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Wedel AV, Park A. Solitary Cannabis Use and Related Consequences Among College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Psychoactive Drugs 2024; 56:168-176. [PMID: 36857296 PMCID: PMC10471781 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2023.2184735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Solitary cannabis use has been associated with greater cannabis problems than social use and may be increasingly prevalent due to pandemic-related isolation. However, little is known about patterns, correlates, and consequences of solitary cannabis use. This study sought to characterize solitary cannabis use since pandemic onset, examine psychosocial risk factors, and examine interactions between solitary and social cannabis use frequency on cannabis consequences. College students (N = 168) who were lifetime cannabis users at a private, northeastern university in the US completed an online cross-sectional survey in fall of 2020. Past-year solitary cannabis use was common among life-time cannabis users (42% past year, 29% monthly or more), especially among past-year regular cannabis users (85% monthly or more). Solitary use frequency was associated with interpersonal sensitivity and pandemic-related stress. Further, solitary use attenuated associations of social use frequency with cannabis consequences, such that social use frequency was associated with greater consequences only among exclusively social users. In contrast, regardless of social use frequency, solitary users reported greater cannabis consequences than exclusively social users. Findings suggest solitary cannabis use is concurrently associated with greater cannabis consequences, and affective risk factors (interpersonal sensitivity, pandemic stress) should be considered for prevention and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia V. Wedel
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States
| | - Aesoon Park
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States
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Gonçalves SF, Izquierdo AM, Bates RA, Acharya A, Matto H, Sikdar S. Negative Urgency Linked to Craving and Substance Use Among Adults on Buprenorphine or Methadone. J Behav Health Serv Res 2024; 51:114-122. [PMID: 37414999 PMCID: PMC11002981 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-023-09845-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite the effectiveness of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), adults receiving MAT experience opioid cravings and engage in non-opioid illicit substance use that increases the risk of relapse and overdose. The current study examines whether negative urgency, defined as the tendency to act impulsively in response to intense negative emotion, is a risk factor for opioid cravings and non-opioid illicit substance use. Fifty-eight adults (predominately White cis-gender females) receiving MAT (with buprenorphine or methadone) were recruited from online substance use forums and asked to complete self-report questionnaires on negative urgency (UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale), past 3-month opioid cravings (ASSIST-Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test), and non-opioid illicit substance use (e.g., amphetamines, cocaine, benzodiazepines). Results revealed that negative urgency was associated with past 3-month opioid cravings, as well as past month illicit stimulant use (not benzodiazepine use). These results may indicate that individuals high in negative urgency would benefit from receiving extra intervention during MAT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alyssa M Izquierdo
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Rebecca A Bates
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Angeela Acharya
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Holly Matto
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Siddhartha Sikdar
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
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Soto-Nevarez A, Abo M, Hudson M, Bobak T, Jason LA. Lived experiences of Oxford House residents prescribed medication-assisted treatment. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 51:2828-2844. [PMID: 36994805 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.23038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Qualitative studies have examined the recovery experiences of individuals prescribed medication-assisted treatment (MAT), including their experiences within treatment facilities. However, the literature lacks qualitative studies exploring the recovery process of individuals prescribed MAT while living in recovery housing, such as Oxford House (OH). The purpose of this study was to explore how OH residents, who are prescribed MAT, make sense of recovery. The fact that OHs are drug-free recovery housing is what makes the issue of using MATs potentially contentious in these settings. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to document the lived experiences of individuals prescribed MAT in OH. The sample included: five women and three men, prescribed either methadone or Suboxone, that were living in an OH in the United States. Participants were interviewed on four topics: their recovery process, their transition to OH, and their experience living in and outside of an OH. Analysis of results followed the recommendations for IPA from Smith, Flowers, and Larkin. Four general themes emerged from the data: Recovery Process, Managing Logistics of MAT Utilization, Personal Development, and Familial Values. In conclusion, individuals prescribed MAT did benefit from living in an OH to manage their recovery as well as stay compliant with their medication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary Abo
- Center for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mackenzie Hudson
- Center for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ted Bobak
- Center for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Leonard A Jason
- Center for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Tabibnia G, Ghahremani DG, Pochon JBF, Diaz MP, London ED. Negative affect and craving during abstinence from smoking are both linked to default mode network connectivity. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 249:109919. [PMID: 37270935 PMCID: PMC10516582 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Negative affect and craving during abstinence from cigarettes predict resumption of smoking. Therefore, understanding their neural substrates may guide development of new interventions. Negative affect and craving have traditionally been linked to functions of the brain's threat and reward networks, respectively. However, given the role of default mode network (DMN), particularly the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), in self-related thought, we examined whether DMN activity underlies both craving and negative affective states in adults who smoke. METHODS 46 adults who smoke abstained from smoking overnight and underwent resting-state fMRI, after self-reporting their psychological symptoms (negative affect) and craving on the Shiffman-Jarvik Withdrawal Scale and state anxiety (negative affect) on the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Within-DMN functional connectivity using 3 different anterior PCC seeds was tested for correlations with self-report measures. Additionally, independent component analysis with dual regression was performed to measure associations of self-report with whole-brain connectivity of the DMN component. RESULTS Craving correlated positively with connectivity of all three anterior PCC seeds with posterior PCC clusters (pcorr<0.04). The measures of negative affective states correlated positively with connectivity of the DMN component to various brain regions, including posterior PCC (pcorr=0.02) and striatum (pcorr<0.008). Craving and state anxiety were correlated with connectivity of an overlapping region of PCC (pcorr=0.003). Unlike the state measures, nicotine dependence and trait anxiety were not associated with PCC connectivity within DMN. CONCLUSIONS Although negative affect and craving are distinct subjective states, they appear to share a common neural pathway within the DMN, particularly involving the PCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Golnaz Tabibnia
