Addiction In Europe Research Articles

Recovery from Addictions in Europe: Theory, Models and Methods

Abstract Recovery is a therapeutic intervention in addictive behaviors (and other kind of disorders), based in the improvement of personal, social and collective skins and capacities, in order to improve the health and social balance and to decrease the impact of substance use and other addictions. In the book Recovery from Addictions in Europe: Theory, models and Methods, the author makes an analysis of the history of the concept (including the Recovery Capital concept and the development of the Science of Recovery), the evolution of the interventions, an evaluation of good practices and a critical reflection about what it works and what it needs improvement in Recovery Oriented programs. Main conclusions are the increasing of the Science of Recovery, the necessary adaptation of Recovery oriented programs and other interventions to actual addictive behaviors and the development of a Recovery oriented model (the HERMESS model). Keywords: Recovery capital, HERMESS model, evaluation of programs, mixed methodology, Science of Recovery.

Alcohol Addiction, Gut Microbiota, and Alcoholism Treatment: A Review.

Alcohol addiction is a leading risk factor for personal death and disability. In 2016, alcohol use caused 2.2% of female deaths and 6.8% of male deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were 2.3% in female and 8.9% in male. Individuals with alcohol use disorder are at high risk of anxiety, depression, impaired cognition performance, and illicit drug use and are comorbid with liver disease, such as alcoholic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, which is a major cause of personal death and disability worldwide. Psychological interventions, such as cognitive behavior therapy and motivational interviewing, as well as medical treatments, such as disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate, and nalmefene, are used for the treatment of alcohol addiction in Europe and the United States. However, the effect of current interventions is limited, and the need for additional interventions is substantial. Alcohol use impairs the intestinal barrier and causes changes to the intestinal permeability as well as the gut microbiota composition. Emerging studies have tried to reveal the role of the gut–brain axis among individuals with alcohol use disorder with or without alcohol liver disease. Bacterial products penetrate the impaired intestinal barrier and cause central inflammation; changes to the gut microbiota impair enterohepatic circulation of bile acids; alcohol abuse causes shortage of vital nutrients such as thiamine. Several studies have suggested that probiotics, through either oral administration or fecal microbiota transplantation, increased intestinal levels of potentially beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, improving the levels of liver-associated enzymes in patients with mild alcoholic hepatitis, and demonstrating beneficial psychotropic effects on anxiety and depression. In addition to medications for alcohol addiction, gene editing therapy such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) may be another potential research target. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), which are associated with ADH and ALDH genes, are major enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism, and gene editing approaches may have the potential to directly modify specific genes to treat alcoholism caused by genetic defects. Further research is needed to study the effect of the combined treatment for alcohol addiction.

Mexican and Spanish university students' Internet addiction and academic procrastination: Correlation and potential factors.

The 21st-century problem of Internet addiction is increasing globally, but especially among university students. Not surprisingly, then, problematic Internet use is associated with university students' academic procrastination. Because studies are scarce in Mexico and Spain has one of the highest rates of Internet addiction in Europe, this paper (i) analyzed the presence and degree of Internet addiction among university students in Mexico and Spain, (ii) determined potential sociodemographic factors influencing Internet addiction, and (iii) established the type of correlation between Internet addiction and academic procrastination. The cross-sectional study design used an online questionnaire to measure problematic Internet use and academic procrastination through convenience sampling at one university in Mexico and one in Spain. The questionnaire contained three sections: participants' sociodemographic data, the Internet Addiction Test, and the Academic Procrastination Scale. The final sample comprised 758 university students, 387 from Mexico, and 371 from Spain, aged from 18 to 35 (M = 20.08, SD = 3.16). Results revealed similar prevalence rates of problematic and daily Internet use for leisure, potentially influencing Internet addiction in all three models (i.e., Mexico, Spain, and Total). Additionally, significant positive correlation was revealed between problematic Internet use and academic procrastination (p < .001). Finally, findings showed relevant data on Internet addiction's prevalence in Mexican and Spanish university contexts, along with its influential sociodemographic factors.

Il faut repenser la prévention en Europe

The author proposes his reflection on the state of the prevention of addiction in Europe. Rethink it ? Improve it ? He proposes to know the opinion of professionals on prevention and its effectiveness. He compares this opinion with the data from the Report of the European Office for Drugs and Drug Addiction. He suggests some possible areas for improvement and draws on the examples given by Portugal and Germany. We need to rethink European prevention in terms of involvement, proxemics, professionalization, knowledge of the field, methodologies – some “universal” and primary, other focused, specific and tertiary – but also broad consultations between all concerned and also with the general public.

Reframing the science and policy of nicotine, illegal drugs and alcohol – conclusions of the ALICE RAP Project

In 2013, illegal drug use was responsible for 1.8% of years of life lost in the European Union, alcohol was responsible for 8.2% and tobacco for 18.2%, imposing economic burdens in excess of 2.5% of GDP. No single European country has optimal governance structures for reducing the harm done by nicotine, illegal drugs and alcohol, and existing ones are poorly designed, fragmented, and sometimes cause harm. Reporting the main science and policy conclusions of a transdisciplinary five-year analysis of the place of addictions in Europe, researchers from 67 scientific institutions addressed these problems by reframing an understanding of addictions. A new paradigm needs to account for evolutionary evidence which suggests that humans are biologically predisposed to seek out drugs, and that, today, individuals face availability of high drug doses, consequently increasing the risk of harm. New definitions need to acknowledge that the defining element of addictive drugs is ‘heavy use over time’, a concept that could replace the diagnostic artefact captured by the clinical term ‘substance use disorder’, thus opening the door for new substances to be considered such as sugar. Tools of quantitative risk assessment that recognize drugs as toxins could be further deployed to assess regulatory approaches to reducing harm. Re-designed governance of drugs requires embedding policy within a comprehensive societal well-being frame that encompasses a range of domains of well-being, including quality of life, material living conditions and sustainability over time; such a frame adds arguments to the inappropriateness of policies that criminalize individuals for using drugs and that continue to categorize certain drugs as illegal. A health footprint, modelled on the carbon footprint, and using quantitative measures such as years of life lost due to death or disability, could serve as the accountability tool that apportions responsibility for who and what causes drug-related harm.

Reframing the science and policy of nicotine, illegal drugs and alcohol – conclusions of the ALICE RAP Project

In 2013, illegal drug use was responsible for 1.8% of years of life lost in the European Union, alcohol was responsible for 8.2% and tobacco for 18.2%, imposing economic burdens in excess of 2.5% of GDP. No single European country has optimal governance structures for reducing the harm done by nicotine, illegal drugs and alcohol, and existing ones are poorly designed, fragmented, and sometimes cause harm. Reporting the main science and policy conclusions of a transdisciplinary five-year analysis of the place of addictions in Europe, researchers from 67 scientific institutions addressed these problems by reframing an understanding of addictions. A new paradigm needs to account for evolutionary evidence which suggests that humans are biologically predisposed to seek out drugs, and that, today, individuals face availability of high drug doses, consequently increasing the risk of harm. New definitions need to acknowledge that the defining element of addictive drugs is 'heavy use over time', a concept that could replace the diagnostic artefact captured by the clinical term 'substance use disorder', thus opening the door for new substances to be considered such as sugar. Tools of quantitative risk assessment that recognize drugs as toxins could be further deployed to assess regulatory approaches to reducing harm. Re-designed governance of drugs requires embedding policy within a comprehensive societal well-being frame that encompasses a range of domains of well-being, including quality of life, material living conditions and sustainability over time; such a frame adds arguments to the inappropriateness of policies that criminalize individuals for using drugs and that continue to categorize certain drugs as illegal. A health footprint, modelled on the carbon footprint, and using quantitative measures such as years of life lost due to death or disability, could serve as the accountability tool that apportions responsibility for who and what causes drug-related harm.

Excessive Internet Use and its association with negative experiences: Quasi-validation of a short scale in 25 European countries

Prevalence data on Internet addiction in Europe are rather scarce due to the lack of agreement on the definition and measurement of the concept. We define Excessive Internet Use (EIU) as such use of online applications that puts the user at risk of adverse consequences. In this paper, we present a cross-country quasi-validation of the five-item Excessive Internet Use scale that is suitable for use in general population surveys. We worked with EU Kids Online II data for children aged 11–16 in 25 European countries and used a set of regression models to assess the probabilities of various negative consequences for each EIU score. A consistent pattern was identified across Europe when controlling for country differences, suggesting good psychometric properties of the scale. Moreover, our results indicate that EIU in children may be a symptom of broader behavioral difficulties rather than a condition, per se.

Core characteristics, treatment process and retention in therapeutic communities for addictions: a summary of four studies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize the main findings and conclusions of four separate studies on treatment in therapeutic communities (TCs) for addictions. Design/methodology/approach – The first two studies address the core characteristics of the TC approach: a study on the workable and destructive elements of the Synanon model; and a comparative study on the essential elements of TCs for addictions in Europe and in the USA. The final two studies highlight clients’ perceptions of the TC treatment process in relation to retention: a study on clients’ first month perceptions of the TC treatment process and the influence of fixed and dynamic client factors; and a longitudinal study on changes in clients’ perception of the TC treatment process and the impact of motivation, psychological distress and cluster B personality traits. Findings – The first study showed that Synanon’s therapeutic and pedagogical methods are still highly valued despite its negative reputation. The results of the second study suggest that while traditional TCs operate as concept-based TCs in Europe, modified TCs might differ in the extent to which they apply the core principles and elements of the TC approach. The third study provides evidence that suitability for treatment is a very important predictor for clients’ first month perceptions of the community environment. The fourth study shows that with time in treatment clients develop more profound perceptions regarding the essence of TC treatment. Research limitations/implications – Finally, implications for clinical practice, general limitations and some concrete recommendations for future research are presented in this paper. Originality/value – The PhD summary study contributes to the existing literature on TC treatment.

