The question of responsibility for addiction to prescribed substances will be explored across a variety of treatment settings including primary care, traditional psychiatric, and managed health care dominated treatment contexts. We will describe how addiction, versus simply overuse, centrally has to do with why only some of the people with upregulation continue to use drugs addictively. We will show that true addiction is a psychological phenomenon, not a physical one. We will also describe the results of our evidence-based review and analysis which describes characteristic differences between those who become dependent upon prescribed medications versus those who become dependant upon non prescribed substances.
Workshop participants will be facilitated in conducting a review and analysis of their own clinical and forensic case experience as to approaches and methods for evaluating patient responsibility for addiction to prescribed and nonprescribed substances. The workshop is appropriate for all psychiatrists particularly those with experience in the treatment or forensic evaluation of addictive behaviors.
