Substance Abuse

Sociocultural Views          

           In sociocultural views, one is under stressful socioeconomic conditions and becomes addicted or develops dependencies for different substances like drugs and alcohol. Therefore, under stressful socioeconomic conditions one may turn to alcohol as a means of coping. Then later develops a dependency for alcohol. Psychological problems that emerge in this view should be treated in a social context. There are three sociocultural approaches for therapy in this view, which are self-help programs, culture and gender-sensitive programs, and community prevention programs. Self-help and residential treatment programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a positive therapy that allows those that are under the influence of alcohol to seek help and advice from fellow and former alcoholics.

Biological Views

           In biological views, one who is a substance abuser may be genetically predisposed to become dependent on substances or there may be biochemical factors. If one’s father or mother was or were alcoholics then one may have a genetic predisposition, which may be the same genetic predisposition their mother or father had. Therefore, one may inquire about the taste of alcohol because they see their parent or friends drinking, but unknowing has a genetic predisposition and becomes an alcoholic as well. Biological treatments are detoxification, antagonist drugs, and drug maintenance therapy. As far as detoxification, one may be placed in a detoxification program and have their alcohol consumption reduced gradually while in the program until the they are completely no longer drinking, along with attending group therapy.

Psychodynamic Views

          In psychodynamic views, it is the belief that one who abuses substances has powerful dependency needs that can be traced to their early years (Comer, 2011). Therefore, an adult who was placed in a group home or in foster care as a child could have developed a substance-abuse personality, because of the lack of their parents. Therefore, one turns to substance abuse as a means of coping with their dependency problems. Psychodynamic therapies are used by therapist to guide one through uncovering and working through the underlying needs and conflicts that they believe have led to the disorder, and try changing one’s substance-related styles of living (Comer, 2011).      

Reference

Comer, R. J. (2011). Fundamentals of abnormal psychology (6th ed.). New York, NY: Worth.