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Perspectives Emerging From Neuroscience On Why People Become Addicted And What To Do About It, Jill Littrell
Perspectives Emerging From Neuroscience On Why People Become Addicted And What To Do About It, Jill Littrell
SW Publications
This paper reviews the new ideas emerging from neuroscience regarding the question of why some people are compelled to use drugs. During the process of drug exposure, the brain’s motivational system is changed in ways that co-opts the individual’s motivational system. Changes in the brain’s motivational structures along with changes in the brain’s self-regulatory structures compel an individual to drug use. Ways to reverse those changes in an addicted brain have been identified, as have ways to enhance self-regulatory control. The information from neuroscience offers a new perspective on “loss of control” as well as offering implications for treatment.
The Swedish Studies Of The Adopted Children Of Alcoholics, Jill Littrell
The Swedish Studies Of The Adopted Children Of Alcoholics, Jill Littrell
SW Publications
The authors of the widely cited studies analyzing the Swedish adoption records of the children of alcoholics have advanced the notion that there are three distinct paths for the inheritance of alcoholism. One path results in moderate alcoholism in men and a form of somatization but no alcoholism in women. A second path results in severe and mild alcoholism in men and alcoholism in women. The third path results in a particular variety of alcohol abuse in men and a particular variety of somatization in women. This article analyzes the authors' claims. It is argued that the data were improperly …