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Managing Substance Use Disorder (Third Edition): Practitioner Guide

Managing Substance Use Disorder comes in two volumes. This page is for the Practitioner Guide. Click on the following link to access the Workbook

Psychosocial interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help individuals overcome substance use. They are recommended by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and American Psychiatric Association (APA) for treating substance use disorders. The Managing Substance Use Disorder: Practitioner Guide (Third Edition) is written by Dennis C. Daley and Antoine B. Douaihy, and it provides therapists with the tools they need to deliver effective, evidence-based treatment for substance use. Part of the Treatments That Work® series, this manualized guide provides a detailed description of screening and assessment strategies and treatment approaches (medications and psychosocial), alongside the application of evidence-based interventions in practice. Mutual support programs and the impact on the family and concerned significant others are also discussed, as are the most common challenges faced by individuals with a substance use disorder, such as managing cravings, resisting social pressures to use substances, coping with negative emotions and moods, building a social support network, involving family or concerned significant others, and reducing relapse risk.

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Chapter 13: Dealing with Family and Interpersonal Problems

References

Front Matter

Appendix

Chapter 21: Measuring Progress

Chapter 20: Strategies for Balanced Living

Chapter 19: Relapse Management

Chapter 18: Reducing the Risk of Relapse

Chapter 17: Treatment of Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders

Chapter 16: Assessment of Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders

Chapter 15: Mutual Support Systems and Recovery Clubs

Chapter 14: Building a Recovery Support System

Chapter 1: Introductory Information for Practitioners

Chapter 12: Refusing Offers to Use Substances

Chapter 11: Managing Emotions

Chapter 10: Managing Thoughts of Using Substances

Chapter 9: Managing Cravings and Urges to Use Substances

Chapter 8: Goal Planning in Recovery

Chapter 7: Stages of Change and Using Therapy or Counseling

Chapter 6: Medications For Substance Use Disorders

Chapter 5: Psychosocial Therapies For Substance Use Disorders

Chapter 4: Treatment Setting For Substance Use Treatment

Chapter 3: Screening, Assessment, and Diagnosis

Chapter 2: Understanding Substance Use Problems

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  • English (GB)
  • English (US)

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Introduction & Theoretical Background

Substance use disorders represent a major public health issue (Calabria et al., 2010), affecting around 6% of individuals in the US (SAMHSA, 2017). Symptoms include taking substances in large amounts or for longer than is recommended (despite the difficulties this causes), alongside intense urges and cravings. This often leads to problems with health, relationships, work, or leisure activities. Substance use disorders are sometimes accompanied by tolerance (needing to use more of the substance to achieve the same effect) and/or withdrawal (experiencing unpleasant side-effects when the substance is not used). 

Managing Substance Use Disorder is a comprehensive program to assist practitioners in delivering effective, evidence-based interventions. The program includes two books:

  • Managing Substance Use Disorder: Practitioner Guide details the step-by-step treatment plan for substance use disorder.
  • Managing Your Substance Use Disorder: Workbook is the companion to this practitioner guide. It will help your patients become active participants in their treatment and learn how to address the personal and interpersonal issues related to substance use, as well as relapse prevention.

About Treatments That Work® 

Authored by leading psychologists including David Barlow, Michelle Craske and Edna Foa, Treatments That Work® is a series of manuals and workbooks based on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Each pair of books – therapist guide and workbook – contains step by step procedures for delivering evidence-based psychological interventions and will help you to provide the best possible care for your clients. 

At Psychology Tools, we are proud to make many of the Treatments That Work® titles available to our members. Each book is available to download chapter-by-chapter, and Psychology Tools members with a currently active subscription to our ‘Complete’ plan are licensed to share copies with their clients. 

How effective is this treatment? 

Significant advances have been made in treating substance use disorders over the last 30 years. This has led to the development and validation of a range of psychosocial interventions including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational enhancement interventions, mutual support and self-help, and relapse prevention. Progress has also been made in addressing the difficulties accompanying substance use, such as anxiety and depression. 

Research suggests that many psychosocial interventions can help address a range of substance use disorders (Dutra et al., 2008). For this reason, they are recommended by the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2010) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which produces guidelines for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom (NICE, 2007, 2011). NICE also recommends the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for alcohol-related problems (NICE, 2011) and when treating co-occurring difficulties such as anxiety and depression amongst drug users (NICE, 2007). 

