The latest Addiction Journal Podcast gives listeners a snapshot overview of the research that has been published in the March edition of the Addiction Journal.

Highlights

• Negative and positive mood differentially impact alcohol use in males and females.
• Previous research did not differentiate impact of mood states vs lifetime diagnoses.
• This study confirmed positive association of mood with alcohol use in both sexes.
• Yet, in alcoholic men, MDD correlated negatively with the frequency of alcohol use.
• This difference should be accounted for in clinical practice and research.

Abstract

Background

We assessed the impact of comorbid depression and anxiety disorders as well as positive and negative emotional states on alcohol consumption...

Abstract

Background

Studies throughout Europe have shown that asylum-seeking children and adolescents (ASC) are at risk of developing mental disorders. The most common mental-health problems in ASC include posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), internalizing symptoms such as depression and anxiety, and externalizing behaviour. Being an unaccompanied refugee minor (URM) was found to be highly predictive for higher levels of psychological distress within ASC. Nevertheless, and even though Germany is Europe’s biggest host country for ASC, studies that reliably examine the mental health of...

This website offers resources developed from a two-year research programme on end of life care for people with alcohol and other drug problems. The research programme was the first of its kind to explore current practice and service experience from a range of perspectives.

The findings have been used to develop information and resources on how best to support people with substance use problems, or how substance use services can support people with serious and life-limiting conditions.

Early life experiences of trauma are known to significantly increase the risk of substance use in adolescence and adulthood. It has been suggested that individuals may use alcohol or drugs as a means of temporarily relieving themselves from psychological distress, however this can lead to increased emotional dysregulation in the long term.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for adolescent suffering from PTSD and SUDs focuses on developing awareness of unhelpful thought patterns and cognitive restructuring. 

A recent study, published in the Journal of Psychology and Psychotherapy, has...

Children who are next of kin to parents with physical or mental illness and/or substance abuse need access to mental health support and several cost-effective interventions are available. Because most parents in the target group often consult general practitioners (GPs), GPs may have a crucial role in identifying burdened children and ensuring their follow-up. However, this important topic has received little attention in clinical discussions and research. In response to the knowledge gap, we conducted the research project Burdened Children as Next of Kin and the General Practitioner. Four sub...