Retrospective Reasons for the Initiation of Substance Use

ABSTRACT

Evidence for comorbidity in psychiatric disorders and chemical depend ency suggests that peopie with ad dietion problems use drugs and alcohoito cope with painful affeetive states and symptoms. At the same time, sus tained chem i cal use may also lead to fur ther dam age and mimic symp toms of dis or ders. This study was de signed to build knowledge about the rea sons in-patient and out-patient sub stance abus ers in treatment initially use, and to test if there were dif fer ences be tween gender and eth nie (White non-His panic and Af ri can-Amer i can) groups. Findings in di cated that peo pie not only started using drugs and al co hoi to en hance af feetive states, they also were likely to use chem i cals as a way to cope with pain ful, af feetive symp toms. Gender seemed to play a salient role than ethnieity in that fe males of either ethnieity were more likely than males to end or se items relating to the management of negative af feetive states, for enhancement of skills and prob-lem-solving abilities, and for per ceived lack of alternatives. Implications of this study are provided.     

Impact of Drugs and Alcohol on the Brain Through the Life Cycle

Abstract

This article discusses the impact of alcohol and other drugs on the brain during five stages of the life cycle: perinatal (pregnancy-2 years), childhood (2-12 years), adolescence (13-21), adulthood (22-50), and senior (50+). Alcohol and psychotropic drugs act through specific chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters have two main functions in the brain: mediate electrical transmission (synaptic activity) and promote growth (trophic activity). The trophic activity results in a neuron increasing its size and the complexity of its branches (dendrites). The ability of drugs and alcohol to influence neuronal growth (neuroplasticity) has unique consequences in children, adults, and seniors. Knowledge of such biological principles as developmental critical period, age-related cortical shrinkage and steroid-induced neuronal growth is presented in the context of alcohol and other drug abuse. A few suggestions are made for developing new treatment strategies based on the inherent dynamics of the brain during the life cycle.