PSY 406: Analyzing Harm-Reduction & Peer-Based Addiction Approaches

This report analyzes peer-based and harm-reduction approaches in addiction treatment, considering neuroscience and treatment models. It assesses traditional and current treatment approaches for diverse populations, emphasizing the role of culture in substance abuse. Recommendations for addiction treatment programs are provided, focusing on behavior and substance abuse, with an evaluation of their effectiveness based on current research. The report underscores the importance of integrating social, biological, and psychological factors in addiction management, advocating for modern counseling methods and cultural sensitivity in addressing adolescent substance abuse. Desklib provides access to similar reports and study resources.

Running Head: HEALTH CARE
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ADDICTIONS MILESTONE 2
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1. Analysis of peer-based approaches in terms of neuroscience for addiction
treatment
Addiction is the most dangerous form of drug abuse that causes brain disorder characterized
by strong biosocial factors on an individual. The effects are detrimental to both an individual
and society. The understanding of the underlying effects of addiction has improved over the
decades due to the milestone progress in neuroscience research as well as the development of
the latest technologies (Pavarin, 2015). These developments have paved way for neurological
advances through which a combination of biology, social, and cultural factors have
contributed to the resistance to the vulnerability for the use of drug and addiction (Des Jarlais,
2015). The understanding of the sociocultural and biological impact on human being has
brought a new understanding of the issue resulting in new methods of treatment of addiction.
The most common one is disrupting an individual's ability to prioritize behaviors resulting in
benefits for the long term rather than those providing short term benefits.
One method of deterring adolescents from drug addiction is to handle them like adults.
Researchers have reported that people who use drugs like marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco
while still, teenagers are most likely to use dangerous drugs at adulthood. In the US, it has
been discovered that most people in 30s and 40s who use recreational drugs at teenage
become the most affected by an overdose of opioids (Few et al., 2014). One discussion is
about the campaign on drug prevention for teenagers. This focuses on the application of
neuroscience that encourages young people to make decisions that back the promotion of
brain health.
Analyses of harm-reduction approaches in terms of the neuroscience of addiction and
treatment models

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Harm reduction refers to a set of policies, programs, and practices that are focussing on
reducing health, social and economic effects of drug and substance abuse. Application
procedures may include certain strategies, for instance, those that will provide a safer
environment for the use of heroin. It may also help regulate the use of heroin so that
prevention of overdose can be realized. However, strategies will always vary depending on
the type of drug being used by an individual. Many countries around the world have adopted
their own harm-reduction strategies. For instance, the United States offers needle and syringe
programs as well as opioid substitution therapy (Guydish et al., 2017). Harm reduction
acknowledges that it is important to abstain from drugs as a way of avoiding addiction and its
consequences. If users can believe that no individual should die from preventable conditions
like addiction to drugs, it would be easy to control the use of these drugs and minimize their
effects on human beings. The harm-reduction procedure involves:
 Acknowledge that drug abuse is inevitable and finding correct ways of minimizing its
effects
 Understand that dealing with drug abuse is a complex thing and therefore some
methods are safer than others
 Using voluntary methods and ensuring that the people and the community affected are
not forced into participation programs to combat and to minimize the effects of drug
abuse
 Making sure that drug users participate with their own views on the campaign to
inform them and the public on the dangers of drug abuse
The role of culture in substance abuse and use is crucial in the determination of the effects,
management, and treatment of drug and substance abuse. The social and cultural setup of a