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Dara G Ghahremani
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jean-Baptiste F Pochon
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maylen Perez Diaz
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Edythe D London
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Votaw VR, Tuchman FR, Piccirillo ML, Schwebel FJ, Witkiewitz K. Examining Associations Between Negative Affect and Substance Use in Treatment-Seeking Samples: A Review of Studies Using Intensive Longitudinal Methods. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2022; 9:445-472. [PMID: 37063461 PMCID: PMC10101148 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-022-00441-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Understanding dynamic relationships between negative affect and substance use disorder (SUD) outcomes, including craving, may help inform adaptive and personalized interventions. Recent studies using intensive longitudinal methods were reviewed to examine relationships between negative affect and the outcomes of either craving or substance use during and following SUD treatment. Recent Findings Results on associations between negative affect and craving/substance use were mixed and difficult to synthesize, given methodological differences across studies. The strength and direction of these relationships varied across outcomes, subgroups, contexts, and time course. Summary The current literature is mixed concerning negative affect and craving/substance use associations during and following SUD treatment. Researchers should increasingly recruit diverse individuals, for example, samples of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds and those reporting co-occurring disorders and polysubstance use. Experimental, qualitative, and person-specific methods will improve our understanding of relationships between negative affect and substance-related outcomes during SUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria R Votaw
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
- Center on Alcohol, Substance use, And Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Felicia R Tuchman
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | | | - Frank J Schwebel
- Center on Alcohol, Substance use, And Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Katie Witkiewitz
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
- Center on Alcohol, Substance use, And Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
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Mills R, Zullig KJ, Theeke LA, Lander LR, Hobbs GR, Herczyk J, Davis SM. Assessing Loneliness among Adults Receiving Outpatient Treatment with Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13481. [PMID: 36294057 PMCID: PMC9602554 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness is a significant risk factor for substance use, however, impacts of treatments on loneliness are relatively unexplored. Living in a rural location is a greater risk factor for loneliness. This study examined data from a quasi-experimental study in rural Appalachia, comparing the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) versus Treatment as Usual (TAU) among adults receiving MOUD in outpatient therapy. Our objective was to determine whether observed reductions in self-reported craving, anxiety, depression, and increased perceived mindfulness would also improve loneliness reports. Eighty participants (n = 35 MBRP; n = 45 TAU) were included in the analysis from a group-based Comprehensive Opioid Addiction Treatment program. Outcomes tracked included craving, anxiety, depression, mindfulness, and loneliness as measured by the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA). A linear mixed model ANOVA determined the significance of the treatments on changes in loneliness scores at baseline, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, and 36 weeks post-recruitment. Both groups reported significantly reduced loneliness over the course of the study (F = 16.07, p < 0.01), however there were no significant differences between groups. Loneliness was also significantly positively (p < 0.01) correlated with anxiety (0.66), depression (0.59), and craving (0.38), and significantly (p < 0.01) inversely correlated (-0.52) with mindfulness. Results suggest that participation in MOUD group-based outpatient therapy has the potential to diminish loneliness and associated poor psychological outcomes. Thus, it is possible that a more targeted intervention for loneliness would further diminish loneliness, which is important as loneliness is linked to risk for relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalina Mills
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Keith J. Zullig
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Laurie A. Theeke
- School of Nursing, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Laura R. Lander
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Gerry R. Hobbs
- Department of Statistics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Johnathan Herczyk
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Stephen M. Davis
- Department of Health Policy, Management, & Leadership, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
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Petrie DJ, Knapp KS, Freet CS, Deneke E, Brick TR, Cleveland HH, Bunce SC. Prefrontal cortical response to natural rewards and self-reported anhedonia are associated with greater craving among recently withdrawn patients in residential treatment for opioid use disorder. Brain Res Bull 2022; 190:32-41. [PMID: 36122801 PMCID: PMC10161509 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Both anhedonia and craving are common among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), and are associated with vulnerability to relapse. Although these constructs are theoretically linked relatively few studies have examined them together. In the current study, recently withdrawn patients (N = 71) in residential treatment for prescription OUD underwent a cue reactivity paradigm while being monitored with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Patients also self-reported symptoms of anhedonia via the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), while smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments (EMA) were used to measure craving levels. On average, lower right prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in response to positive social stimuli was associated with higher craving (β = - 2.87; S.E. = 1.23; p = 0.02). Self-reported anhedonia moderated the association between PFC activity and craving (β = - 1.02; S.E. = 0.48; p = 0.04), such that patients with two or more anhedonic symptoms had a significant and stronger negative association between PFC activation to hedonically positive images and craving, compared to patients with fewer than two anhedonic symptoms, among whom the association was not significant. This finding provides evidence that higher levels of anhedonia among patients in residential treatment for OUD are associated with a stronger link between lower PFC response to positive social experiences and higher levels of craving, potentially increasing overall vulnerability to relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Petrie
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Kyler S Knapp
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States; Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Christopher S Freet
- Department of Psychiatry, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Erin Deneke
- Caron Treatment Centers, Wernersville, PA, United States
| | - Timothy R Brick
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States; Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - H Harrington Cleveland
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Scott C Bunce
- Department of Psychiatry, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States.
