Substance Abuse Disorders

Substance abuse disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and are frequently comorbid with other psychiatric and health conditions and accompanied by social problems; however, they remain under-recognized and under-treated. Many physicians and mental health practitioners receive little-to-no training in the identification and treatment of these disorders. Approaches to their prevention include some of the major success stories in modern public health as well as some of the deepest controversies in public life. This new title in the WPA series Evidence and Experience in Psychiatry will inform psychiatrists, other medical and mental health professionals, behavioural and social scientists and a wide range of professional groups from health and social services about these disorders and their treatment and control in a clear and comprehensive volume. The book covers the three major areas - drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Each section comprises three chapters, one covering epidemiology (the extent and the nature of the problem), one on prevention and one covering treatment and management. These review the published literature and summarize the available evidence succintly; for instance, starting with a helpful overview of the scope of epidemiology, then describing the range of conceptual frameworks. Treatment refers to both psychosocial and pharmacological approaches. Prevention covers both universal and local strategies, providing a menu of opportunities. These include public health interventions, such as strategies to reduce demand among young people. Each section in this book features a series of short commentaries that provide clinical and public health perspectives from various parts of the world. These also address complementary topics, such as a call for clinicians to lobby more effectively, and the need for local knowledge and study to assess the generalisability of findings in different geographic regions and in different cultures. The unique structure of this book makes it invaluable for all health professionals dealing with people with substance use disorders: the review chapters serve as reference material while the commentaries provide insight into particular problems and stimulate the reader to learn more.