Adolescence and its importance in the growth and spread of risky behavior theorists and researchers Mvrdtvjh Humanities is located. Among the risky behaviors of substance abuse behaviors in adolescence and early adulthood is still one of the most common problems are communities.

The purpose of the present research was to study the effects of life skills training on reducing individual risk factors of drug abuse among secondary school students.

In the first phase 636 secondary students at risk were selected by cluster random sampling and answered to risk factors and protective questionnaires. The data were analyzed by correlation coefficients and multi variable regression. The results indicated the following predictive factors: attitude, self- management, social empowerment, family and school ties.

In the second phase based on the results of the first phase by pre- and post- test methods 80 secondary students were selected and divided to case and control groups at random. After performing pre-test for both groups, the case group attended 10 training section. After wards post- test was performed for both. The data analyzing using covariance (comparing post- tests regardless of the pre-test effect) indicated effectiveness af skills training on individual abuse factors. These factors showed significant difference comparing to control group after intervention.

Thus it can be concluded that training life skills in the high risk group can have positive effect on individual abuse variables and reduce the possibility of drug abuse in future among them.

The study is to clarify role of emotional intelligent in addicted and nonaddicted people.

80 addicted and 82 nonaddicted people were randomly selected and Schutte’s Self- Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSREIT) administered on them. Data were analyzed with independent T formula.

Results showed significant differences between components of emotional intelligent especially in regulation, expression and assessment of emotions between two groups.

Findings indicates that applying of plans in the field of increasing emotional intelligent can help peolple with positive attitudes to addiction in order to manage the bad problems and event and as a result reduce tendency to addiction.

Alcohol misuse is associated to cue-reactivity phenomena leading to consummation following desire and/or automatic processes.

The objective of the present study is to create a scale (the Desire and Automatism alcohol cue-Reactivity Questionnaire: DARQ-Alcohol) in order to assess desire and automatic reactivity to cue-stimuli-related to alcohol.

The present study aims to preliminary assess reliability of the DARQ-Alcohol and its external validity.

To be included in the study, participants had to drink alcohol at least once per week. Participants had to assess 60 alcohol related picture (valence, arousal and dominance) and to complete the AUDIT and the DARQ-Alcohol.

Eighty-nine participants (60 women) participated in the study. The reliability coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) calculated on DARQ-Alcohol were high both for the triggering of desire to drink (α=.88) and for the automatic proneness to drink (α=.90). Pearson's correlations were computed between (1) the three affective dimensions of the pictures, (2) the two dimensions of the ACRQ, (3) the total score on the AUDIT. Individuals who found the alcohol related pictures more pleasant, arousing and dominating have higher DARQ Alcohol automatic sub-score. DARQ Alcohol automatic sub-score is moderately related to the AUDIT score, whereas the DARQ Alcohol desire sub-score is less lightly correlated with the AUDIT score.

The DARQ Alcohol seems to be a useful scale allowing the distinction of automatic and desire-related cue-reactivity. Further studies on clinical sample are warranted to further validate the DARQ scale.

To assess patients’ satisfaction and to evaluate methadone therapy program, it is important to understand the experiences of opium dependents during the treatment period in methadone centers and determine the quality of this program and revise standards based on that.

To describe the nature and structure of patients’ experiences during treatment in methadone centers.

This was a qualitative method using phenomenology. Sampling was purposive and the participants were selected from opium dependents referred to Kerman methadone centers during 2007. Sampling continued until data saturation and the sample size was 32. Colaizzi’s method was applied for data analysis.

The findings of this study included 27 codes categorized in four main groups: experiences of structure, personnel, patients, and regulations. These four categories showed the main structure of experiences in methadone centers.

It is necessary to establish new centers or solve the problems of centers in near-by cities. The type of patients referring to the centers plays a role in treatment process. The regular presence of physicians and other personnel and their concerns and care for patients as well as longer working hours of the centers have roles in patients’ satisfaction and increase of consistency with treatment. Discussing the rules and regulations of the center with patients including the obligatory of daily reference to the center to obtain medicine and injections sound necessary. Also, it is necessary to find ways for solving problems of urine tests.

