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Health Psychology Related to Addiction Behavior

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2023) | Viewed by 14416

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatry, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
Interests: addicition; substance abuse; psychosis; schizophrenia; cannabinoids; novel psychoactive drugs; THC
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, we have seen a dramatic increase in substance use, including Novel Psychoactive Substances whose effects are still poorly understood.

Individuals diagnosed with a substance use disorder present a compulsive pattern of drug use often associated with both physical and psychological dependence. Desired effects include feeling of joy, relaxation, and euphoria, but these compounds can lead to a wide range of psychopathological effects such as psychosis, paranoia, aggression, anxiety attacks, and impaired self-awareness. The rapid spread of substances abuse among young adolescents makes them particularly vulnerable to mental disorders and the possibility of developing chronic illness. On the other hand, however, a lot of educational programs aimed at young people have been put in place and they have given encouraging results in preventing psychiatric disorders.

While there is extensive literature on the above topics, this Special Issue will aim to bring together the latest knowledge and advances in this area of drug abuse and the development of psychiatric disorders. A wide range of topics will be included in this issue. This Special Issue in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health will focus on recent findings on “Health Psychology related to Addiction Behavior” with the aim to further understand how drug abuse of different types, such as cannabis, alcohol, nicotine, and others, can affect health psychology inducing psychiatric disease, and worsening social interactions and quality of life of young population.

Dr. Valerio Ricci
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • adolescence
  • addictive behaviors
  • early psychosis
  • mental health
  • substance abuse

Published Papers (6 papers)

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11 pages, 372 KiB  
Article
Prevalence of Smartphone Addiction and Its Association with Sociodemographic, Physical and Mental Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study among the Young Adults of Bangladesh
by Zubair Ahmed Ratan, Anne-Maree Parrish, Mohammad Saud Alotaibi and Hassan Hosseinzadeh
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16583; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416583 - 09 Dec 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3499
Abstract
Smartphones have made our lives easier and have become indispensable for everyday life; however, their uncontrolled and excessive use can trigger “smartphone addiction” (SA). SA is a rising public health issue, particularly among young people around the world. There is a dearth of [...] Read more.
Smartphones have made our lives easier and have become indispensable for everyday life; however, their uncontrolled and excessive use can trigger “smartphone addiction” (SA). SA is a rising public health issue, particularly among young people around the world. There is a dearth of empirical research about SA and its impacts on young adults, particularly in developing countries such as Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study is an attempt to fill this gap. The data were collected from 440 eligible young adults in Bangladesh using an online survey between July 2021 and February 2022. Study results revealed that 61.4% of the young adults were addicted to their smartphone. Logistic regression analysis showed that being male, aged ≤25, unemployed and living with a large family size (≥8) were the significant sociodemographic predictors of SA. Smartphone-addicted participants were more likely to be less physically active, suffer from insomnia, be overweight or obese and use their phones while driving, walking and eating. In addition, the SA group were more likely to have physical and mental well-being problems. This study brings to light significant implications for policy makers and indicates a need for an SA community awareness programme which aims to reduce SA at the societal level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Psychology Related to Addiction Behavior)
16 pages, 710 KiB  
Article
The Roles of Anxiety and Self-Esteem in the Risk of Eating Disorders and Compulsive Buying Behavior
by Concetta De Pasquale, Martina Morando, Silvia Platania, Federica Sciacca, Zira Hichy, Santo Di Nuovo and Maria Catena Quattropani
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16245; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316245 - 04 Dec 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2526
Abstract
In contemporary society, following the sudden changes that occur, different forms of addiction are becoming popular. Of note are the new addictions and concepts of poly-dependencies that involve common behaviors and trap people who suffering from them in a vicious circle. The main [...] Read more.
In contemporary society, following the sudden changes that occur, different forms of addiction are becoming popular. Of note are the new addictions and concepts of poly-dependencies that involve common behaviors and trap people who suffering from them in a vicious circle. The main goal of this study is to investigate the possible mediating role that self-esteem had between trait anxiety and two specific new addictions: compulsive buying behavior and eating disorders. Furthermore, it was verified through a multigroup analysis that trait anxiety had a greater effect on eating disorders in a group of compulsive consumers. Three-hundred and fifty-two participants (67.9% women) were enrolled to participate in this study. The results showed that there was a direct effect of trait anxiety on eating disorders and on compulsive buying behavior; self-esteem mediated the effect of trait anxiety on eating disorders and compulsive buying behavior with specific differences; multi-group analysis showed differences in anxiety’s effect on eating disorders between compulsive and non-compulsive consumers; the group of compulsive consumers revealed a significant and stronger effect of trait anxiety on eating disorders in all domains identified. Further research is recommended to better understand the predictors of these disorders and to contribute to a more effective preventive intervention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Psychology Related to Addiction Behavior)
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21 pages, 961 KiB  
Article
Association of Polymorphism within the Putative miRNA Target Site in the 3′UTR Region of the DRD2 Gene with Neuroticism in Patients with Substance Use Disorder
by Agnieszka Boroń, Małgorzata Śmiarowska, Anna Grzywacz, Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Jolanta Chmielowiec, Jolanta Masiak, Tomasz Pawłowski, Dariusz Larysz and Andrzej Ciechanowicz
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 9955; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169955 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1922
Abstract
The study aims at looking into associations between the polymorphism rs6276 that occurs in the putative miRNA target site in the 3′UTR region of the DRD2 gene in patients with substance use disorder (SUD) comorbid with a maniacal syndrome (SUD MANIA). In our [...] Read more.
The study aims at looking into associations between the polymorphism rs6276 that occurs in the putative miRNA target site in the 3′UTR region of the DRD2 gene in patients with substance use disorder (SUD) comorbid with a maniacal syndrome (SUD MANIA). In our study, we did not state any essential difference in DRD2 rs6276 genotype frequencies in the studied samples of SUD MANIA, SUD, and control subjects. A significant result was found for the SUD MANIA group vs. SUD vs. controls on the Neuroticism Scale of NEO FFI test, and DRD2 rs6276 (p = 0.0320) accounted for 1.7% of the variance. The G/G homozygous variants were linked with lower results on the neuroticism scale in the SUD MANIA group because G/G alleles may serve a protective role in the expression of neuroticism in patients with SUD MANIA. So far, there have been no data in the literature on the relationship between the miRSNP rs6276 region in the DRD2 gene and neuroticism (personal traits) in patients with a diagnosis of substance use disorder comorbid with the affective, maniacal type disturbances related to SUD. This is the first report on this topic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Psychology Related to Addiction Behavior)
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11 pages, 1024 KiB  
Article
Social Support and Drug Abstention Motivation among Chinese Male Drug Addicts: A Moderated Mediation Model of Self-Control and Sensation-Seeking
by Xizheng Xu, Yunpeng Wu and Senlin Zhou
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6015; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106015 - 15 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1808
Abstract
The goal of this study is to examine how social support affects Chinese male drug addicts’ abstention motivation. To elucidate the mechanism as well as the boundary condition of the aforesaid influence, self-control and sensation-seeking were induced. Using the questionnaire method, the cross-sectional [...] Read more.
The goal of this study is to examine how social support affects Chinese male drug addicts’ abstention motivation. To elucidate the mechanism as well as the boundary condition of the aforesaid influence, self-control and sensation-seeking were induced. Using the questionnaire method, the cross-sectional data were collected from 498 male drug addicts from one hospital and four compulsory isolation drug abstention centers in Central China region. The results indicated that social support has a positive direct and indirect effect on abstention motivation. The indirect influence is that the impact of social support on abstention motivation is mediated by self-control. The direct effect was moderated by sensation-seeking. Specifically, for individuals with low sensation-seeking, social support can significantly increase drug abstinence motivation, but this effect was not significant for those with high sensation-seeking. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Psychology Related to Addiction Behavior)
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10 pages, 340 KiB  
Article
A Pilot Randomized Control Study on Effect Brief Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback as a Complementary Treatment in Men with Methamphetamine Use Disorder
by Cheng-Fang Yen, Chih-Hung Ko, Chih-Yao Hsu, Hung-Chi Wu, Yu-Yi Yang and Peng-Wei Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5230; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095230 - 25 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1534
Abstract
The aims of this study were to investigate the efficacy of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVBFB) intervention in terms of reducing craving, severity of dependence, and rate of positive methamphetamine urine testing in men taking part in a methamphetamine use disorder outpatient treatment [...] Read more.
The aims of this study were to investigate the efficacy of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVBFB) intervention in terms of reducing craving, severity of dependence, and rate of positive methamphetamine urine testing in men taking part in a methamphetamine use disorder outpatient treatment program. Sixty-one adult men received either HRVBFB treatment plus treatment as usual (TAU) over four weeks or TAU only. Men receiving HRVBFB showed significantly greater reductions in craving, dependence severity, and the rate of positive methamphetamine urine testing at the end of the intervention and four weeks of follow-up. The analyses further showed that the levels of craving and dependence severity at treatment entry were predictive of changes in craving and dependence severity at the end of treatment and follow-up, respectively. The baseline status of a positive methamphetamine urine test only predicted a positive methamphetamine urine test at the end of treatment, not at the end of the follow-up period. Our results showed HRVBFB intervention has merits as an adjunct treatment to ameliorate cravings and reduce the severity of dependence experienced by persons with methamphetamine use disorder. An added value of HRVBFB intervention is the fact that it can be easily and affordably implemented in everyday life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Psychology Related to Addiction Behavior)

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9 pages, 326 KiB  
Case Report
Lurasidone use in Cannabis-Induced Psychosis: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy and Clinical Considerations in Four Cases Report
by Valerio Ricci, Giovanni Martinotti, Domenico De Berardis and Giuseppe Maina
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16057; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316057 - 30 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2023
Abstract
Background: Lurasidone is an atypical antipsychotic approved for the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia. Recently, lurasidone was also extended FDA approval for adults with major depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar depression), as either a monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy [...] Read more.
Background: Lurasidone is an atypical antipsychotic approved for the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia. Recently, lurasidone was also extended FDA approval for adults with major depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (bipolar depression), as either a monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate. The use of low doses of atypical antipsychotics is an essential component of early intervention in psychosis, but little has yet been studied on first episode cannabis-induced psychosis. For its particular performance and tolerability, lurasidone is becoming an important option for the treatment of first-episode psychosis in youth. Case presentation four patients experiencing first cannabis-induced psychotic episode were treated with lurasidone. In all patients, there was an improvement in the clinical picture of psychosis. The recovery was positive, not only with the remission of positive and negative symptoms, but also regarding disruptive behaviour, with the return of functioning. All the patients were treated with lurasidone, with a target dose of 74–128 mg/day. No significant side effects were reported. Conclusion: There are non-controlled studies for the use of lurasidone in first episode psychosis cannabis induced. These findings suggest that lurasidone is an atypical antipsychotic beneficial in this clinical picture. Treatment with medium-high doses of lurasidone could be effective and tolerable in this phase of the disorder. Randomized control trials with longer follow-up are recommended to confirm these positive results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Psychology Related to Addiction Behavior)
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