitter system.

Opiate Drugs

Indicators of substance use disorder include behavioral and functional patterns such as using more of a substance than intended, difficulty controlling use, and continuing use despite significant adverse consequences. Dependence-related features may include tolerance, withdrawal, and psychological dependence or drug craving. Possible observable signs include changes in weight, appetite, sleep, pupil size, eye appearance, speech, coordination, tremors, nasal symptoms, or grooming; these signs should be considered within the broader pattern of substance use.

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