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Chapter 17: Substance-Related Disorders

After reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:

  1. Discuss the prevalence, patterns, and trends of substance use over the past several decades, and how the rates of substance use vary by culture, gender, and age.
  2. Distinguish among and define substance intoxication, withdrawal, abuse, and dependence, and the factors associated with different manifestations of intoxication, withdrawal, and dependence.
  3. Describe the intoxication and withdrawal effects (when such effects exist) of alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, inhalants, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, hallucinogens, PCP, cannabis, and nicotine.
  4. Discuss the negative effects of the substances described in this chapter on physical and mental health.
  5. Describe the stages of alcohol withdrawal.
  6. Discuss the typical patterns of alcohol, benzodiazepine, barbiturate, and cocaine use that lead to dependence on these substances.
  7. Define and describe Wernicke’s encephalopathy, Korsakoff’s psychosis, alcohol-induced dementia, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
  8. Discuss the effects of a pregnant woman’s use of alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine on her developing fetus and newborn child.
  9. Distinguish between the disease model of alcoholism and controlled drinking perspective.
  10. Summarize the contributions of the mesolimbic dopamine system and opponent processes to substance use behavior.
  11. Discuss the role of genetics in alcoholism and describe what might be inherited in the children of alcoholics.
  12. Summarize the arguments and evidence for and against the idea that alcoholism is a form of depression.
  13. Discuss the appropriate uses of methadone, naltrexone, naloxone, disulfiram, and antidepressants to treat people with particular substance-related disorders.
  14. Describe Alcoholics Anonymous and its treatment philosophy.
  15. Discuss the behavioral treatments for alcoholism: aversive classical conditioning, covert sensitization therapy, and cue exposure and response prevention.
  16. Describe the elements of behavioral and cognitive therapies for alcoholism, and the elements of relapse prevention programs.
  17. Discuss why different treatment approaches may be indicated for men and women.







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