User involvement is generally regarded as something positive within social work, and is something social authorities in Sweden (as in many other countries) propagates for. This study aims to highlight social workers perceptions and experiences of user involvement within the specific context addiction treatment. A context where users individual status has proved needed to be strengthened. Five social workers, all working within Swedens national government-funded social service agency, are given a voice on the subject. By using semi-structured interviews, the results show how broad and ambiguous the concept of user involve-ment is, when the respondents is asked to define it. This found is supported by earlier studies results, in which researchers also declare the concept unclear. This studys result includes se-veral examples of what the social workers comprehend the involvement consists of in their daily work. The conditions for user involvement to take place in this study’s specifik practice, shows to be closely associated with factors such as the bureaucratic regime, organizational framework agreements and with assessments of the client in question knows its own good (on the basis that drugs affect the human cognitive system in different ways).

The vast majority of smokers who manage to quit do so without the assistance of a facilitated cessation program. Since the majority of focused anti-smoking efforts are directed at facilitated programs, there is an apparent gap in service of the population at risk. Also, the sharp decline in smoking prevalence indicates a changing demographic dynamic. It is probable that those persons still smoking comprise a different population type than did smokers of a decade ago. A reexamination of major strategies for self-quitting is strongly indicated.The purpose of this thesis was to apply what was known about addictive behavior to a self-guided quitting process. Major variables guiding this effort were learning theory, theory of self-change, empirically demonstrated methods of cessation, and psychosocial effects on lifestyle change.The knowledge gained during the process was incorporated into a menu approach that emphasized personal responsibility for the quitting process and allows for choices that serve to tailor the program to the individual's needs. The end result was a quitters' guide, desktop published and prepared in a small quantity for pilot purposes. This guide was evaluated by persons with particular expertise in addictive behavior, especially smoking cessation. An ammended product was then presented to smokers and/or former smokers for further feedback. A journal of the process that detailed both difficulties and successes was also included. / Fisher Institute for Wellness

The purpose of this research was to compare and contrast the components and characteristics of selected widely available smoking cessation programs.To reach this goal, an evaluation form was developed after an extensive review of the literature which addressed the structure, duration, techniques, issues which were discussed, success rates and availability of the programs. This form was tested for content validity by a jury of experts and was used to review each of thirteen selected smoking cessation programs. The reviews were conducted by the author using program materials received from the sponsoring organizations. Any questions which could not be answered with these materials were answered through a telephone interview with a representative of the sponsoring organization.Once the reviews were completed, the information was transferred to table form and to a database so that collective data could be generated. The following conclusions were drawn from the table and the data generated: the existing smoking cessation programs appear to have been developed utilizing suggestions offered in to use similar program techniques, and a great deal of variance exists in terms of success rates and cost. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

Studien syftade till att belysa arbetet med missbruksvården i Bosnien-Hercegovina. Det som har studerats är hur de yrkesverksamma ser på forskning, egen erfarenhet samt klientens erfarenheter och önskemål i valet av behandling. Den metodologiska utgångspunkten var en hermeneutisk kvalitativ ansats, där semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts och sedan studerats. Dessa intervjuer utfördes på ett behandlingshem i Bosnien-Hercegovinas huvudstad Sarajevo och antalet intervjupersoner var fem personer. Resultatet visade hur de arbetar på behandlingshem i Bosnien-Hercegovina. Resultatet visade även att Bosnien-Hercegovina använder sig utav evidensbaserad praktik. Vikten ligger i att få en trygg och verksam vård. Evidensbaserad praktik används utifrån tre olika källor, dessa är klientens erfarenhet, behov och önskemål, den professionellas erfarenhet och förmåga samt vetenskaplig kunskap. BosnienHercegovina tillämpar dessa tre olika källor i sitt behandlingsarbete.

The aim of this study was to examine the concept of sex, sexuality and sexual health and its significance to drug and alcohol addiction treatment for women. More specifically its aim was to find out if social workers and professionals within addiction treatment services ought to support women in creating sustainable sexual relations in the drug free context and if so what the support should consist of. The study was based on recent scientific articles and literature that were analysed through thematic content analysis. The themes that were identified and that were recurring throughout the material were how social structures impact addiction treatment for women as well as their sexual health and how professionals within addiction treatment need to incorporate this knowledge in their practice to support patients to a sustainable drug-free life. The analysis was based on sexual script theory to further the knowledge of what meaning sexuality and relationships have for addiction recovery. The sexual script theory also illustrates what impact narratives have on patients in treatment that are moving between a context with substance abuse and a drug free context. The conclusions made were that sex, sexuality and sexual health are significant matters for addiction treatment since addressing these topics can prevent relapse in patients. Professionals can support women in creating a sustainable relation to sex, sexuality and sexual health by incorporating positive perspectives on sex through conversations in treatment programs. Discussions that raise awareness of how sex and addiction is influenced by social structures, educative conversations on the connection between body, desire and pleasure as well as supporting patients in recognizing which sexual situations are a risk for relapse can make addiction treatment more effective.

