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Substitute addiction: a concern for researchers and practitioners
1Institute for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Alhambra, CA 91803-4737, USA. sussma@usc.edu
Journal of Drug Education
|August 30, 2008
Summary
Substitute addictions, where one addiction replaces another, are not well understood. Recognizing their impact is crucial for addiction recovery, prevention, and treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Behavioral psychology
- Mental health
Background:
- The phenomenon of substitute addictions, where individuals engage in new addictive behaviors after ceasing previous ones, requires further investigation.
- Understanding the underlying mechanisms and prevalence of these behavioral shifts is essential for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the spectrum and potential reward mechanisms associated with substitute addictions.
- To highlight the importance of considering substitute addictions in addiction recovery and prevention education.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on substitute addictions.
- Analysis of potential psychological reward functions.
- Synthesis of current understanding and identification of research gaps.
Main Results:
- Substitute addictions encompass a range of behaviors with unclear reward functions.
- These behaviors can significantly influence the recovery process.
- Current understanding of their prevalence and specific roles is limited.
Conclusions:
- Prevention and treatment strategies must incorporate the concept of substitute addictions.
- Further research is necessary to elucidate the prevalence, functions, and effective interventions for substitute addictions.
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