In this article, we argue that fear experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic are organized on the psychological level around four interrelated dialectical domains, namely (1) fear of the body/fear ...for the body, (2) fear of significant others/fear for significant others, (3) fear of not knowing/fear of knowing, and (4) fear of taking action/fear of inaction. These domains represent the bodily, interpersonal, cognitive, and behavioural features of fear, respectively. We propose ways of addressing these fears and minimising their impact by improving appraisal of the body, fostering attachment security, improving emotion regulation, adopting acceptance and promoting responsibility.
Stay-at-home mandates and quarantines related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have led to greatly increased participation in online gaming. Initiatives such as #PlayApartTogether that promote ...gaming for socializing and stress reduction may achieve positive outcomes. Although gaming can be a healthy coping strategy for the majority, it can also pose risks to some vulnerable individuals. Protracted periods of social isolation and technology-based activity pose the danger of solidifying unhealthy lifestyle patterns, leading to difficulties to readaptation when the COVID-19 crisis has passed. Balanced and effective approaches to gaming during the COVID-19 pandemic are needed to support physical and psychological wellbeing.
Sharpen the focus on chemsex von Hammerstein, Cora; Billieux, Joël
Addictive behaviors,
02/2024, Letnik:
149
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Chemsex is the intentional use of substances in sexualized settings among men who have sex with men. An increasing public health issue, chemsex has estimated prevalence rates of 3% to 29% in men who ...have sex with men. Known risks of chemsex include higher exposure to HIV and other STIs, addiction, and cardiovascular problems. Recent research has also shown that chemsexers are prone to depression, anxiety, psychotic experiences, and cognitive impairment. Our commentary highlights the discrepancy between the public health burden associated with risky chemsex practices and the research gap in this domain. We warn against the simplistic application to chemsex of existing theoretical concepts or therapeutic strategies that work for addictions and at-risk sexual behaviours. Such an approach neglects the unique features of this emerging phenomenon, which mainly affects stigmatized minorities.
Behavioral addiction research has been particularly flourishing over the last two decades. However, Recent publications have suggested that nearly all daily life activities might lead to a genuine ...addiction. Methods and aim: In this article, we discuss how the use of atheoretical and confirmatory research approaches may result in the identification of an unlimited list of “new” behavioral addictions. Results: Both methodological and theoretical shortcomings of these studies were discussed. Conclusions: We suggested that studies overpathologizing daily life activities are likely to prompt a dismissive appraisal of behavioral addiction research. Consequently, we proposed several roadmaps for future research in the field, centrally highlighting the need for longer tenable behavioral addiction research that shifts from a mere criteria-based approach toward an approach focusing on the psychological processes involved.
Over the last decade, research into "addictive technological behaviors" has substantially increased. Research has also demonstrated strong associations between addictive use of technology and ...comorbid psychiatric disorders. In the present study, 23,533 adults (mean age 35.8 years, ranging from 16 to 88 years) participated in an online cross-sectional survey examining whether demographic variables, symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and depression could explain variance in addictive use (i.e., compulsive and excessive use associated with negative outcomes) of two types of modern online technologies: social media and video games. Correlations between symptoms of addictive technology use and mental disorder symptoms were all positive and significant, including the weak interrelationship between the two addictive technological behaviors. Age appeared to be inversely related to the addictive use of these technologies. Being male was significantly associated with addictive use of video games, whereas being female was significantly associated with addictive use of social media. Being single was positively related to both addictive social networking and video gaming. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that demographic factors explained between 11 and 12% of the variance in addictive technology use. The mental health variables explained between 7 and 15% of the variance. The study significantly adds to our understanding of mental health symptoms and their role in addictive use of modern technology, and suggests that the concept of Internet use disorder (i.e., "Internet addiction") as a unified construct is not warranted.
Smartphones are becoming a daily necessity for most undergraduates in Mainland China. Because the present scenario of problematic smartphone use (PSU) is largely unexplored, in the current study we ...aimed to estimate the prevalence of PSU and to screen suitable predictors for PSU among Chinese undergraduates in the framework of the stress-coping theory.
A sample of 1062 undergraduate smartphone users was recruited by means of the stratified cluster random sampling strategy between April and May 2015. The Problematic Cellular Phone Use Questionnaire was used to identify PSU. We evaluated five candidate risk factors for PSU by using logistic regression analysis while controlling for demographic characteristics and specific features of smartphone use.
The prevalence of PSU among Chinese undergraduates was estimated to be 21.3%. The risk factors for PSU were majoring in the humanities, high monthly income from the family (≥1500 RMB), serious emotional symptoms, high perceived stress, and perfectionism-related factors (high doubts about actions, high parental expectations).
