Research Paper On Self-Medication
Prevention:
Drinking as self-medication. Several theories link alcohol’s presumed stress-reduction effects to reduced processing of threatening information. Sayette (1993) argued alcohol may reduce appraisal of threatening information. Hull (1981) suggested alcohol may reduce self-awareness.
Use of drugs typically peaks during the 20s. Gender. In adults male users if illegal drugs outnumber women by around 2 or 3 to 1. Figures from under 20s report more similar levels of use. Women are more likely to abuse solvents and to smoke.
Gender and drinking. Male drinking peaks during the tweties. Female drinking peak later, in their thirties. In this period men & women drink similar amounts (Fillmore, 1987).
Treatment:
Treatment is cost-effective. …show more content…
Raistrick et al. (2010) report that every £1 spent on alcohol treatment saves £5 in cost elsewhere. Davies et al. (2009) estimated that £1 spent on treating drug dependence saved £2.50. There are also treatments with good evidence that they do improve abstinence rates.
What treatment works?
Miller et al.
(2003) identified 48 different treatment approaches for alcoholism which had been evaluated in at least three controlled trials. Treatments with good evidence of effectiveness from well-designed studies included:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Brief Interventions (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, SFBT)
Community Reinforcement
Social Skills Training
Acamprosate (GABA Agonist)
Self Help Manuals
Naltrexone (Opioid Antagonist)
Behavioural Self Control Training
Marital Therapy
Aversion Therapy (using nausea)
Does treatment work?
Yes, but…
Overall success rates are modest. High initial relapse rates after alcoholism treatment, though after multiple attempts up to 40% may acgieve abstinence or non-problem use in ten years (Littrell, 1991). Difference between effective treatments are generally small. “The search for best treatment has failed” (Orford, 2001).
Evaluation is complicated by many factors:
What measure of success is appropriate?
Some self-help groups don’t keep records on those who drop out.
The Stages of Change (Prochaska et al, 1992)
The stages of change are:
• Precontemplation (Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behaviour that needs to
• be changed)
• Contemplation (Acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready or sure
of
• wanting to make a change)
• Preparation/Determination (Getting ready to change)
• Action/Willpower (Changing behaviour)
• Maintenance (Maintaining the behaviour change) and
• Relapse (Returning to older behaviours and abandoning the new changes)
Conclusion
Similar outcomes from different therapies is consistent with the idea of a natural process of recovery. But, existing models may not capture this process
Environmental influences are important, whether this is phrased in terms of conditioned responses to environmental stimuli or the social context of use.
Sustained benefits probably require long-term input.
Drinking as self-medication. Several theories link alcohol’s presumed stress-reduction effects to reduced processing of threatening information. Sayette (1993) argued alcohol may reduce appraisal of threatening information. Hull (1981) suggested alcohol may reduce self-awareness.
Use of drugs typically peaks during the 20s. Gender. In adults male users if illegal drugs outnumber women by around 2 or 3 to 1. Figures from under 20s report more similar levels of use. Women are more likely to abuse solvents and to smoke.
Gender and drinking. Male drinking peaks during the tweties. Female drinking peak later, in their thirties. In this period men & women drink similar amounts (Fillmore, 1987).
Treatment:
Treatment is cost-effective. …show more content…
Raistrick et al. (2010) report that every £1 spent on alcohol treatment saves £5 in cost elsewhere. Davies et al. (2009) estimated that £1 spent on treating drug dependence saved £2.50. There are also treatments with good evidence that they do improve abstinence rates.
What treatment works?
Miller et al.
(2003) identified 48 different treatment approaches for alcoholism which had been evaluated in at least three controlled trials. Treatments with good evidence of effectiveness from well-designed studies included:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Brief Interventions (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, SFBT)
Community Reinforcement
Social Skills Training
Acamprosate (GABA Agonist)
Self Help Manuals
Naltrexone (Opioid Antagonist)
Behavioural Self Control Training
Marital Therapy
Aversion Therapy (using nausea)
Does treatment work?
Yes, but…
Overall success rates are modest. High initial relapse rates after alcoholism treatment, though after multiple attempts up to 40% may acgieve abstinence or non-problem use in ten years (Littrell, 1991). Difference between effective treatments are generally small. “The search for best treatment has failed” (Orford, 2001).
Evaluation is complicated by many factors:
What measure of success is appropriate?
Some self-help groups don’t keep records on those who drop out.
The Stages of Change (Prochaska et al, 1992)
The stages of change are:
• Precontemplation (Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behaviour that needs to
• be changed)
• Contemplation (Acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready or sure
of
• wanting to make a change)
• Preparation/Determination (Getting ready to change)
• Action/Willpower (Changing behaviour)
• Maintenance (Maintaining the behaviour change) and
• Relapse (Returning to older behaviours and abandoning the new changes)
Conclusion
Similar outcomes from different therapies is consistent with the idea of a natural process of recovery. But, existing models may not capture this process
Environmental influences are important, whether this is phrased in terms of conditioned responses to environmental stimuli or the social context of use.
Sustained benefits probably require long-term input.