Among both youth and adults, video gaming is a rapidly growing recreational activity. The American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization have identified problematic video gaming behavior as a clinical concern in need of further research and have conceptualized this condition as a behavioral addiction. Empirically validated assessment tools may aid in case conceptualization, and cognitive-behavioral techniques have accrued some evidence supporting their efficacy when targeting internet gaming disorder. Clinicians should consider employing goal setting, behavior tracking, and functional analyses, and should consider increasing alternative pleasurable activities, incentivizing specific behavior changes, and integrating caregivers into treatment when working with adolescents.

Certain substance use disorders, such as nicotine, opioid, and alcohol use disorders, have efficacious pharmacotherapies (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Medications for these disorders largely target neurotransmitter systems affected by the substance of abuse. Behavioral addictions, in contrast, do not involve ingestion of any substance, and their neurophysiology remains elusive. To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any medication to treat a behavioral addiction. However, initial experimental trials of medications for gambling disorder and other putative behavioral addictions have been conducted. In this chapter, we review research on pharmacotherapy for gambling disorder, Internet gaming disorder, and Internet addiction. We also briefly discuss treatments for other potential behavioral addictions (e.g., shopping, eating), although much less data exist on these conditions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

This study seeks to understand and document how people recovering from opioid addiction communicate about health and identity in the context of a methadone clinic. This project emerges in response to the rising incidence of opioid addiction and overdose death in the U.S. and suggests there is an urgent theoretical and practical calling for bringing forth the stories of people experiencing addiction and recovery. Guided by the structure-centered approach (SCA) to health communication, this study employs a thematic narrative analysis through interviews with 4 methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients about the meanings of health, recovery, and identity. With respect to how methadone patients communicate about health and identity, study findings reveal three key themes, which I distinguish as: 1) health as normalcy; 2) health as lack of resources; and 3) recovering the self, (be)longing, and health citizenship. It is through an understanding of these themes that this project contributes, in several meaningful ways, to research and praxis on health communication in addiction treatment spaces. Limitations of research design and considerations for future research projects on health and addiction are provided.

This study examined which particular facets of mindfulness (nonreactivity, observing thoughts and feelings, acting with awareness, describing experience, and nonjudging of experience) accounted for improvements in mood and warning signs of relapse in an adult population. This exploratory study examined the impact of the five facets of mindfulness on both warning signs of relapse and mood in a primarily minority adult population in a residential substance abuse treatment facility. Results showed that all five facets were significantly correlated with mood and warning signs at the bivariate level. When considering the facets together, observing and nonjudging were related to mood, and acting with awareness and nonjudging were related to warning signs. Implications for future research and practice are offered.

The United States experiences opioid addiction at epidemic levels. In 2012, the National Institute of Drug Abuse reported that 23.1 million Americans were in need of addiction treatment services, although only 2.5 million were enrolled in treatment. Following an amendment to the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-310), advanced practice nurses were qualified as providers who could bridge the healthcare gap in treatment access. The purpose of this project was to determine the interest of advanced practice nurses in (a) prescribing buprenorphine and (b) establishing guidelines that would allow them to do so. This quantitative project used a 10-question Internet-based survey with a convenience sample of 95 nurses (recruited online) who were currently practicing in advanced nursing roles. Social media platforms, including Facebook, were used to recruit participants. The survey included questions about expanding the scope of practice in addiction treatment and establishing guidelines that would allow nursing knowledge and expertise to be used in outpatient opiate addiction treatment. Critical social theory and Kingdon's theory of policy analysis were applied to support the project. The Survey Monkey data analysis tool was used to generate descriptive statistics, which demonstrated respondents' support for an expanded scope of practice. If the recommendations of this project are adopted by national legislation, increased accessibility to addiction treatment services will save millions of dollars in justice system, healthcare system, employment, and societal costs. Nursing policy advocates nationally can apply these results to support efforts to expand scope of practice to include prescribing buprenorphine.