Addiction & Substance Use

Although it may be tempting to say that almost any rewarding activity can become addicting, new research appears to indicate that, at least in the case of Internet use, that may not be the case. In fact, "Internet addiction" may actually be a sign for other psychiatric disorders.

Psychiatrists can help employers better understand the effects of personality disorders on employment litigation. This article looks at some of the consequences that personality disorders may have on employees' work conduct and the role of these disorders in settling employment legal claims.

Public perceptions are that the insanity defense occurs far more commonly than records indicate. In fact, the insanity defense is used in less than 1% of criminal proceedings and is successful in approximately one-quarter of those cases. Furthermore, defendants who are found insane spend as much, or more, time in state custody than their criminally convicted counterparts.

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and potentially debilitating psychiatric conditions. Is heredity linked to anxiety disorders? The importance of early identification and management of children at risk for anxiety disorders is emphasized.

Social anxiety disorder, the third most common mental disorder, is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. A leading expert on SAD provides an overview, including highlights of the barriers to diagnosis, a differential diagnostic approach and treatment options for social anxiety disorder.

A recently published meta-analysis questions if efficacy data garnered from clinical trials is relevant to everyday clinical practice. The authors ponder if enough patients are being included, if they are being followed long enough afterward, and whether exclusion criteria are too broad?

As the field of addiction psychiatry continues to evolve, researchers and clinicians are looking at old problems with new vision.

Will insurance coverage for mental health care ever equal that of physical health care? Until the federal government takes a stand, many states are implementing new laws or revising old ones to help level the grounds. However, with the states' options ranging from full parity to mandated offering and the option to base coverage on type of mental illness, equal mental health care coverage is still left on shaky grounds.

While progress in identifying the specific genetic variations that help determine an individual's vulnerability to addiction has been slow, a great deal has been uncovered about delineating the role that numerous genes and their protein products play in mediating the development of addiction.

Contingency management provides tangible reinforcement to modify patients' behaviors and has been found to reduce substance abuse across a number of clinical populations and settings. What types of tangible reinforcements are most effective?

Although there are numerous media accounts of the detrimental effects of the drug Ecstasy, there may also be some clinical uses in the treatment of PTSD. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-ever clinical trial of MDMA since it was banned in 1988. An expert in the field discusses what psychiatrists need to know about the popular "rave" drug and the compound's use as a therapeutic tool.

Neurofeedback, a way for patients to learn to create and maintain desirable brainwaves, may be an affective adjunct therapy for many psychiatric disorders. Which procedures are most effective, and what are the benefits and risks?

Contingency management rewards good behaviors, thereby modifying behaviors of substance abusers in a positive and supportive manner.

Neurofeedback, also called electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback or neurotherapy, is an adjunctive treatment used for psychiatric conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, phobic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, depression and affective disorders, autism, and addictive disorders (Moore, 2000; Rosenfeld, 2000; Trudeau, 2000).

The question of whether a clinically significant marijuana (cannabis) withdrawal syndrome exists remains controversial. In spite of the mounting clinical and preclinical evidence suggesting that such a syndrome exists, the DSM-IV does not include marijuana withdrawal as a diagnostic category.

The following are case studies discussing the impact of proper evaluation of comorbid psychiatric illness and medical disorders. To read more case studies and find out how to effectively recognize and treat patients with these disorders, please see the January 2002 issue of Psychiatric Times.

Asthma is a serious health condition that can be exacerbated by emotional triggers. Furthermore, depression in these patients can affect treatment compliance, thus worsening prognosis. What role does psychiatry play in treating these patients?

What happens when a chemically dependent patient is in urgent need of timely medical and/or surgical interventions? According to one psychiatrist, logic and humility are two core principles essential to providing these patients with the care they deserve.

In this second article of a series, innovative research and technologies presented at the 41st Annual New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit meeting are highlighted.

Source: Simons RC (1983)

Dr. Genova offers the antidote to the complexities of manualized and proceduralized psychotherapy that have arisen in imitation of procedural, technology-driven medicine. Supportive, directive and relational types of therapy and their correlation with various power structures within the doctor-patient relationship are described.

Over the past two decades, there has been considerable progress in understanding the functions of the prefrontal cortex of the brain and its regulation of mental activities that allow for self-control and goal-directed behaviors. These mental activities are unified under the term executive functions.

In the glossary of our book The Culture-Bound Syndromes, Charles C. Hughes, Ph.D., listed almost 200 folk illnesses that have, at one time or another, been considered culture-bound syndromes (Simons and Hughes, 1986). Many have wonderfully exotic and evocative names: Arctic hysteria, amok, brain fag, windigo.

The Human Genome project has provided an abundance of genetic information, including identification of many disease-causing genes. Clinical applications, genetic counseling and the potential ethical issues raised by the availability of genetic testing are all areas of concern in gene research. Will genetic counseling in classical genetic diseases help to provide guidelines for behavioral disorders?

Research conducted over the past 30 years leads to the conclusion that televised violence does influence viewers' attitudes, values and behavior.

The Child School in New York City provides a unique learning experience for children with learning and developmental disabilities. What teaching methods and curriculum are employed at the school? What is the link between parent and teacher involvement and the children's progress at The Child School?

House Minority Leader, Richard Gephardt addressed the National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers as part of their new Inform America campaign. Gephardt discussed not only what needs to happen for Americans to have good mental health care, but what Congress has already accomplished.

A recent large, randomized, controlled trial showed fluvoxamine to be effective in treating anxiety disorders in children. The eight-week trial raises many questions about anxiety, the most common psychiatric disorder in children. A panel of experts looks at past and future research.

By definition, gambling is the process of placing something of value (usually money) at risk in the hopes of gaining something of greater value (Potenza et al., 2001). It is a human behavior that has persisted for millennia; some of humanity's earliest historical accounts document gambling as a practice of ancient civilizations (France, 1902; Potenza and Charney, 2001).

Bullying and being bullied put adolescents at risk for developing violent behaviors. Depression and anxiety are two of the underlying issues related to this type of behavior. Recognizing the warning signs may help mental health care professionals prevent violence in the adolescent's life.