substance use disorder is conceptualized as a chronic relapsing condition where relapse is usually defined as the return to problematic substance use following treatment. an issue of great importance is the identification of the predictors of relapse and the development of treatments that may help prevent relapse. one of the strongest predictors of relapse is craving. the purpose of the present...

OBJECTIVE To understand crack cocaine craving among users and describe craving behaviors and coping strategies. METHODOLOGICAL PROCEDURES Qualitative study with a non-random criterion sample consisting of 40 current and former crack cocaine users conducted in São Paulo, southeast Brazil, in 2007 and 2008. Respondents were selected using snowball sampling technique. In-depth semi-structured in...

Dopamine (phasic release) is implicated in conditioned responses. Imaging studies in cocaine abusers show decreases in striatal dopamine levels, which we hypothesize may enhance conditioned responses since tonic dopamine levels modulate phasic dopamine release. To test this we assessed the effects of increasing tonic dopamine levels (using oral methylphenidate) on brain activation induced by co...

Methamphetamine use has increased significantly and become a global health concern. Craving is known to predict methamphetamine use and relapse following abstinence. Some have suggested that cravings are automatic, generalized, and uncontrollable, but experimental work addressing these claims is lacking. In 2 exploratory studies, we tested the boundary conditions of methamphetamine craving by a...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the relationship between stressful life events and alcohol craving in the general population, and whether a history of childhood maltreatment sensitizes individuals to crave alcohol after adult stressors. METHODS Participants were 22,147 past-year drinkers from Wave 2 (2004 to 2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. A stru...

Background The theory of work craving defines workaholism as a pathological work addiction which comprises: (a) obsessive-compulsive desire to work, (b) anticipation of self-worth compensatory incentives from working, (c) anticipation of reduction of negative emotions or withdrawal symptoms from working, and (d) neurotic perfectionism. Research has shown that workaholism is associated with adve...