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Finan PH, Letzen J, Epstein DH, Mun CJ, Stull S, Kowalczyk WJ, Agage D, Phillips KA, Pizzagalli DA, Preston KL. Reward Responsiveness in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder on Opioid Agonist Treatment: Role of Comorbid Chronic Pain. PAIN MEDICINE 2021; 22:2019-2027. [PMID: 33624802 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnab031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Evidence suggests that blunted reward responsiveness may account for poor clinical outcomes in both opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain. Understanding how individuals with OUD and comorbid chronic pain (OUD+CP) respond to rewards is, therefore, of clinical interest because it may reveal a potential point of behavioral intervention. METHODS Patients with OUD (n = 28) and OUD+CP (n = 19) on opioid agonist treatment were compared on: 1) the Probabilistic Reward Task (an objective behavioral measure of reward response bias) and 2) ecological momentary assessment of affective responses to pleasurable events. RESULTS Both the OUD and the OUD+CP groups evidenced an increase in reward response bias in the Probabilistic Reward Task. The rate of change in response bias across blocks was statistically significant in the OUD group (B = 0.06, standard error [SE] = 0.02, t = 3.92, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03 to 0.09) but not in the OUD+CP group (B = 0.03, SE = 0.02, t = 1.90, P = 0.07, 95% CI: -0.002 to 0.07). However, groups did not significantly differ in the rate of change in response bias across blocks (B = 0.03, SE = 0.02, t = 1.21, P = 0.23, 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.07). Groups did not significantly differ on state measures of reward responsiveness (P's ≥0.50). CONCLUSIONS Overall, findings across objective and subjective measures were mixed, necessitating follow-up with a larger sample. The results suggest that although there is a reward response bias in patients with OUD+CP treated with opioid agonist treatment relative to patients with OUD without CP, it is modest and does not appear to translate into patients' responses to rewarding events as they unfold in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick H Finan
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Janelle Letzen
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - David H Epstein
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Chung Jung Mun
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Samuel Stull
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - William J Kowalczyk
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniel Agage
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Karran A Phillips
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Kenzie L Preston
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland
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Apsley HB, Cross-Ramirez M, Miller SE. Within-person methodology to study the addiction recovery process of women. J Addict Dis 2021; 40:291-295. [PMID: 34445945 DOI: 10.1080/10550887.2021.1971023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Women are among the fastest growing populations of those with substance use disorders in the United States. Women face different social barriers than men in their access to treatment and recovery from these disorders. Differentially experienced barriers include greater child caregiving responsibilities, social sigma regarding motherhood and substance use, romantic partners who also use substances, experiences of violence and trauma, and, relatedly, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. These barriers have been studied primarily by employing between-group approaches (e.g. comparing men and women) or between-persons approaches (e.g. cross-sectionally assessing the relationship between person-level PTSD symptoms and relapse). However, there are limited studies on women's gender-specific experiences in recovery with the aim of elucidating within-person effects. Employing within-person designs, such as daily diary or ecological momentary assessments, has many advantages. These advantages include reducing retrospective bias, assessing temporality of processes that occur on a short time scale, and analyzing processes that may occur when individuals deviate from their personally normative experiences. Studying women's experiences in recovery "as they are lived" will enable the development of interventions that are fine-tuned to the specific needs of each woman, and ultimately may help to reduce the suffering of women with substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah B Apsley
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Marci Cross-Ramirez
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sara E Miller
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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