[Psychological dependence? A possible different formulation of the problem for a therapeutic rearrangement in chronic...

Disputing the concept of "psychic dependence", the Authors review six motivations to use addictive drugs, four of which pertain to the moment to assume the habit, although the latter two, which are identifiable with physical and psychic dependence, depend on te breaking the habit. While physical dependence is linked to withdrawal syndrome, psychic dependence, on the Author's opinion, is related to a long-standing previous state of true or masked endogenous depression (in this case it would be well termed as "neuropsychological dependence"), and the drug taking is only a maladaptive self-medication. This thesis is substantiated by the literature, reporting, in chronic drug addicts the use of the whole series of antidepressants (i.e. tricyclics, doxepine, lithium, etc.), with noticeable therapeutical success. According with other reports and with personal experience, the Authors maintain a great importance to drugs acting, directly or not, on GABA, i.e. l-glutamine, piracetam, and, particularly, N-dipropilacetic acid.