https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-nnzwd-1b378f0
What if being physically dependent on a substance and being addicted to it are two entirely different biological realities?
When society talks about addiction, moral panic and stigma usually crowd out the facts. We casually throw around words like “willpower” and “bad choices,” completely missing how neurobiology, pharmacology, and environmental cues actually interact.
In this deep dive, we break down Dr. Curtis Peterson’s Foundations of Substance Use Disorder and Addiction to dismantle the common myths surrounding substance use and behavioral addictions. We examine the spectrum of use, unpack the distinction between physical adaptation and compulsive behavior, and explore evidence-based pathways to real, sustainable recovery.
In this episode, we unpack:
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The Substance Use Continuum: Moving past binary thinking—from non-use and risky use to formal Substance Use Disorders (SUD) across four clinical domains.
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Dependence vs. Addiction: Why physical tolerance and withdrawal do not automatically equal an addiction—and why the distinction saves lives.
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Pharmacokinetics & Route of Administration: How the speed of crossing the blood-brain barrier hardwires compulsion and shapes overdose risk.
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Set, Setting, & Expectancy: Why identical doses produce radically different experiences depending on mindset, trauma history, and social environments.
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Equifinality & Multifinality: How different life paths lead to the same disorder, and identical exposures lead to divergent outcomes.
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Negative Reinforcement & Functional Narrowing: How the brain’s mental toolbox slowly shrinks until a substance becomes the only tool left to regulate emotion.
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Marlatt’s Relapse Prevention Model: Separating a temporary lapse from a full relapse, and how to stop the shame-driven Abstinence Violation Effect.
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Behavioral Addictions: The neurobiology of gambling disorder, intermittent reinforcement, and the threshold for clinical behavioral conditions.
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Modern Treatment & Harm Reduction: Motivational interviewing, contingency management, Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT like buprenorphine), and rebuilding a protective recovery ecology.
#AddictionScience #SubstanceUseDisorder #Psychology #MentalHealth #HarmReduction #Pharmacology #RelapsePrevention #BehavioralHealth #Neuroscience