Socio behavioral consulting centers offer Methadone maintenance therapy which is a very useful method for drug dependents. These centers offer a wide range of services like education, consulting, prevention, take care of patient, and treatment for high risk groups like patients infected with AIDS. MMT is helpful in harm minimization and increases quality of drug dependent’s life, so as a result reduces infection in HIV patients.

This study intends to investigate importance of MMT on harm minimization between opioid dependents in Kerman.

The study was cross sectional and descriptive and it was done on 110 patients referred to sociobehavioral consulting centers no.1 and no.2 in Kerman city in 2005 and 2006. Data was gathered by questionnaires once on the beginning of the treatment and once 6 months after. Then data was analyzed by SPSS13 and chi square test.

MMT results in a reduction of 97.3% of common injections and 96.4% of police arresting to imprisonment and 80% in family problems and 68.2% drug abuse and negative morphine test in these centers. Also after 6 months of treatment, drug consumption expenses were lowered.

This study showed that the treatment with MMT in social behavioral consulting centers reduced dangerous behaviors and increased quality of life and controlled the transmission of Dangerous Diseases such as AIDS, Hepatitis and etc in the community.

Although gamblers and investors have been found to exhibit many common traits, no existing studies associate retail investors with an explicit addictive behavior, or account for the degree of addiction's influence on investors’ and gamblers’ risk attitude and risk perception.

The study explores whether trading in the stock market is a potentially compulsive form of behavior. Furthermore, it explores the psychological risk perception versus economic risk taking of individuals engaged in active stock market trading and those in gambling, for various degrees of addiction.

The study aims to develop the profile of an addicted retail investor across demographic and risk variables.

The South Oaks Gambling Screen (Lesieur & Blume, 1987), adapted for stock market trading, the financial part of the Risk Taking Scale and Risk Perception Scale (Weber et al., 2002) and a demographics questionnaire was completed by a sample (582 responses) of active investors, gamblers and a control group in Greece at three distinctive time periods.

Results suggest that retail trading in the stock market exhibits significant incidence of compulsive behavior (11.2%) across diverse stock market environments, probably more for females. The decision to become an active investor or gambler entails greater risk friendliness. Pathologically addicted retail investors underestimate the risk of trading in the stock market. Demographics also play a critical role in risk perception and risk underestimation.

There is an apparent addiction problem between active retail investors that should be taken into account. Psychotherapeutic interventions are discussed.

To assess psychiatric comorbidity in patients of alcohol dependence.

All the patients of alcohol dependence attending alcohol and drug de-addiction OPD and adult psychiatry OPD on specific days were screened. Those fulfilling the selection criteria were included in the study. A detailed evaluation was done for socio-demographic variables and history of drug using semi-structured proforma especially prepared for the study. Diagnosis of alcohol dependence was made according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. The patients were seen for co-morbid psychiatric illness by applying Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR I & II (SCID I & II).

Out of 37 patients 24 (64.8%) were found to have comorbid psychiatric illness. Axis I and Axis II comorbidity was found in 64.8% and 5.4% of the samples, respectively. Patients of cluster A & B personality were equally distributed in the sample. Patients with more than one comorbidity accounted for 37.8% of the sample.

Psychiatric comorbidity in alcohol dependence is very high, other substance in particular. Number of comorbid diagnoses in a person may as high as three.

So far, research on the long-term effects of chronic multiple drug abuse regarding specific neurocognitive function deficits has been only tentative. However, also regarding rehabilitation of mostly young long-time addicts, studies are urgently needed (e.g., ability to drive or operate machinery) which are directed at the typical abuse clusters (e.g., alcohol and cannabis) of subgroups in a heterogeneous cohort of drug users.

A group of 750 drug users was examined and the cognitive function deficits in various attentiveness systems compared against the retrospectively detected drug use pattern. Type, extent and stability of drug use were folowed back for 10 years.

The study subjects used drugs of different effects: While morphine was hardly associated with serious cognitive function deficits, with cannabis both the cumulative lifetime dosage and the duration of use correlated with subtle disorders of multimodal stimulus processing and control of eye movement. Cumulative use of alcohol also had a negative effect on the cognitive functions, particularly working memory and the frontal executive functions. The effect of amphetamines, methamphetamines and cocaine varied depending on which other drugs were used. Comorbidity (e.g., schizophrenia) also was important.

