Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Therapeutic Benefits Of Psychedelics: Effectiveness For Addiction Treatment, Mental Health Issues, And End-Of-Life Care, Emma Roberts

Student Works

As more research is done, psychedelics are increasingly recognized as a viable option for addiction treatment, mental health issues, and end-of-life care. Studies have hit roadblocks in the past due to the stigma surrounding psychedelics that formed in the 1960s. Since then, regulations have loosened, and psychedelic therapy has become a possible alternative for those who do not find their current treatments effective (Al-Harbi, 2012, as cited in Gardner, 2019; Gardner, 2019). Psychedelics can help individuals abstain from addictions (Sharma et al., 2023). Additionally, psychedelics can be a viable treatment for mental illnesses (Nygart et al., 2022) and can be …

Parameters Of Need For Loved Ones Of Addicts Following Overdose Bereavement, Adrienne Nichole Weiss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research pairs past evaluation of aid for friends and families throughout the life of a loved one suffering opioid addiction and seeks to elicit the potential for further considerations for after-math care in the wake of overdose bereavement. Traumatic grief and secondary trauma in relation to individuals having suffered the loss of a loved one to opioid-related circumstances will be the framework focus to prove the need to engage a forgotten population of people. Considering the vast review of literature engaging the discussion of addiction as well as traumatic grief, this qualitative analysis takes on a newly woven perspective …

Legal Pressure To Attend Substance Abuse Treatment, Angelicia Courteau

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

This paper was written to bring awareness of how the legal system does not take into consideration those who suffer from substance use disorder, as well as ACEs. Brian Luke Burijon’s battle with addiction while incarcerated was used as an example of how the legal system’s one-size-fits-all approach is flawed. Mr. Burijon opted for a treatment he did not feel was ideal for him because the alternative was to remain incarcerated for a long period. Mr. Burijon was unable to tolerate the treatment at the facility and left early, which resulted in his overdose death.

Project Avatar: Utilizing The Power Of Social-Media To Share Stories Of Hope, Elizabeth Cremins

Honors Theses

Addiction affects everyone and the stigma around addiction and its’ recovery makes it exponentially harder for individuals to heal. Today, adolescents are exposed to drugs, alcohol, and related substances from younger ages than ever before and the age of first consumption of these substances is continually decreasing. Further, social media makes it easier than ever for these young people to see substance-related content. Most teens and young adults today check their social media daily—if not hourly. Due to the young age of first exposure to substances coupled with the near-constant exposure that social media provides, addiction is an ever-present problem …

Altop (Alternatives To Opioids), Fall 2022, Dr. Susan L. Davis, Rn & Richard J. Henley College Of Nursing

News, Magazines and Reports

In this issue:

• New Principal Investigator (PI) ALTOP Grant
• 2021-2022 Graduating Class
• ANEW HRSA 2022-2023 Awardees
• Students Quality Improvement Projects
• April 9th, 2022, Preceptor Workshop Photos
• New Clinical Partner: The Bridgeport Rescue Mission/ Sage Health Care
• Save the Date: Annual DNP Colloquium

Psychology Of Addiction: Discussion & Essay Questions, Brent Maximin

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Utilizing Primary Care To Engage Patients On Opioids In A Psychological Intervention For Chronic Pain, Sikander Chohan, Lyuba Gavrilova Bs, Leah Hect, Kristi Autio, Erin Tobin, Brian K. Ahmedani, Lisa R. Miller-Matero

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Chronic pain is commonly encountered in primary care. It is often treated with opioids, which can cause overdose and death. Psychological interventions are an effective alternative, yet difficulty engaging patients with opioid prescriptions has led to their underutilization. Offering these interventions in primary care settings may alleviate this barrier.

Objective: Determine whether opioid prescriptions are related to patients engaging in a brief psychological intervention for chronic pain management in primary care.