Chapters in Managing Substance Use Disorder: Practitioner Guide:

  • Chapter 1: Introductory Information for Practitioners
  • Chapter 2: Understanding Substance Use Problems
  • Chapter 3: Screening, Assessment, and Diagnosis
  • Chapter 4: Treatment Setting For Substance Use Treatment
  • Chapter 5: Psychosocial Therapies For Substance Use Disorders
  • Chapter 6: Medications For Substance Use Disorders
  • Chapter 7: Stages of Change and Using Therapy or Counseling
  • Chapter 8: Goal Planning in Recovery
  • Chapter 9: Managing Cravings and Urges to Use Substances
  • Chapter 10: Managing Thoughts of Using Substances
  • Chapter 11: Managing Emotions
  • Chapter 12: Refusing Offers to Use Substances
  • Chapter 13: Dealing with Family and Interpersonal Problems
  • Chapter 14: Building a Recovery Support System
  • Chapter 15: Mutual Support Systems and Recovery Clubs
  • Chapter 16: Assessment of Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders
  • Chapter 17: Treatment of Co-occurring Psychiatric Disorders
  • Chapter 18: Reducing the Risk of Relapse
  • Chapter 19: Relapse Management
  • Chapter 20: Strategies for Balanced Living
  • Chapter 21: Measuring Progress
  • Appendix
  • References

About the authors 

Dennis C. Daley, PhD, is Senior Clinical Director of Substance Use Services in the Behavioural Health Integration Division at the UPMC Insurance Division. He is also a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Daley has been involved in clinical care, research, and teaching about addiction for nearly 40 years, and has conducted hundreds of presentations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Dr. Daley previously served for 14 years as Chief of Addiction Medicine Services at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) and for 11 years as the Director and Principal Investigator of the Appalachian Tri-State (ATS) Node of the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) Clinical Trials Network, housed at WPIC. He has been an investigator, consultant, and trainer on numerous local and national studies. He published the first book in the United States for counsellors and the first recovery workbooks for individuals and families for substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. He was also one of the first in the United States to publish interactive workbooks on recovery from addiction. For decades, Dr. Daley has advocated for recovery for individuals and families affected by addiction. He served on the Veteran Administration’s MIRECC Project for more than 12 years in consulting and educational capacities related to addiction and mental health services for veterans, and has been involved in several national and local organizations that address substance use issues. Dr. Daley has more than 400 publications, which include books, chapters, articles, and recovery guides. He writes regular columns for Counselor and other publications. He created more than 35 educational videos on recovery from addiction, mental health disorders, or co-occurring disorders, including the Living Sober series for addiction and the Promise of Recovery series for mental health disorders. His treatment manuals and his patient or family recovery materials are used in many programs in the United States and other countries. Several of his writings have been translated to foreign languages, and he has published material for children on understanding substance use problems. 

Antoine Douaihy, MD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He also serves as the senior academic director of Addiction Medicine Services and director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at Western Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He has a well-established career in patient care/advocacy, education, training, and research in the areas of motivational interviewing, substance use disorders, co-occurring disorders, and HIV/AIDS. He and Dr. Daley have worked together for 20 years providing clinical services, conducting clinical research, teaching and mentoring healthcare practitioners and medical trainees, and publishing. In recognition of his dedication to an academic career, Dr. Douaihy has been the recipient of multiple awards, including the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award and the Charles Watson Teaching Award, recognizing him for the qualities of a masterful clinician, academician, caretaker of his patients, educator, mentor, and contributor to the medical school community and community at large.

Therapist Guidance

Each Treatments That Work® title is published as part of a pair:

  • Clients use the Workbooks which contain elements of psychoeducation, skills development, self-assessment quizzes, homework exercises, and record forms.
  • Therapists use the Therapist Guides which contain step-by-step instructions for teaching clients skills and overcoming common difficulties.

Although written for the client, the exercises in the workbook are intended to be carried out under the supervision of a mental health professional. The authors suggest that the most effective implementation of these exercises requires an understanding of the principles underlying the different procedures, and that mental health professionals should be familiar with both the Managing Your Substance Use Disorder: Workbook, as well as this guide. 

Therapists with an active subscription to a Psychology Tools ‘Complete’ plan are licensed to use Treatments That Work® titles, and to download and share chapters with their clients.

References And Further Reading

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2010). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with substance use disorders (2nd ed.). https://psychiatryonline.org/pb/assets/raw/sitewide/practice_guidelines/guidelines/substanceuse.pdf.
  • Calabria, B., Degenhardt, L., Briegleb, C., Vos, T., Hall, W., Lynskey, M., Callaghan, B., Rana, U., & McLaren, J. (2010). Systematic review of prospective studies investigating “remission” from amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine or opioid dependence. Addictive Behaviors, 35, 741-749. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.03.019.
  • Dutra, L., Stathopoulou, G., Basden, S. L., Leyro, T. M., Powers, M. B., & Otto, M. W. (2008). A meta-analytic review of psychosocial interventions for substance use disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 179-187. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.06111851.
  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2007). Drug misuse in over 16s: Psychosocial interventions (NICE guideline CG51). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG51.
  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2011). Alcohol-use disorders: Diagnosis, assessment, and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg115.
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. SMA 17-5044, NSDUH Series H-52). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/.