Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and future alcohol outcomes: Examining the roles of coping and enhancement drinking motives among young men.

Although there is evidence that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms are positively related to alcohol use and related problems among young adults, little research has examined the mechanisms that might explain this association. In response, this study examined the mediating effects of coping and enhancement drinking motives on the prospective associations between ADHD symptoms and alcohol outcomes. Participants (N = 4,536) were young men from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors. Measures of ADHD symptoms and those of drinking motives, heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol use disorder symptoms were used from the baseline and 15-month follow-up assessments. Findings indicated that the associations of ADHD-inattention symptoms with alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and with HED were partially and completely mediated through drinking motives, respectively, whereas drinking motives did not mediate the ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity-symptoms-alcohol outcomes associations. Results indicated that coping and enhancement motives partially explained the ADHD-inattention symptoms-subsequent alcohol outcomes association. These findings suggest that interventions targeting enhancement and coping motives may help prevent problematic drinking among young men with elevated ADHD-inattention symptoms

Latent profiles of family background, personality and mental health factors and their association with behavioural addictions and substance use disorders in young Swiss men.

Recent theories suggest that behavioural addictions and substance use disorders may be the result of the same underlying vulnerability. The present study investigates profiles of family background, personality and mental health factors and their associations with seven behavioural addictions (to the internet, gaming, smartphones, internet sex, gambling, exercise and work) and three substance use disorder scales (for alcohol, cannabis and tobacco). The sample consisted of 5287 young Swiss men (mean age = 25.42) from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF). A latent profile analysis was performed on family background, personality and mental health factors. The derived profiles were compared with regards to means and prevalence rates of the behavioural addiction and substance use disorder scales. Seven latent profiles were identified, ranging from profiles with a positive family background, favourable personality patterns and low values on mental health scales to profiles with a negative family background, unfavourable personality pattern and high values on mental health scales. Addiction scale means, corresponding prevalence rates and the number of concurrent addictions were highest in profiles with high values on mental health scales and a personality pattern dominated by neuroticism. Overall, behavioural addictions and substance use disorders showed similar patterns across latent profiles. Patterns of family background, personality and mental health factors were associated with different levels of vulnerability to addictions. Behavioural addictions and substance use disorders may thus be the result of the same underlying vulnerabilities

Comparing Mental Health across Distinct Groups of Users of Psychedelics, MDMA, Psychostimulants, and Cannabis.

Differences in mental health (MH) of users of distinct psychoactive substances have been shown. Both substance use (SU) and MH in users are influenced by stressful life events. This study compared MH parameters in distinct groups of substance users and evaluated the impact of stress factors on these outcomes. Data stem from the longitudinal Swiss Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF) involving 4,475 young adult men. Distinct groups were created for the past 12 months' use of psychedelics, MDMA, psychostimulants, and cannabis. MH measurements (depressive symptoms, overall MH, perceived stress, life satisfaction) were used as outcome variables, while indicators of past family functioning and stressful life events served as covariates. The MH of psychedelics users was not significantly different from the no-drug-use group, whereas poorer MH was found in the other SU groups. Observed effects were influenced by the tested stress factors. The absence of association between use of psychedelics and worsening of MH deserves further investigation in male and female samples. Stressful life experiences must be considered when assessing the MH of users of illicit substances. These findings suggest that some men practice SU as self-medication to cope with life adversity

Family-Related Stress versus External Stressors: Differential Impacts on Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use in Young Men.

Intense stress increases substance use (SU). However, little is known about the extent to which distinctive forms of stress should be weighted with regard to their effects on SU. This study aimed to determine whether family-related stress factors (FSF) influenced SU in a different way than external stress factors (ESF). Data was drawn from a Swiss cohort study on SU risk factors (C-SURF), involving 5,308 young adult men. Twelve month use of alcohol and of illicit substances was assessed. FSF and ESF for the time period preceding SU were measured. FSF and ESF were both significantly associated with SU. FSF had a greater impact on the use of most substances than did ESF. The FSF with the strongest association with SU was lack of parental monitoring. Regarding ESF, the cumulative number of stressful external events had a higher impact on SU than previous physical or sexual assault by a stranger. In contrast, physical or sexual assault by a family member was not found to be associated with subsequent SU. These findings have important implications for SU prevention programmes focusing on male teenagers, as it is difficult to screen and intervene in subtle forms of maltreatment in families

Non-medical use of prescription drugs by young men: impact of potentially traumatic events and of social-environmental stressors.

<b>Background</b> : Non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) is an increasing phenomenon associated with physical and psychological consequences. This study investigated the effects of distinct forms of stress on NMUPD. <b>Methods</b> : Data from 5308 young adult men from the Swiss cohort study on substance use risk factors (C-SURF) were analysed regarding NMUPD of sleeping pills, tranquilizers, opioid analgesics, psychostimulants, and antidepressants. Various forms of stress (discrete, potentially traumatic events, recent and long-lasting social-environmental stressors) during the period preceding the NMUPD assessment were measured. Backward log-binomial regression was performed and risk ratios (RR) were calculated. <b>Results</b> : NMUPD was significantly associated with the cumulative number of potentially traumatic events (e.g. for opioid analgesics, RR = 1.92, <i>p</i>  < .001), with problems within the family (e.g. for sleeping pills, RR = 2.45, <i>p</i>  < .001), and the peer group (e.g. for tranquilizer use, RR = 2.34, <i>p</i>  < .01). Factors describing family functioning in childhood showed very few significant associations. Sexual assault by acquaintances was associated only with use of sleeping pills (RR = 2.91, <i>p</i>  p <.01); physical assault by acquaintances was not associated with NMUPD. Physical (e.g. for psychostimulants, RR = 2.01, <i>p</i>  < .001) or sexual assaults (e.g. for antidepressants, RR = 4.64, <i>p</i>  < .001) perpetrated outside the family context did show associations with several drug categories. <b>Conclusion</b> : NMUPD appears to be more consistently associated with discrete and potentially traumatic events and with recent social-environmental stressors than with long-lasting stressors due to family functioning during childhood and youth. Physical and sexual assaults perpetrated by strangers showed more associations with NMUPD than those perpetrated by a family member

Snus and Snuff Use in Switzerland Among Young Men: Are There Beneficial Effects on Smoking?