Study Design: Secondary analysis of a pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a 5-session psychological intervention for chronic pain. Patients with chronic pain (N= 220) were approached to …

Understanding And Working Through Self-Harm, Maya Wilde

Student Works

Self-harm is a coping strategy used by many adolescents dealing with mental disorders. Fifteen articles from academic journals published between 2012 and 2022 were examined. Those who struggle with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) experience overactivation in the fronto-limbic system of the brain, which includes the amygdala (Kaess et al., 2021). Self-harm decreases activity and stress in the amygdala and increases the amount of dopamine in the brain (Kaess et al., 2021; Reitz et al., 2015). Self-harm may be used as a way to regulate negative affect. Seeing blood might be a significant part of an episode of NSSI, but it is …

Sex Differences In Lateral Hypothalamic Extracellular Glucose Concentrations During Cumulative Dosing Of Methamphetamine In Rats, Joshua A. Jolton

Honors Theses

The present study experimentally investigated sex differences in lateral hypothalamic glucose concentrations following cumulative dosing of methamphetamine. Male (n=17) and female (n=11) rats were surgically implanted with enzyme-based glucose biosensors in the lateral hypothalamus. Rats then received a saline injection followed by four methamphetamine doses (0.025 mg/kg, 0.05 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg, and 0.2 mg/kg) spaced 55 minutes apart. We found that while there was a general decrease in glucose baseline throughout the study for both sexes, the magnitude of the decrease was significantly greater in females compared to males. On a rapid timescale, fixed sex effects existed at the lower …

The Giver: Vision & Memory, Alexander J. Dontre

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

A memory hole is the banishment of problematic thoughts. We exile that which we prefer not to exist. Enter the perilous Memory Hole: The Psychology of Dystopia, to explore a legion of social and psychological themes through the lens of dystopian literature. The crushing fist of 1984 annihilating thoughts from existence as a means of persuasion. The exquisite seduction of addiction as an agent of control in Brave New World. Incineration of the written word to bask in the embers of peace of mind in Fahrenheit 451. Each chapter weaves in and out of the dystopian realms forged …

Individual Differences In Social Play Behaviour Predict Alcohol Intake And Control Over Alcohol Seeking In Rats, Heidi M. B. Lesscher, E. J. Marijke Achterberg, Stephen M. Siviy, Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren

Psychology Faculty Publications

Rationale

Social play behaviour is a rewarding social activity displayed by young mammals, thought to be important for the development of brain and behaviour. Indeed, disruptions of social play behaviour in rodents have been associated with cognitive deficits and augmented sensitivity to self-administration of substances of abuse, including alcohol, later in life. However, the relation between social development and loss of control over substance use, a key characteristic of substance use disorders including alcohol use disorder (AUD), has not been investigated. Moreover, it remains unknown how inherent differences in playfulness relate to differences in the sensitivity to substance use and …

Bibliometric Survey On The Effects Of Technology Addiction, Dipashri Sisodiya Miss, Dhanya Pramod Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In today’s technology-centric era, our lives have become vastly dependent on the internet. The internet is widely used for social media to connect, communicate, share and collaborate. However, constant usage of technology can increase compulsion or addiction. This bibliometric survey describes the various types of effects of technology addiction on Human body. The purpose of this research is to examine the different types of technology addiction research published in the journal between 2001 to 2020 in different regions in the World. The Bibliometric analysis is done using Scopus. Scopus and VOS Viewer were used to plot a recurrence of keywords, …

Drug Addiction & Mental Health, Tyler Burkholder

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Drugs have a serious effect on our mental health, and mental health has a major effect on drug abuse and addiction. There is a reason so many drug users usually need to keep going back to rehab. It is because drugs affect mental health to a point where you aren’t the same person during and even after drug addiction. Poor mental health also can be a major cause influencing people to start doing drugs. People with depression, anxiety disorders, mood disorders are more prone to drug use. That is why we need to make it a public policy to screen …

Oxytocin And Addiction: Potential Glutamatergic Mechanisms, Megana Sundar, Devon Patel, Zachary Young, Kah-Chung Leong

Psychology Faculty Research

Recently, oxytocin (OXT) has been investigated for its potential therapeutic role in addiction. OXT has been found to diminish various drug-seeking and drug-induced behaviors. Although its behavioral effects are well-established, there is not much consensus on how this neuropeptide exerts its effects. Previous research has given thought to how dopamine (DA) may be involved in oxytocinergic mechanisms, but there has not been as strong of a focus on the role that glutamate (Glu) has. The glutamatergic system is critical for the processing of rewards and the disruption of glutamatergic projections produces the behaviors seen in drug addicts. We introduce the …

Testing The Use Of A Social Networking App For American Indians Recovering From Addiction, Nicholas Guenzel, Dennis Mcchargue, Hongying Dai

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: American Indians (AIs) have higher rates of addiction than most other groups. Social networking mobile apps are growing in popularity but their use has not been studied among AIs specifically. Methods: This paper describes a pilot program in which 27 AIs recovering from addiction were given access to a mobile app to support addiction recovery (Sober Grid) for up to six months. They completed a technology acceptability survey, monthly surveys of cravings, social connectedness, and quality of life, and a follow-up survey. Their use of the app was also tracked. Findings: We found that individuals in the sample often …

Smoking Behavior: An Analysis Of Menthol's Effect On Nicotine, Kathryn Carter

Psychology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Menthol is well known to exacerbate tobacco addiction. It is unclear, however, if menthol directly effects dopamine release which may increase the reward associated with smoking or if menthol has any effect on environmental cues which act as reinforcers for smoking behavior. Study 1 used fast scan cyclic voltammetry to examine the effects of nicotine and menthol, administered alone and in combination, on phasic dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Results confirmed that nicotine, but not menthol, enhances phasic dopamine release in the …

Concurrent Gaming Disorder/Internet Gaming Disorder And Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Dependency In Emerging Adults [Pre-Print], Hannah G. Mitchell, Rachelle Kromash, Laura Holt, Meredith K. Ginley

Faculty Scholarship

A growing proportion of young adults report regularly playing video games and using electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Although video gaming is often normative and adaptive, excessive gaming is associated with adverse health outcomes and dependency, as seen in gaming disorder/internet gaming disorder (GD/IGD). Possible additive detrimental effects of ENDS use on the physical outcomes of GD/IGD lend particular concern to these concurrent behaviors. The present study explored group differences in concurrent ENDS and GD/IGD dependency by demographic factors, including age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, racial identity, relationship status, and year in school. The interaction effect of symptoms of attention-deficit …

Internet Pornography Addiction In The Treatment Of Heterosexual Dyadic Relationships: A Literature Review, Sarah Ogier-Bloomer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The following dissertation provides a thorough literature review of internet pornography and internet pornography addiction for psychologists treating heterosexual couples in therapy and those training said clinicians. Factors that contribute to the development of compulsive sexual behavior are discussed, as well as how the addiction is maintained through reinforcing cycles. Factors including neuropsychological effects of neurotransmitters on the pleasure-reward system, insecure attachment, and childhood development provide insight into the manifestation of an addiction to pornography. Therefore, a thorough literature review on these aspects is necessary for current clinicians, as well as for those who are training clinicians. In addition, questionnaires …

A Markov Chain Approach For Forecasting Progression Of Opioid Addiction, Abhijit Gosavi, Susan L. Murray, N. Karagiannis

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The U.S. is currently facing an opioid crisis. Naltrexone is a common treatment for drug addiction; it reduces the desire to take opiates. However, addicts often stop treatment or continue to use opioids while in treatment. This results in increased fatalities and associated costs. A Markov-chain model is presented to analyze the progression of opioid addiction to assist the medical community in developing appropriate treatments. The model includes patients who continue opiate use while on naltrexone (blocked patients) and those who use opiates after missing naltrexone doses (unblocked patients). The other types of patients are abstinent (the best-case scenario) and …

Population Demographics: Predictors Of The Relationship Between Alcohol Use Disorder And Major Depression, Mei Grace Behrendt

Honors Theses

This thesis examines both biological and social explanations of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and major depression (MD) through a thorough review of current literature. Using multiple logistic regression analyses exploring the sociodemographic and alcohol use factors that contribute to reporting of major depression symptoms with data from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this thesis demonstrates how there are health disparities that exist among different demographic populations. Specifically, certain demographic characteristics such as racial or ethnic identity, gender, and socioeconomic status may contribute to increased risk of developing and reporting episodes of lifetime and past year major …

Doctor Recommendations Are Related To Patient Interest And Use Of Behavioral Treatment For Chronic Pain And Addiction, Lisa M. Mcandrew, Alexandria Brunkow, Margeaux Cannon, Fiona S. Graff, Jessica L. Martin, Leslie R.M. Hausmann

Educational & Counseling Psychology Faculty Scholarship

The opioid crisis has highlighted the importance of improving patients’ access to behavioral treatments for chronic pain and addiction. What is not known is if patients are interested in receiving these treatments. In this cross-sectional study, over 1000 participants with chronic pain were surveyed using an anonymous online questionnaire on Amazon Mechanical Turk (Mturk) to investigate participants’ use of and interest in pharmacological and behavioral treatments for chronic pain and addiction. Participants also indicated whether their doctor had recommended these treatments. The majority of participants reported using medication for their pain (83.19%) and that their doctor recommended medication (85.05%), whereas …

Digital Addiction: A Conceptual Overview, Amarjit Kumar Singh, Pawan Kumar Singh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Digital addiction referred to an impulse control disorder that involves the obsessive use of digital devices, digital technologies, and digital platforms, i.e. internet, video game, online platforms, mobile devices, digital gadgets, and social network platform. It is an emerging domain of Cyberpsychology (Singh, Amarjit Kumar and Pawan Kumar Singh; 2019), which explore a problematic usage of digital media, device, and platforms by being obsessive and excessive. This article analyses, reviewed the current research, and established a conceptual overview on the digital addiction. The research literature on digital addiction has proliferated. However, we tried to categories the digital addiction, according …

The Experience Of Relapse After Long-Term Sobriety And Subsequent Return To Sobriety, Bahram Edward Kaikhosrow Shahrokh

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

While psychiatric medications have been categorized as the same as substances of abuse in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), medications for common medical disorders were not affected by this disapproval of medication. It may be time for a new dialogue (Woody, 2015). According to Gjersing and Bretteville (2018), there has been a concerning increase in overdose deaths in the last decade. This includes a threefold increase in overdose deaths from prescription narcotics and six-fold increase in overdose deaths from heroin in the United States. When prescription opioid users find difficulty in obtaining pills, they may move on to heroin, which is much …

The Development Of A Community-Based Drug Intervention For Filipino Drug Users, Ma. Regina Hechanova, Arsenio S. Alianan, Mendiola Teng-Calleja, Isabel E. Melgar, Avegale Acosta, Angelique Pearl Virtue Villasanta, Kay Bunagan, Camille Yusay, Angelica Ang, Jane Flores, Nico A. Canoy, Ervina Espina, Gayle A. Gomez, Elena Samonte Hinckley, Antover P. Tuliao, Miriam P. Cue

Psychology Department Faculty Publications

This article documents the development of a community-based drug intervention for low- to mild-risk drug users who surrendered as part of the Philippine government's anti-drug campaign. It highlights the importance of developing evidence-informed drug recovery interventions that are appropriate to the Asian culture and to developing economies. Interviews and consultations with users and community stakeholders reveal the need for an intervention that would improve the drug recovery skills and life skills of users. Evidence-based interventions were adapted using McKleroy and colleagues’ (2006) Map of Adaptation Process (MAP) framework. The resulting intervention reflected the country's collectivist culture, relational values, propensity for …

The Winding Road To Relapse: Forging A New Understanding Of Cue-Induced Reinstatement Models And Their Associated Neural Mechanisms, Mark D. Namba, Seven E. Tomek, M. Foster Olive, Joshua S. Beckmann, Cassandra D. Gipson

Psychology Faculty Publications

In drug addiction, cues previously associated with drug use can produce craving and frequently trigger the resumption of drug taking in individuals vulnerable to relapse. Environmental stimuli associated with drugs or natural reinforcers can become reliably conditioned to increase behavior that was previously reinforced. In preclinical models of addiction, these cues enhance both drug self-administration and reinstatement of drug seeking. In this review, we will dissociate the roles of conditioned stimuli as reinforcers from their modulatory or discriminative functions in producing drug-seeking behavior. As well, we will examine possible differences in neurobiological encoding underlying these functional differences. Specifically, we will …

Neurophysiological Capacity In A Working Memory Task Differentiates Dependent From Nondependent Heavy Drinkers And Controls, Michael J. Wesley, Joshua A. Lile, Mark T. Fillmore, Linda J. Porrino

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Determining the brain-behavior profiles that differentiate heavy drinkers who are and are not alcohol dependent will inform treatment efforts. Working memory is linked to substance use disorders and can serve as a representation of the demand placed on the neurophysiology associated with cognitive control.

Methods—Behavior and brain activity (via fMRI) were recorded during an N-Back working memory task in controls (CTRL), nondependent heavy drinkers (A-ND) and dependent heavy drinkers (A-D). Typical and novel step-wise analyses examined profiles of working memory load and increasing task demand, respectively.

Results—Performance was significantly decreased in A-D during high working memory load …

Free Will In Addictive Behaviors: A Matter Of Definition, Eric Klinger

Psychology Publications

Certain people are at risk for using alcohol or other drugs excessively and for developing problemswith their use. Their susceptibilitymight arise froma variety of factors, including their genetic make-up, brain chemistry, family background, personality and other psychological variables, and environmental and sociocultural variables.Moreover, after substance use has become established, there are additional cognitive-motivational variables (e.g., substance- related attentional bias) that contribute to enacting behaviors consistent with the person's motivation to acquire and use the substance. People who are at such risk are likely to choose to use addictive substances even though doing so entails negative consequences. In the sense of …

Role Of Religion In Recovery, Kayla Lovett

Summer Research

The primary purpose of this study is to identify themes regarding the role that religion plays in recovery from addiction, specifically for people experiencing homelessness in Tacoma. Fourteen men and from two treatment programs catering toward specifically homeless populations were interviewed. One of the programs was based in Christian faith, the other was not faith-based. In the interviews, participants were asked about their substance use and recovery history, their recovery experiences, the nature of their religious beliefs and practices, their ideas of self, and their community. Using the NVivo qualitative analysis software, interview transcriptions were analyzed based on Glaser’s (1978) …

"You're Doing Fine, Right?": Adolescent Siblings Of Substance Abusers, Cynthia E. Clarfield

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

There has been a rising interest in addiction medicine and addiction treatment in both the medical and behavioral health science fields. Research suggests having a family member with a substance abuse problem has negative impacts on both physical and mental health (Orford, Copello, Velleman, & Templeton, 2010a). Despite advances toward understanding the experiences of family members affected by a loved one's addiction, the siblings of substance abusers have been largely excluded from scientific research and literature. As a result, little is known about how siblings experience the impacts of a brother or sister's addiction; even less is known about the …

Nonconscious Motivational Influences On Cognitive Processes In Addictive Behaviors, Eric Klinger, W. Miles Cox, Javad S. Fadardi

Psychology Publications

This chapter presents the motivational and goal theory of current concerns in relation to addiction and choice. A current concern is an individual’s motivational state from the point of becoming committed to pursuing a particular goal until the goal is reached or the pursuit is relinquished. During this time, the current concern guides the person’s cognitive processes, including attention, memory, thoughts, and dreams. What is true of goals in general is true of the goal of drinking alcohol or using another addictive substance. We hold that the decision to use a substance is voluntary; thus, the choice to use is …