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Substance use and abuse are two of the more frequent psychological problems clinicians encounter, both in isolation and in the context of other disorders. Mainstream approaches focus on the biological and psychological factors underpinning drug abuse, but to fully appreciate the issue, we also need to attend to the social, historical, and cultural variables that provide a contextual base. The authors' primary goal is to explore thoroughly such cultural and historical approaches. Such an approach has much to offer in terms of enriching our understanding of why people use drugs and in elucidating the nature of substance-abuse problems. They also demonstrate how such an approach can be integrated within a mainstream biopsychosocial perspective. In so doing, they hope to illustrate how explanations drawn from different levels of analysis and different disciplinary perspectives relate.
Features/Benefits:
- integrates components from biological variables, psychosocial variables, cultural-historical variables, and the self, providing multidisciplinary perspective.
Locating drug abuse in wider historical and cultural contexts allows clinicians to evaluate more clearly the constellation of factors responsible for drug-related problems
- illustrating the value of a cultural-historical perspective in conceptualizing, preventing, and treating substance abuse problems also serves to highlight consequent public policy implications.
- chapters open with introductions and conclude with summaries and end notes to frame the content of each chapter for students.
Russil Durrant received his Ph.D. from the University of Canterbury, where he also ompleted a Post Doctoral Fellowship. He then worked at the Centre for Behavioral Research in Cancer at the Cancer Control Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia. His research involves the design and evaluation of mass media tobacco prevention programs, and his other research interests include evolutionary psychology, cultural psychology, and the social history of drug use. He currently teaches at Griffith University - Gold Coast Campus in Queensland, Australia.
Show moreSubstance use and abuse are two of the more frequent psychological problems clinicians encounter, both in isolation and in the context of other disorders. Mainstream approaches focus on the biological and psychological factors underpinning drug abuse, but to fully appreciate the issue, we also need to attend to the social, historical, and cultural variables that provide a contextual base. The authors' primary goal is to explore thoroughly such cultural and historical approaches. Such an approach has much to offer in terms of enriching our understanding of why people use drugs and in elucidating the nature of substance-abuse problems. They also demonstrate how such an approach can be integrated within a mainstream biopsychosocial perspective. In so doing, they hope to illustrate how explanations drawn from different levels of analysis and different disciplinary perspectives relate.
Features/Benefits:
- integrates components from biological variables, psychosocial variables, cultural-historical variables, and the self, providing multidisciplinary perspective.
Locating drug abuse in wider historical and cultural contexts allows clinicians to evaluate more clearly the constellation of factors responsible for drug-related problems
- illustrating the value of a cultural-historical perspective in conceptualizing, preventing, and treating substance abuse problems also serves to highlight consequent public policy implications.
- chapters open with introductions and conclude with summaries and end notes to frame the content of each chapter for students.
Russil Durrant received his Ph.D. from the University of Canterbury, where he also ompleted a Post Doctoral Fellowship. He then worked at the Centre for Behavioral Research in Cancer at the Cancer Control Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia. His research involves the design and evaluation of mass media tobacco prevention programs, and his other research interests include evolutionary psychology, cultural psychology, and the social history of drug use. He currently teaches at Griffith University - Gold Coast Campus in Queensland, Australia.
Show morePreface
1. What Needs to be Explained and How Should We Explain It?
Introduction
Levels of Analysis & the Multidisciplinary Nature of Psychoactive
Drug Studies
Towards an Integrated Model of Substance Use & Abuse
Overview
Endnotes
2. The Nature & Scope of Substance Use & Abuse
Introduction
What Is a Drug?
Who Uses Drugs?
Taxonomy of Drug Use Contexts
The Harms & Benefits of Drugs
From Use to Abuse
Summary
Endnotes
3. An Evolutionary Perspective
Introduction
The Nature and Role of Evolutionary Explanations
Has Drug Use Been Selected For?
Drugs & the Brain
Drug Use, Sexual Selection, and Life History Theory
From Use to Abuse
An Integrated Evolutionary Model of Substance Use
Summary
Endnotes
4. Drugs in History
Introduction
What Can History Tell Us about Substance Use and Abuse?
A Brief History of Drugs
Summary
Endnotes
5. The Forces of History: Explaining Patterns of Use and Abuse
Introduction
The Functions of Drugs in Historical Perspective
Pharmacology
New Forms, New Modes, New Substances: The Impact of Technological
Change on
Drug Use
New Forms, New Modes, new Substances: The Impact of Technological
Change on Drug Use
Availability
Economic and Political Factors
Legislation and Public Policy
Social Factors
A Complex Web: Multiple Influences on Patterns of Drug Use
Summary
Endnotes
6. Drugs and Culture
Introduction
Conceptual & Methodological Issues
Indigenous Patterns of Drug Use
Drugs & Multiculturalism
Summary
Endnotes
7. The Role of Culture: Explaining Patterns of Use
Introduction
Drugs and Culture
Culture and Drugs
Social Structural Factors
Integrating Cultural Explanations
Explanations
Summary
Endnotes
8. Conceptualizing & Treating Substance Use Problems: A
Cultural-Historical Perspective
Introduction
The Pre and Early History of Addiction
Treatment for Alcohol & Drug Problems in the Nineteenth Century
The Changing Face of Drug Addiction: 1914-1960
The Alcoholism Movement
Contemporary Developments
Culture & Classification
Implications
Endnotes
9. Prevention, Treatment & Public Policy
Introduction
Prevention
Assessment
Treatment
Legal Sanctions, Regulations, & Restrictions
Harm Reduction
Conclusion
Endnotes
References
Author Index
Subject Index
Russil Durrant received his Ph.D. from the University of
Canterbury, where he also ompleted a Post Doctoral Fellowship.
He then worked at the Centre for Behavioral Research in Cancer
at the Cancer Control Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.
His research involves the design and evaluation of mass media
tobacco prevention programs, and his other research interests
include evolutionary psychology, cultural psychology, and the
social history of drug use. He currently teaches at Griffith
University - Gold Coast Campus in Queensland, Australia.
Jo Thakker is a lecturer in clinical psychology at the University
of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand. She received her Ph.D. from
the University of Canterbury and has worked as a clinical
psychologist in a variety of therapeutic contexts. Along with work
in the substance abuse area, her research interests include
cultural psychology and mental health issues in relation to
migrants and refugees.
This book takes an integrative approach to the understanding of
drug use and its relationship to social-cultural factors. It is
lucidly and powerfully argued and constitutes a significant
achievement. The authors sensibly argue that in order to fully
understand and explain drug use and abuse it is necessary to take
into account different levels of analysis, reflecting distinct
domains of human functioning; the biological, psychosocial, and
cultural-historical….Overall, this book represents an exceptional
achievement and should be of interest to drug clinicians and
researcher as well as social scientists and students.
*Professor Tony Ward*
"In Substance Use and Abuse, Durrant and Thakker present a detailed
history of drug use over time to support the need for developing a
broader understand of substance use that takes into account
cultural and historical perspective. This book is a
thought-provoking and much needed addition to the vast literature
on drugs, drug use, and drug policy. The information in this book
contributes to what is known by examining substance use through
historical and cultural perspectives, providing readers with a
detailed ride through the history of drug use over time throughout
various societies and cultures. By documenting how specific forms
of substance use emerged and re-emerged, how public perceptions and
policy responses change over time, and how social attitudes about
drugs are subject to public interpretation and influenced by a
number of diverse cultural, political, and historical factors, a
strong case for examining and understanding drug use through both
historical and cultural perspectives is made."
*Rashi K. Shukla*
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