These neurocognitive function disorders can lead to impairment of cognitive functions which may be needed professionally. The implications of these results for diagnosis and therapy of comorbid multiple drug users are discussed by means of cases.

Recent studies have conclusively proven the effectiveness of cognitive training in the context of psychiatric rehabilitation. Examinations on young schizophrenic multiple drug users are yet to be done, although it could be shown that most of these patients are likely to relapse, abandon therapy and show untreated social adaptation disorders if existing cognitive functional deficits are not treated appropriately.

Pre-post examinations were done on 80 schizophrenic drug users (mean age 26±4 years) to assess various attentiveness functions (i.e. alertness, crossmodal integration, divided attentiveness, flexibility, working memory, go nogo, visual scanning) before and after computerised attentiveness training (CURE therapy system, Siemens (NCSys)). Patient results were compared to those of a control group matched for age, education, illness characteristics and current medication which did not undergo cognitive training. Cognitive training lasted 10 weeks.

Computerised attentiveness training led to significant (>30%) improvement in everyday attentiveness functions (tonic and phasic alertness, divided attentiveness), although some patient subgroups are different in their course of therapy.

Training specific attentiveness functions helps improve rehabilitation of young schizophrenic patients with multiple drug abuse. Subgroup effects may also be of clinical relevance.

Temperament and character factors and specific impulse control-related personality traits are connected to the developmental and clinical aspects of alcohol use disorder (AUD).

To reveal the underlying personality structure of individual differences in the symptom severity of AUD. Therefore temperament and character, impulsivity and aggression were assessed in relation to alcohol addiction severity.

Sixty-three patients with AUD were involved. Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised was used to quantify temperament and character dimensions. Impulsivity was assessed by the Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 (BIS) and aggression by the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). To determine symptom severity of AUD the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale-Revised (MAC-R) and the number of DSM-IV alcohol dependence symptoms were registered. To analyze the connections between symptom severity indicators and personality factors Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis were applied, p < 0.05 were considered significant.

SADQ (r = 0.290), AUDIT (r = 0.345), MAC-R (r = 0.504) and the DSM-IV alcohol dependence symptoms (Spearman rho = 0.271) correlated positively with novelty-seeking temperament factor. SADQ (r = 0.262) and AUDIT (r = 0.293) scores correlated positively with BIS. Furthermore SADQ (r = 0.382), AUDIT (r = 0.318), MAC-R (r = 0.416) correlated positively with BPAQ.

Novelty-seeking, impulsivity and aggression as indicators of impulse control have different theoretical backgrounds but a common root. This study has revealed that the adverse consequences of lower impulse control can lead to more severe symptoms of AUD. These connections between impulse control and the symptomatology could contribute to a better understanding of the clinical complexity of AUD.

Tramadol is one of the most prescribed centrally-acting analgesic in the world. It has been widely used in Iraq over the last few years. There are many contradicting studies about the potential risk of tramadol abuse in the world. In this piece of work we have tried to describe a group of patients referred to the main addiction unit in Baghdad with Tramadol Abuse.

41 patients referred to the addiction unit in Ibn-Rushed Mental Teaching Hospital in Baghdad with Tramadol abuse problems, were screened, and 36 were included in this Cross Sectional study.

78% were males & 22% were females. Their age were 16–57y(mean27y).90% of the sample were on Tramadol alone & 10% on polydrugs. About 92% of them were iatrogenic abusers. Most of the patients were without previous history of drug abuse. More than one fifth of the patients had at least one seizure. About one fifth of the sample were health professionals.

Tramadol is freely and widely used in Iraq. Tramadol has a clear risk of causing dependency syndrome and this has been nearly almost always iatrogenic in our study sample. Tramadol abuse seems to be a growing problem in Iraq.

The clinical observation suggests a relation between alcoholism and dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal hormone axis. Chronic alcohol abuse leads to hypogonadism and sexual dysfunction. Testosterone and the genetics of the androgen receptor [AR] are related to impulsivity as well as appetite/hunger, both associated with addiction.

This study investigated whether the length of a CAG trinucleotide repeat within the coding region of the AR is associated with alcoholism in general and whether it is linked to craving during withdrawal. Moreover, we concentrated on finding possible mediators of the observed effects.

