Substance Use Disorders: A Biopsychosocial Perspective

This textbook surveys the current knowledge on substance use disorders (SUD), summarizing scientific evidence from numerous fields. It uses a biopsychosocial framework to integrate the many factors that contribute to addictions, from genetic predispositions, neurological responses caused by drugs, co-occurring psychiatric disorders, personality traits, and developmental conditions to cultural influences. Real-life vignettes and first-person accounts build understanding of the lived experience of addiction. The currently accepted practices for diagnosis and treatment are presented, including the role of 12-step programmes and other mutual-assistance groups. The text also investigates the research methods that form the foundation of evidence-based knowledge. The main body text is augmented by study guideposts such as learning objectives, review exercises, highlighted key terms, and chapter summaries, which enable more efficient comprehension and retention of the book's material.

• Lays out the history and current status of disease theory, including its benefits, supporting evidence, and limitations
• Looks into the nature and role of mutual-assistance groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, in promoting recovery from addiction
• Includes real-life examples that illustrate the essential features of substance use disorders
• Describes addiction as a behavioural disorder with disease-like characteristics and biopsychosocial origins

Perry M. Duncan, Old Dominion University, Virginia
Perry M. Duncan is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Psychology at Old Dominion University, USA. There, he has taught courses in behavioral neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and substance use disorders to undergraduate and graduate students for forty years.