The development of the therapeutic community for addictions in Denmark. A short report based on an interview with Hanne Holm Hage-Ali

Purpose– Even though there is much information available with regard to the development of the therapeutic community (TC) for addictions in Europe, little is known about the particular situation in Denmark.The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approach– In order to address this dearth, the methodology of the following historical account is largely based on an interview and personal contacts with Hanne Holm Hage-Ali, current director of TC Opbygningsgården and star witness of the development of TC in Denmark.Findings– In 1971, the Freetown “Christiania”, Copenhagen, where TC Opbygningsgården started up, was based on communal, anarchic and hippie ideas and values. In the beginning, TC Opbygningsgården was not well accepted by TC pioneers promoting the classic hierarchical TC, as it was seen as a social experiment with anti-authoritarian roots. Later, in its turn, it became influenced by TCs Veksthuset and Phoenix House Haga, Norway, which were part of the common European TC movement. At this moment, TC Opbygningsgården functions as a well-accepted member of the European Federation of Therapeutic Communities.Research limitations/implications– The interview revealed information that it is line with current trends in and challenges for TC throughout Europe, as outlined in a recent EMCDDA study: TC in Europe can be considered as “children of the late sixties”; TCs are embedded in the anti-psychiatric movement, existentialism and the promotion of alternative community living; European TC leaders had different origins and professional background; and the TC never belonged to one religion or ideology. The common human value system always transcended the different visions.Originality/value– This paper aims at addressing the dearth in knowledge on the development of TCs in Denmark.

Addiction in Europe, 1860s–1960s

Concepts play a central part in the formulation of problems and proposed solutions to the use of substances. This article reports the initial results from a cross European historical study, carried out to a common methodology, of the language of addiction and policy responses in two key periods, 1860–1930 and the 1950s and 1960s. It concludes that the language of addiction was varied and nonstandard in the first period. The Anglo-American model of inebriety did not apply across Europe but there was a common focus on theories of heredity and national degeneration. After World War II, there was a more homogenous language but still distinct national differences in emphasis and national interests and policy responses to different substances. More research will be needed to deepen understanding of the conditions under which these changes took place and the social and policy appeal of disease theories.

Dipendenze: la ricerca di settore in Europa

In Europe, the most significant contribution to epidemiological research has been given by the operation of the European Monitoring Centre for Drug and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The EMCDDA has developed, in close cooperation with the Reitox network, five key epidemiological indicators to provide reliable and comparable information on drugs and drug addiction in Europe. In parallel, other projects related to the monitoring of the phenomenon of addiction were carried out independently. Important examples are the ESPAD study and the HBSC study. The research, by providing information on health needs, allows to plan social and health policies, to implement prevention programs and evidence-based care interventions.

Special Issue on Concepts of Addiction in Europe, 1860s–1930s

Special Issue on Concepts of Addiction in Europe, 1860s–1930s

Special Issue on Concepts of Addiction in Europe, 1860s–1930s

Special Issue on Concepts of Addiction in Europe, 1860s–1930s

Cost of addiction in Europe

Cost of addiction in Europe

Marihuana, America's New Drug Problem

THE hop plant (Humulus lupulus)and hemp (Cannabis sativa)are close botanical relatives and each secretes a physiologically active resin. The hop resin is, of course, important in Europe in the manufacture of beer, but hemp resin has found little application, the plant being normally grown only for fibre production. A different state of affairs exists in Africa, the Near East and India, where the resinous exudate of the hemp plant has been widely used (or abused) from remote times for its narcotic properties, under a variety of names according to mode of preparation, the best known of which is perhaps hashish. The virtual absence of hashish addiction in Europe can scarcely be attributed to difficulty of access, since hemp is readily cultivated, particularly in the Mediterranean area, and it has been frequently assumed that temperamental differences between Europeans and Orientals make the euphoric action of hashish less attractive to the former. A similar explanation has been advanced to explain the preference of the Chinese for the languorous dreams of opium rather than the wild ecstasy of hashish. Marihuana, America's New Drug Problem A Sociologic Question with its Basic Explanation dependent on Biologic and Medical Principles. By Prof. Robert P. Walton. Pp. ix + 223 + 12 plates. (Philadelphia and London: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1938.) 12s. 6d. net.