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community can dictate the way substance abuse can be handled. Culture is critical in
determining the way people relate when they abuse the drugs, the effects of the drugs, and the
perception they have about the drugs (Tanguay, Zadra, Good & Leri, 2015). With the
increasing population in every corner of the world, it is important to consider the diverse
population in terms of cultural factors and beliefs. Several studies have revealed that for
treatment of addiction to drug abuse, cultural aspects must come into play to help find the
solution to the problem as fast as possible.
2. The utility of traditional and current treatment approaches to diverse populations
Treatment and management of drug abuse have been improved over the decades in relation to
the application of biosocial methods. The study of neuroscience has provided the most
current ways of understanding the effects of drug abuse as well as coming into the limelight,
the current methods of dealing with addictions (Daughters et al., 2017). One of achieving
effective treatment for the diverse population is to understand that the communities are
composed of different cultures. As research puts it, the management of drug addiction is a
complex undertaking and all the contributing factors must be considered. Firstly, the
community must establish a culturally integrated fabric where all factors are put into
consideration. The understanding of the underlying effects of addiction has improved over
the decades due to the milestone progress in neuroscience research as well as the
development of the latest technologies. These developments have paved the way for
neurological advances through which a combination of biology, social, and cultural factors
have contributed to the resistance to the vulnerability for the use of drug and addiction.

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3. Recommendations for addiction treatment programs specific to behavior or
substance abuse
The treatment of addiction to substance abuse is a complex procedure that involves several
factors to be considered. It is important to involve social and biological factors in the quest to
find an effective way of managing and treating substance addiction. Additionally, the
treatment should involve the latest psychological overview of the factors involved so that a
conclusive and precise method in conducting research can be realized (Khurana, Romer,
Betancourt & Hurt, 2017). Since many cases of substance abuse are associated with
adolescents, it is necessary to take them through a counseling process which will enable us to
unravel the issues that are affecting them. In this way, modern methods of counseling would
be applied, not forcefully, but through dialogue.
4. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the recommendations as qualified by the current
research
The drug and substance abuse is a problem that must be dealt with properly. Several youths
have found indulged into the acts of smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol, using cocaine
among other substances and drugs. Overusing these drugs and substances is what leads to
addiction. Once a person has been addicted, withdrawal becomes extremely hard leading to
harmful effects of prolonged use (Ślęzak, 2016). The current research reveals that there is an
increase in the number of youths indulged in substance and drug abuse. Therefore, the
recommendation to use modern counseling method to minimize the effects of drug abuse will
be a good decision. Finally, it would be important to consider cultural aspects when
managing drug abuse among addicted adolescents.

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References
Daughters, S., Magidson, J., Anand, D., Seitz-Brown, C., Chen, Y., & Baker, S. (2017).
The effect of a behavioral activation treatment for substance use on post-treatment
abstinence: a randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 113(3), 535-544. doi:
10.1111/add.14049
Des Jarlais, D. (2015). Drug use data, drug use theories and drug use policies in the
United States: a combinatorial lack of connections. Addiction, 110(5), 739-740. doi:
10.1111/add.12745
Few, L., Grant, J., Trull, T., Statham, D., Martin, N., Lynskey, M., & Agrawal, A.
(2014). Genetic variation in personality traits explains genetic overlap between
borderline personality features and substance use disorders. Addiction, 109(12), 2118-
2127. doi: 10.1111/add.12690
Guydish, J., Le, T., Campbell, B., Yip, D., Ji, S., & Delucchi, K. (2017). Drug abuse
staff and clients smoking together: A shared addiction. Journal Of Substance Abuse
Treatment, 76, 64-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2017.01.014
Khurana, A., Romer, D., Betancourt, L., & Hurt, H. (2017). Working memory ability
and early drug use progression as predictors of adolescent substance use disorders.
Addiction, 112(7), 1220-1228. doi: 10.1111/add.13792

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Pavarin, R. (2015). Mortality Risk Among Heroin Abusers: Clients and Non-clients of
Public Treatment Centers for Drug Addiction. Substance Use & Misuse, 50(13),
1690-1696. doi: 10.3109/10826084.2015.1027932
Tanguay, H., Zadra, A., Good, D., & Leri, F. (2015). Relationship Between Drug
Dreams, Affect, and Craving During Treatment for Substance Dependence. Journal
Of Addiction Medicine, 9(2), 123-129. doi: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000105
Ślęzak, I. (2016). Causes and strategies of limiting psychoactive substance use by
female escort agency sex workers. Alcoholism And Drug Addiction, 29(3), 103-129.
doi: 10.1016/j.alkona.2016.10.003