Gaming Disorder: A Contemporary Ampliative Account

Diagnosing gaming disorder requires that mental health practitioners weigh in patient's values in an appropriate symmetry with an evidence-based approach to deal with patient's issues. Nevertheless, to date, the science of gaming disorder tends to overemphasize psychopharmacological and therapeutic intervention, while the importance of values is ignored to the periphery. We argue in this paper, for gaming disorder formalization to be rigid, the science of gaming disorder needs further research and its scientific basis be established with an improved data of the players at the local level

Internet Gaming Disorder and the DSM-5: Conceptualization, Debates, and Controversies

Scientific interest in behavioral addictions (such as Internet gaming disorder [IGD]) has risen considerably over the last two decades. Moreover, the inclusion of IGD in Section 3 of DSM-5 will most likely stimulate such research even more. Although the inclusion of IGD appears to have been well received by most of the researchers and clinicians in the field, there are several controversies and concerns surrounding its inclusion. The present paper aims to discuss the most important of these issues: (i) the possible effects of accepting IGD as an addiction; (ii) the most important critiques regarding certain IGD criteria (i.e., preoccupation, tolerance, withdrawal, deception, and escape); and (iii) the controversies surrounding the name and content of IGD. In addition to these controversies, the paper also provides a brief overview of the recent findings in the assessment and prevalence of IGD, the etiology of the disorder, and the most important treatment methods

Peer Support for Addiction in the Inpatient Setting

Background: In 2006 the Institute of Medicine reported that combined mental illness and substance use disorder was the second leading cause of disability and death in women and the highest cause in men. More recent data obtained from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Ahrnsbratz et al 2016) indicates in 2016 only one in ten of the people who need treatment, receive it. At Cambridge Health Alliance’s Everett Hospital, the site of this pilot project, opioid overdose and acute alcohol intoxication comprise one in every ten visits in the Emergency Department. In January of 2018, CHA partnered with North Suffolk Mental Health to embed two Recovery Coaches in the Emergency Room and Inpatient setting to support and engagement and navigation into treatment for patients presenting to the hospital with addiction. Aims: The aim of this study is to describe Year One of the Recovery Coach pilot project, with recommendations for improvement to inform further program growth. Method: The population of patients who worked with a Recovery Coach in Year One is described in terms of demographic information, insurance status and ACO attribution. Semi-structured interviews of patients, Recovery coaches, staff, providers, and administrators were conducted to extract qualitative themes among the stakeholders. Results: The average patient is described as a 44-year-old, white, low-income, English-speaking male living in a surrounding community with Alcohol use Disorder. Themes emerging from interviews indicate positive support for the program from all stakeholder perspectives. Strong themes of value in patient engagement, Recovery Coach empowerment, and influence on staff and provider work satisfaction emerge, as well as several areas of opportunity for program improvement. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide valuable stakeholder input that will improve the program and inform its expansion. The findings should not be generalized to other programs, as the CHA inpatient-based Recovery Coach model is different than other programs described in the literature. However, this study may be of interest to another hospital planning to develop an inpatient-based model

The problems of offenders with mental disorders: A plurality of perspectives within a single mental health care organisation

Managers, doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, unqualified staff and service users were interviewed for a qualitative study of risk management and rehabilitation in an inner city medium secure forensic mental health care unit. Different professional orientations to service user problems were identified. Doctors focused primarily on the diagnosis of mental disorder, which they managed mainly through pharmaceutical interventions. Psychologists were principally concerned with personal factors, for example service user insight into their biographical history. Occupational therapists concentrated mainly on daily living skills, and social workers on post-discharge living arrangements. Some front line nurses, held accountable for security lapses, adopted a criminogenic approach. Service users were more likely than professionals to understand their needs in terms of their wider life circumstances. These differences are explored qualitatively in relation to four models of crossdisciplinary relationships: monoprofessional self-organisation combined with restricted communication; hermeneutic reaching out to other perspectives; the establishment of interdisciplinary sub-systems; and transdisciplinary merger. Relationships between professions working in this unit, as portrayed in qualitative interviews, corresponded mainly to the first model of monoprofessional self-organisation. Reasons for restricted crossdisciplinary understanding, particularly the wide power/status differences between the medical and other professions, and between staff and patients, are discussed

The problems of offenders with mental disorders: A plurality of perspectives within a single mental health care organisation

Managers, doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, unqualified staff and service users were interviewed for a qualitative study of risk management and rehabilitation in an inner city medium secure forensic mental health care unit. Different professional orientations to service user problems were identified. Doctors focused primarily on the diagnosis of mental disorder, which they managed mainly through pharmaceutical interventions. Psychologists were principally concerned with personal factors, for example service user insight into their biographical history. Occupational therapists concentrated mainly on daily living skills, and social workers on post-discharge living arrangements. Some front line nurses, held accountable for security lapses, adopted a criminogenic approach. Service users were more likely than professionals to understand their needs in terms of their wider life circumstances. These differences are explored qualitatively in relation to four models of crossdisciplinary relationships: monoprofessional self-organisation combined with restricted communication; hermeneutic reaching out to other perspectives; the establishment of interdisciplinary sub-systems; and transdisciplinary merger. Relationships between professions working in this unit, as portrayed in qualitative interviews, corresponded mainly to the first model of monoprofessional self-organisation. Reasons for restricted crossdisciplinary understanding, particularly the wide power/status differences between the medical and other professions, and between staff and patients, are discussed

Risk behaviours in transition to adulthood for people with autism spectrum disorder

This article explores risk behaviour in adults with a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA) during the transition to adulthood, drawing on interviews with twelve individuals and on two focus groups comprising members of other families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The authors examine the subtle interplay between engagement in a variety of risk behaviours and the health and wellbeing of particular individuals with ASD. Feelings of anger, hopelessness and self-harming were common responses to bullying and pervasive difficulties with social interaction. There appears to be no clear causal relationship between risk behaviours and transition, which is characterised by protracted and complex period of identity formation. The current orthodoxy of service provision emphasises the importance of integration with the local community, irrespective of the challenges this may present to people with ASD. There is scope for further elaboration of the concept of ‘emerging adulthood’ in relation to people with disabilities in general and people with ASD in particular

Lifting the Burden of Addiction: Philanthropic Opportunities to Address Substance Use Disorders in the United States

Substance use disorders (SUDs), also known as substance abuse or addiction, affect an estimated 20 million or more adolescents and adults in the U.S. This guidance provides philanthropic funders with the tools & information to reduce immediate harm from substance use disorders and reduce the burden of the disorder over the long term. This includes reducing the damage the disorder causes to people with SUDs and their loved ones, reducing the overall incidence of SUDs, and reducing SUD-related costs to society. We present four strategies for philanthropic funders who want to help:- Save lives and reduce SUD-related illness and homelessness- Improve access to evidence-based treatment- Improve SUD care by changing systems and policies- Fund innovation to improve prevention and treatmen