People seek out therapy for a variety of reasons. Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety and marital or professional issues are just some of the reasons people may seek out therapy. But one set of issues that remain pronounced are substance abuse issues, or substance use disorders (SUD). And in a 2017 study […]
Substance Use Disorders: What to Know
Substance use disorders describe a specific set of disorders—including the abuse of alcohol, opioids, sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics—which impair the individual in some way. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5), “The essential feature of a substance use disorder is a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating that the […]
Schizophrenia and Adolescent Substance Abuse
The classic Carlson text on the physiology of behavior does an excellent job providing a review of the literature concerning the pharmacology, neurology and epidemiology of schizophrenia. I was a bit disappointed, however, with a distinct lack of treatment concerning the (possible) relationship between schizophrenia and substance abuse. More specifically, I was interested in any […]