The role of attributions in abstinence, lapse, and relapse following substance abuse treatment

One study, in which substance-abusing individuals were randomly assigned to RP or twelve-step (TS) treatments, found that RP participants showed increased self-efficacy, which accounted for unique variance in outcomes [69]. Further, there was strong support that increases in self-efficacy following drink-refusal skills training was the primary mechanism of change. In another study examining the behavioral…

What Is the Cycle of Addiction?

Drug-related processes of tolerance, sensitization and withdrawal further facilitate the feed-forward disruptions in emotion, pain, and reward pathways to promote increased craving and risk of drug use escalation, relapse, and treatment failure. Perhaps a more appropriate goal at this stage of research is to identify the broader mechanisms underlying the effects of relapse prevention, prior…