PSU among undergraduates appears to be ubiquitous and thus constitutes a public health issue in Mainland China. Although further longitudinal studies are required to test whether PSU is a transient phenomenon or a chronic and progressive condition, our study successfully identified socio-demographic and psychological risk factors for PSU. These results, obtained from a random and thus representative sample of undergraduates, opens up new avenues in terms of prevention and regulation policies.
•This systematic review examines studies on CBD’s impact on substance use disorders.•Forty studies were included, 24 preclinical and 16 clinical studies.•Available evidence remains limited and mainly ...obtained through preclinical studies.•CBD might have therapeutic potential for the treatment of substance use disorder.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid found in the Cannabis plant. CBD has received significant medical attention in relation to its anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and antipsychotic characteristics. An increasing number of studies focusing on the anti-addictive properties of CBD have recently been published. In this systematic review, we aim to offer a comprehensive overview of animal and human studies regarding the impact of CBD on substance use disorders (SUDs).
A systematic search was performed on the PubMed database in February 2021. We included all articles assessing the effects of CBD on substance use disorders.
The current systematic review suggests that CBD might offer promising therapeutic potential for the treatment of SUD, based on available animal and human studies. Animal studies showed a positive impact of CBD in the context of alcohol, opioids, and methamphetamine use (e.g., diminishing of drug-seeking behaviors). The results for cocaine use were mixed among reviewed studies, and CBD was not found to have an effect in animal studies on cannabis use. No animal study was identified that focused on the impact of CBD on nicotine use. Human studies showed a positive impact of CBD in the context of nicotine, cannabis, and opioid use (e.g., frequency and quantity of consumption). In contrast, CBD was not found to have an effect in human studies on cocaine or alcohol use. No human study was identified that investigated the impact of CBD on methamphetamine use.
CBD might offer promising therapeutic potential for the treatment of SUD, especially for nicotine, cannabis, and opioid use disorders, based on available human studies. The available research evidence is, however, sparse and more research on humans is needed.
Cyberchondria in the time of the COVID‐19 pandemic Starcevic, Vladan; Schimmenti, Adriano; Billieux, Joël ...
Human behavior and emerging technologies,
January 2021, Letnik:
3, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
Cyberchondria is an excessive or repeated online health information seeking that is associated with increasing levels of health anxiety or distress. This article presents a model of cyberchondria ...during public health crises such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. The factors that contribute to cyberchondria at this time include (a) a heightened perception of threat and fear of a newly identified and poorly understood disease; (b) difficulty in coping with uncertainty associated with the pandemic; (c) lack of authoritative and trustworthy sources of relevant health information; (d) difficulty in coping with abundance of information that is often confusing, conflicting, unverified and constantly updated, along with a decreased ability to filter out unnecessary information; and (e) inability of excessive online health information seeking to provide the necessary information and deliver reassurance. These factors amplify fear and distress, which increases the perception of threat and uncertainty and perpetuates further online health searches. Cyberchondria has significant public health implications because of the associated distress or functional impairment and effects on health behaviors. Cyberchondria should be addressed by targeting a heightened perception of threat, improving management of uncertainty and online health information and promoting an ability to critically appraise the results of online health searches. This should contribute to a better online health information literacy. The model of cyberchondria during the COVID‐19 pandemic explains the hypothesized rise in cyberchondria during public health emergencies and helps to formulate a framework for prevention of cyberchondria and its effective management.
The process‐based approach assumes that transdiagnostic psychological processes are involved in the onset and maintenance of mental disorders. Case conceptualization is used to identify such ...psychological processes and to individualize the intervention accordingly. This approach is fundamentally different from syndrome‐based approaches in which standardized treatments are administered for psychiatric diagnoses or symptoms. In the current case, we proposed a process‐based conceptualization and treatment for a woman with concomitant problematic substance use and emotional symptoms. Our idiosyncratic process‐based conceptualization showed that for this person, substance abuse consisted in a maladaptive coping strategy to deal with repetitive negative thinking and poor emotion regulation skills, for which we decided to use a mindfulness‐based intervention. Treatment comprised 8 weeks of individually delivered mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy sessions. A comprehensive assessment of psychiatric symptoms and psychological processes was conducted at baseline, post‐intervention and 3‐month follow‐up. The post‐treatment assessment revealed that psychological processes targeted by the intervention were improved, together with the mindfulness trait. At the symptom‐based level, we observed a significant reduction in substance abuse and emotional symptoms. Treatment gains were maintained at follow‐up. From a process‐based perspective, this result implies that the intervention successfully targeted the psychological processes underlying the presenting symptoms. Adopting a process‐based approach rather than symptom‐ or syndrome‐based approaches is a valuable alternative in the conceptualization and treatment of complex cases presenting with multiple comorbidities.
PDF
