The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment (Norton Professional Books)

Neuroscienceisclarifyingthecausesofcompulsivealcoholanddrugusewhilealsosheddinglightonwhataddictionis,whatitisnot,andhowitcanbestbetreatedinexcitingandinnovativeways.Currentneurobiologicalresearchcomplementsandenhancestheapproachestoaddictiontraditionallytakeninsocialworkandpsychology.However,thisimportantresearchisgenerallynotpresentedinaforthright,jargon-freewaythatclearlyillustratesitsrelevancetoaddictionprofessionals.InTheScienceofAddiction,CarltonK.Ericksonpresentsacomprehensiveoverviewoftherolesthatbrainfunctionandgeneticsplayinaddiction.Heexplainschangesintheterminologyandcharacterizationofaddictionthatareemergingbaseduponnewneurobiologicalfindings,thusmakingthereaderawareofthemostcurrentresearch.Thebasictenetsofneuroscienceareexplainedaswell.Ericksongoesontodescribetheneuroanatomyandfunctionofbrainrewardsites,andthegeneticsofalcoholandotherdrugdependence.Chaptersonthebasicpharmacologyofstimulantsanddepressants,alcohol,andotherdrugsillustratethespecificanduniquewaysinwhichthebrainandthecentralnervoussysteminteractwith,andareaffectedby,eachofthesesubstances.ThematerialinTheScienceofAddictionisintendedtoaddtoandstrengthenthetherapeuticapproachtoaddiction.Ericksondiscussescurrentandemergingtreatmentsforchemicaldependence,andhowneurosciencehelpsusunderstandthewaytheywork.Theintentistoencourageanunderstandingofthebody-mindconnection.Thebusyclinicalpractitionerwillfindthechapteronhowtoreadandinterpretnewresearchfindingsontheneurobiologicalbasisofaddictionusefulandilluminating.TheScienceofAddictionattemptstohelpthealmost21.6millionAmericans,andmillionsmoreworldwide,whoabuseoraredependentondrugsbyteachingtheircaregivers(orthem)aboutthelatestaddictionscienceresearch.Thebookisintendedtohelpaddictionprofessionalsunderstandthefoundationsandapplicationsofneuroscience,sothattheywillbeabletobetterempathizewiththeirpatientsandapplythesciencetoprinciplesoftreatment.Whenprofessionalslearntheproperscientificandclinicalterminology,theytendtoincorporateitintotheireverydaylanguageandprofessionalcareenvironment.Thus,thevalueofthisbookisgreattothosewhoreaditwithagoaloflearningsomethingnew.TheScienceofAddictionequipscounselors,socialworkers,psychologists,andallthoseworkinginthefieldwithathoroughunderstandingofthelatestneurobiologicalcausesofaddiction,thusensuringamoreknowledgeableandeffectiveapproachtoovercomingtheillness.