Pitt’s Mini Med focuses on addictions to drugs

Some students head straight for the local bar after finishing a major exam. The words “I’m… Some students head straight for the local bar after finishing a major exam. The words “I’m getting wasted tonight,” are an experience that some college students would not deny themselves. But could this ritual lead to a possible addiction problem?

It is a definite possibility, according to Dennis C. Daley, associate professor of psychiatry at Pitt’s School of Medicine.

People who are addicted to a substance usually have a condition response – an automatic reaction – and they tend to use the substance as a coping mechanism or a means of relief from a stressful situation.

Daley, one of the two speakers at this year’s Pitt Mini Med School lecture, titled Understanding Addiction, presented several studies on alcohol addiction. His research shows that substance abuse becomes, not only a problem for the addicts and their families, but also a problem for society.

According to the World Health Organization, seven out of 10 causes of disability in the world are related directly to substance abuse or mental disorders.

An estimated total cost of alcohol and drug abuse in the United States for 1992 was $245.7 billion, according to a study by The Lewin Group for the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

So what is the best way to cut down economic costs in this area?

“Get the person treated,” said Daley, who pointed out treatment methods including expressing concern for the addict, confronting the problem, seeking professional help and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Many people also suffer from nicotine addiction.

According to Kenneth A. Perkins, a psychiatry professor in Pitt’s School of Medicine, nicotine has been shown to have the highest risk of dependence among users. The more often a person smokes, the more likely a person is to become addicted. Perkins, who spoke Tuesday night, found that cutting down on cigarettes does not eliminate health risks that are caused by smoking, such as lung disease.

Perkins showed in his findings that, although becoming addicted to nicotine takes time, more young people are addicts. People who start smoking when 14 or 15 years of age become hooked on cigarettes by the time they are 21 years old. Perkins emphasized that it is important to educate young people about the benefits of quitting and to become active in their attempt to overcome the addiction.

During the lecture, Daley asked the audience, “How many of you don’t know anyone with an addiction problem?” out of a full auditorium, only one hand was raised.