We included 112 male inpatients who were admitted for detoxification treatment and who were compared to 50 age-matched controls. To measure the extent of craving we used the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) on the day of hospital admission. For laboratory analysis we used whole blood (genetics) and serum (protein quantification).

The group of patients (21.6 ± 3.7 repeats) did not differ significantly from the control group (21.3 ± 3.3 repeats, p = 0.632) in terms of the number of CAG repeats. We found a significant negative correlation for the AR repeat length regarding OCDS-to (R2 = 0.053, p = 0.016) and OCDS-obs (R2 = 0.058, p = 0.011). Carrying out a path analysis of the mediating effect of leptin on the association between the number of CAG repeats of the AR and alcohol craving we found that direct effects (r = −0.144) accounted for 60% and indirect leptin-mediated effects (r = −0.096) for 40% of the total effect.

Today, the impact of the sexual hormone axis seems to be underestimated in alcoholism.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for drug. Prevalence rates between 15 and 30% had been previously found in this population.

To identify the real the prevalence of ADHD in alcoholics and to find/test/ evaluate? a new type of screening (ASRS) for the initial diagnosis of ADHD in alcoholics.

312 patients from an outpatient clinic for alcoholism were recruited during 1 year. All patients completed the ASRS: Adult Self-Report Scale. DSM IV criteria were used for other psychiatric diagnoses.

1. • 312 patients (66.3% (207) men) filled out the ASRS of which 13.5% (42) were positive.

2. • Alcohol consumption: 69% for more than 1 month, 17% less than a month and 14% with active consumption.

3. • 27.6% (86) had another psychiatric diagnosis from which 69% were ASRS positive. ASRS positive patients present a major risk of having another mental disorder. OR = 8.3 (4,1 - 17,1, c2 = 0,77, p = 0,001).

4. • Other drugs: 70.5% consume other drugs. 76% of them are ASRS positive. 27.6% consumed illegal substances, 47.6% of them being ASRS positive (c2 = 9.77, p = 0,002). ASRS positive patient have more average substance abuse (including tobacco): 1.02 DT: 0.87 versus 0.72, 7 DT: 0.04 (z -2.21, p.027).

1. • ASRS detected 13.5% of ADHD diagnosis in alcoholics.

2. • Patients with positive screening present more substance abuse and more risk of psychiatric comorbidity.

The paper aims to provide the actual operation of the Methadone Centre established in Banja Luka in 2009. as part of the international Global Fund Project and titled as Coordinated National Response to HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in the war-ravaged and extremely stigmatized areas. The overall objectives of such programs is the reduction of harmful effects of opiate usage. The psychosocial treatment plan improves heroin withdrawal syndrome, implies a long-term treatment, and weakens the opiate abstention symptoms in general. Our studies have described the operation of the Methadone Centre from its opening until the present day with a reference to the structure of consumers, the number of patients undergoing certain types of treatment, the length of stay in these types of addiction treatment programs, the ways of leaving treatment programs, the number of patients involved in the psychosocial treatment programs. We have also given our estimation of the Centre's efficency with possibilities of its further development. At the beginning of the implementation phase we were facing a lot of technical problems. During the progress of the project all the advantages and disadvatanges of the Centre's operation under the roof of Clinical Centre of Banja Luka were shown. There are still certain problems we are facing on a daily basis which need to be solved, and all that is affecting the quality of treatment service and treatment outcome.

Caffeine is sometimes used to maintain alertness and performance enhancement. Caffeine can induce psychosis in healthy patients as well as exacerbate psychotic symptoms in patients with psychotic disorders. One patient, a 22 year old man in the United States of America, with a past psychiatric history significant for childhood trauma presented to the emergency department in acute distress secondary to racing thoughts, formication, persecutory auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, delusions of control, paranoia and high risk behaviors after five straight nights without sleep.

Behavioral health professionals will be able to recognize symptoms of caffeine intoxication, compare different presentations of caffeine intoxication and identify caffeine related disorders per DSMIV-TR. They will also be able to examine the complex factors, including use of caffeinated energy drinks, which contributed to the admission of this patient to an inpatient psychiatric unit for stabilization of acute psychotic symptoms.

Educate behavioral health care providers and stimulate discussion of the use of caffeine in different patient populations.

Use case-based learning to achieve objectives and aims above.

Caffeine use can result in the appearance of symptoms consistent with depression, anxiety and psychosis.

Psychiatric patients, as well as the general population, would benefit to receive education on caffeine consumption and overuse.

Alcoholism is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drinking, alcohol seeking, loss of control over alcohol consumption, and impaired social and occupational functioning. Treatment of Alcohol Dependence (AD) comprises two steps, detoxification and relapse prevention (RP). Traditionally, long half-life benzodiazepines have been the most widely used agents for alcohol detoxification. On the other hand, disulfiram, naltrexone and acamprosate are the three drugs that have been approved for relapse prevention. In the last decades, nevertheless, there is a growing interest in the use of anticonvulsant drugs in the management of both, detoxification and relapse prevention of alcohol.

To review the different pharmacological strategies in which an anticonvulsant was used in the management of AD.

We searched in MEDLINE and in the Cochrane Database System Review, selecting all studies from 1980 until present, in which a pharmacological intervention with anticonvulsant agents was made for alcohol detoxification or RP.

The most tested anticonvulsant drugs are the classical Carbamazepine and Valproate. Both have demonstrated to be efficacious in Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome and RP. However, the use of these agents has been limited by their hepatic and hematologic toxicity. Novel anticonvulsants such as Gabapentin, Pregabalin, Topiramate, Oxcarbazepine and Zonisamide have also been found to be effective, with the advantage of rapid onset of action, lower toxicity and fewer side effects.

Anticonvulsants are efficacious and safe agents in the management of AD. Further randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are warranted to increase the evidence of the use of these agents.

At least one-half of patients in substance use treatment have been diagnosed with comorbid psychiatric disorders. High prevalence of severe mental disorders co-occurring with substance use have been described. Harm reduction refers to policies, programs and practices that aim to reduce the harms associated with the use of illegal drugs in people unable or unwilling to stop.

To describe attendance and integration of patients with substance use disorders in a harm reduction program, to psychiatric treatment.

Find the importance and profitability of Harm Reduction Programs as an access door to psychiatric treatment in people with drug addiction.

Data was gathered from the first interview survey made to patients that contacted the Harm Reduction Program or attending the Outpatient Drug Clinic Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona between January 2005 until September 2010.

A total of 348 patients (males = 71%, European community origin = 92%, mean age = 28,18 years). 63,8% of patients were under medical and psychiatric treatments, 55,4% attended the Methadone Maintenance Program, 7,4% other psychiatric treatments, and other treatments without specification 30,7%. The residential status was: 38% squatters, homeless 9,7%, hostel 3,4%, home 43%, lodging 2%, others 3%.

More than fifty percent of harm reduction program patient's were in a psychiatric treatment, it is an advantage that in the outpatient drug clinic of Vall d’Hebron both programs are included: harm reduction and psychiatric assessment. Access to integral treatment is important for people with drug problems, but many people with drug problems are unable or unwilling to get treatments.

Our study aims to assess the prevalence of behavioural addictions in an adolescent populations, evaluating the effects of gender and age, and to assess the correlations and associations between different behavioural addictions.

A population of 2853 students (1142 F and 1711 M, mean age 16.7± 1.9) was assessed in order to evaluate the prevalence of behavioural dependences such as Pathological Gambling (PG), Compulsive Buying (CB), Exercise Addiction (EA), Internet Addiction (IA), and Work Addiction (WA). The South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised Adolescent, the Compulsive Buying Scale, the Exercise Addiction Inventory, the Internet Addiction Test, and the Work Addiction Risk Test, were compiled anonymously by the students.

Overall prevalence was 7.0% for PG, 11.3% for CB, 1.2% for IA, 7.6% for WA, 8.5% for EA. PG, and EA were more common among boys, while gender had no effect on the other conditions. CB was more common among younger ( < 18 years old) students. Each of these conditions showed a strong association with others, and the scores of all of these scales were correlated.

In line with previous studies our results indicate that behavioural addictions are quite common among adolescents. The strong association between behavioural addictions stresses the concept that treatment for one of these conditions should involve assessment and treatment for the others.