Substance Misuse and Young People

Substance Misuse and Young People: Critical Issues is a comprehensive source of information on young people?s requirements for assessment, treatment and other interventions because of their misuse of substances. It highlights approaches that enhance understanding of the routes that lead young people to substance misuse and also the routes away from it. The emergence of new substances and methods of misuse makes this ever more relevant. The authors are international experts in the fields of psychiatry, paediatrics, medicine, psychology, genetics, resilience, neuropharmacology and epidemiology.

This book acknowledges how widespread both substance misuse and psychiatric disorders are and explores the complex, challenging links between co-occurring conditions. Use of substances is associated with illness and premature mortality, and more so for people who have combined disorders. The authors critically assess the vital need for intervention during adolescence and early adulthood. They provide detailed clinical views of the psychosocial interventions and medications currently available and illustrate them with case studies that emphasise adolescents? experiences and thoughtful lifestyle-specific interventions.

This book provides theoretical knowledge and indicates the practical skills that practitioners require for work with young people who misuse substances. It is highly applicable to medical practitioners, psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, police officers, probation officers, educationalists and related social and healthcare professionals.

"Given the current crisis in adolescent mental health services, this timely handbook is a valuable and enlightening contribution to discussion, training and education. It explains the why and how of substance misuse among young people and gives guidance on what to do. The overall framing derives from addiction psychiatry but is relevant to all professions in today?s multi-disciplinary, multi-agency set of services. Succinct, clear and accessible chapters include comprehensive literature and evidence reviews, demonstrate the critical issue of complexity and show the way forward for prevention and early intervention."

- Professor Susanne MacGregor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

"Drug use generally starts when people are young so it is vital to understand the roles played by various factors in order to improve prevention, minimise immediate and enduring associated harms and optimise treatment. This book brings together a range of experts to provide the latest evidence alongside pragmatic advice in all these areas. It is a vital resource as specialist knowledge and services may be hard to access resulting in a large unmet need."

- Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes, Professor of Addiction Biology, Imperial College London & Hon Consultant Psychiatrist, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust.