More than 20 million Americans have a substance-use disorder, but less than 10 percent get treatment. Even for those who do seek help, traditional treatment is often ineffective, with a relapse rate as high as 60 percent. What can be done to change those disheartening statistics?
A new understanding of substance abuse explores treatment issues based on subtypes of addicts, with a special focus on antisocial personality disorder and functional addiction.
Professionals in the treatment of substance abuse have long recognized the dismal success rate in addressing this pervasive problem. A fresh view of addiction may offer long-sought answers. Intervention and treatment strategies can be made more effective, maintains veteran addiction educator and psychologist Gary L. Fisher, through identification of addict subtypes. That is the goal of Understanding Why Addicts Are Not All Alike: Recognizing the Types and How Their Differences Affect Intervention and Treatment.
The book provides an in-depth, research-based analysis of three specific subtypes of substance abusers: addicts who fit the disease model, addicts with antisocial personality disorder, and functional addicts—those who lead otherwise successful lives. Particular attention is paid to the latter two groups, which have not been adequately studied previously. Characteristics of the three subtypes are illustrated through case studies that clearly demonstrate how subtype impacts prevention, intervention, and treatment. Most important, the book recommends practical intervention and treatment strategies that will enable concerned parties to identify—and help—each of these distinct groups.
Features
• Case studies of real people that illustrate the three subtypes of addicts
• Offers specific intervention and treatment recommendations based on subtype
• Gives a firsthand look at actual functional addicts who continue to use illicit drugs
• Presents a realistic discussion of the poor prognosis for antisocial personality addicts and what can be done to manage this population
Highlights
• Identifies three types of addicts and demonstrates why understanding the differences can be vital to treatment and recovery
• Explains the high rates of treatment dropout and relapse seen worldwide and across drugs
• Focuses on functional addicts and antisocial personality disorder, two groups that have been largely ignored
• Suggests intervention and treatment strategies based on subtypes
Gary L. Fisher, PhD, is professor in the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies at the University of Nevada, Reno, NV. He is the author of six books, including Praeger's Rethinking Our War on Drugs: Candid Talk about Controversial Issues.