There are few recent longitudinal studies on smokeless tobacco (SLT) products and smoking outside the United States or European Nordic countries. The present longitudinal study tests whether Swedish-type snus and nasal snuff use decreases smoking incidence and prevalence in a central European country. The sample consisted of 5198 Swiss men (around 20 years of age). Retention rate was 91.5% over 15 months. Regression models, adjusting for a variety of psychosocial, smoking-related, and other risk factors, assessed whether no, low (less than weekly), and high (weekly or more) use baseline groups showed changes or maintenance in snus and snuff use related to smoking initiation, cessation, and reduction. Among baseline nonsmokers, snus initiators (OR = 1.90, p = .003) and low baseline maintainers (OR = 4.51, p < .001) were more likely to start smoking (reference: persistent nonusers of snus). Among baseline smokers, initiators (OR = 2.79, p < .001) and low baseline maintainers (OR = 2.71, p = .005) more often continued smoking, whereas snus quitters less frequently continued smoking (OR = 0.57, p = .009). High baseline maintainers were non-significantly less likely to continue smoking (OR = 0.71, p = .315). Among continuing smokers, only snus quitters significantly reduced the number of cigarettes smoked per day (b = -1.61, p = .002) compared with persistent nonusers of snus. Results were similar for snuff. SLT use did not have any significant beneficial effects on young men in Switzerland but significantly increased the likelihood of smoking initiation and continuation, independent of whether the substance is legally sold (snuff) or not (snus). This does not exclude that there may be beneficial effects at older ages. Our research provides evidence that SLT use has no benefits for cigarette smoking initiation, cessation, or reduction among young men in a central European country, where SLT is not highly promoted or receives tax incentives. This is true for both legally sold nasal snuff and Swedish-type snus that cannot be legally sold. Results indicate that without incentives for using it, among young people shifts from smoking to SLT use are questionable and confirms the need for country-specific studies before the global public health community engages in promoting SLT

Cigarette and Cannabis Use in Young Swiss Men: Examination of the Bidirectional, Longitudinal Associations Between Frequency of Use and Descriptive Norms.

Although several studies have investigated longitudinal associations between social norms and alcohol use behaviors, less is known about associations between social norms and use of other substances, such as cigarettes and cannabis. The present study aimed to examine the temporal ordering of descriptive norms and cigarette and cannabis use over time. A sample of 5,158 young Swiss men from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF) completed baseline and 15-month follow-up questionnaires assessing frequency of use and descriptive norms of cigarette and cannabis use. Bidirectional, longitudinal associations between descriptive norms and cigarette and cannabis use were examined using cross-lagged panel models. Descriptive norms for cigarette use at baseline predicted increased frequency of use at follow-up, whereas the opposite association, from frequency of cigarette use at baseline to descriptive norms at follow-up, was not significant. For cannabis, associations between descriptive norms and frequency of use were reciprocal. Descriptive norms at baseline predicted an increased frequency of cannabis use at follow-up, and frequency of cannabis use at baseline predicted a later increase in descriptive norms. For cigarette use, findings suggest that descriptive norms shape later cigarette use behaviors. For cannabis use, findings suggest that descriptive norms shape cannabis use, but cannabis use also shapes later descriptive norms

Trauma et mémoire - quand la douleur infiltre le corps et l'âme: un regard sur les toxicodépendances graves

This article describes the long-lasting psychological after-effects of a traumatic experience. There is growing lmowledge of the biomedical underpinnings of these phenomena: the underlying mechanisms belong to an implicit learning process whereby the victim remains under the influence of painful past experiences. One of these mechanisms concerns the development of a traumatic bonding which Iioticeably impedes the establishment of interpersona! relationships. The other mechanism, called "contextualisation deficit", is the difficulty of adjusting a person's emotional and behavioural reactivity to the context of present day !ife. This capacity of a traumatic experience to become incrusted long-termina human being's mind, and to haunt the victim with various forms of psychological and physical suffering, can be compared with the presence of a tumour or an abscess in somatic medicine. Th us, severe drug addiction can be conceptualised as a disorder in which the patient tries - in most cases ineffectively - to soothe the pain of today's world in cmmection with the trauma of the past. In conclusion, this article urges the development of psychiatrie care programmes which operate at the centre of the suffering encountered by the se patients, as a complement to the already well-established offers such as harm reduction, substitution therapy and social support

Risk perception and emotional coping: a pathway for behavioural addiction?

This article summarizes current concepts of the working memory with regard to its role within emotional coping strategies. In particular, it focuses on the fact that the limited capacity of the working memory to process now-relevant information can be turned into an advantage, when the individual is occupied by dealing with unpleasant emotion. Based on a phenomenon known as dual-task interference (DTI), this emotion can be chased by intense arousal due to clearly identifiable external stressors. Thus, risk perception might be used as a 'DTI inductor' that allows avoidance of unpleasant emotion. Successful mastery of risk adds a highly relevant dopaminergic component to the overall experience. The resulting mechanism of implicit learning may contribute to the development of a behavioural addiction. Besides its putative effects in the development of a behavioural addiction, the use of DTI might be of a more general interest for the clinical practice, especially in the field of psychotherapy. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel