Alcohol dependence is thought of as a disorder with an overwhelming impulsive and compulsive “drive” towards alcohol consumption (Kamarajan et al. 2005), and an inability to “hit the brakes”, or inhibit alcohol consumption despite negative biological, psychological, legal, and social consequences (American Psychiatric Association 1994). Functional neuroimaging studies […]
A core aspect of alcohol dependence is poor regulation of behavior and emotion. Alcohol dependent individuals show an inability to manage the appropriate experience and expression of emotion (e.g., extremes in emotional responsiveness to social situations, negative affect, mood swings) (1,2). Dysfunctional emotion regulation has been considered a […]
Emotional dysregulation and altered reward sensitivity may underpin impulsive behavior and poor decision-making. Both of these tendencies can be seen in the “real-world” behavior of addicted individuals, but can also be studied using laboratory-based paradigms. Addiction is associated with a loss of control over drug use which continues in […]
Most alcoholics have difficulties with emotional and stress regulation.
As we have already suggested we feel that two main modifications need to be considered in relation to existing ‘conditioning’ theories of addiction : – 1. In neurobiological accounts of addiction there is no such thing as a positive or a negative reinforcement model of addiction or, in […]
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