Alcohol, Drugs, Substances Addiction: Psychology Certificate

Explore how philosophy informs our understanding of addiction, examining free will, determinism, ethics, identity, authenticity, mindfulness, and compassionate pathways toward healing and self-awareness.

Explore how addiction remodels brain structure and function, from mesolimbic dopamine changes to gray and white matter alterations and neuroinflammation.

The lecture explains how cocaine blocks dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine reuptake. It covers reward circuitry and neuro adaptive changes that reinforce addiction, noting genetic and environmental factors.

Explore how alcohol modulates GABA, glutamate, dopamine, and serotonin to alter reward circuitry, causing structural brain changes, neuroinflammation, tolerance, and genetic and environmental influences on addiction.

Environmental factors shape addiction through peer influence and social networks, adolescent dynamics, and media modeling. They also involve family dynamics, trauma, and cultural norms, guiding prevention and intervention strategies.

Explore the idea of an addictive personality as a constellation of traits—impulsivity, sensation seeking, low self-esteem, and maladaptive coping—that heighten genetic and environmental risk for substances and addictive behaviors.

Explore resilience factors that prevent addiction, including mindfulness, exercise, meaningful goals, social support, self-esteem, and self-efficacy to manage stress and cravings.

Explore resilience factors, including healthy lifestyle choices, regular physical activity, mindfulness, strong personal values with integrity and empathy, and access to resources and opportunities that support prevention and wellbeing.

Explore the behavioral and physiological symptoms of alcohol addiction, including loss of control, preoccupation, continued use despite consequences, withdrawal, and denial, to promote early intervention and understanding.

The lecture outlines physiological symptoms of alcohol addiction, including tolerance, withdrawal, health complications, nutritional and endocrine effects, and explains DSM-5 criteria for alcohol use disorder.

Explore how alcohol addiction disrupts the central nervous system, neurotransmitter signaling, and cognitive function. Cover liver, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune effects, thiamine deficiency, and alcohol absorption, metabolism, and zero order kinetics.

Examine the psychological effects of alcohol addiction, including emotional dysregulation, mood swings, irritability, and depression; behavioral impulsivity and social withdrawal; cognitive impairments with mental health comorbidity and treatment implications.

Examine the bidirectional relationship between mental health disorders and alcohol addiction, uncovering co‑occurrence, dual diagnosis, self‑medication, and integrated treatment options like CBT, MI, pharmacotherapy, and DRA.

Explore pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorder, including disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate, topiramate, baclofen, and gabapentin, with their mechanisms, efficacy, clinical considerations, and use alongside psychosocial interventions.