Author(s): Dharmadhikari and Sinha VK
Drug addiction constitutes a chronic central nervous system disorder and one of the most serious public health problems globally, not only because of their high prevalence and impact on the personal, family, occupational and social spheres, but also because of their economic and medical consequences. Most prominent features of addictive behavior are craving which can be described as the psychic pain of addiction. It is an intractable obstacle confronted by addicts attempting to achieve abstinence. Craving is the key in evolving drug-taking behavior into compulsive drug-taking behavior. Cravings for food are similar to substance cravings in their maladaptive potential to cause eating disorders. Direct relationship between craving and relapse, though not easily established, appears to occur through intermediate factors. Incorporating craving measurements in routine clinical practice can increase the patient’s capability to know and monitor his internal states that are related to substance intake and this can be used in recommending appropriate treatment. Craving seems to be a non-unitary phenomenon, and different kinds of craving with different mechanisms have been proposed, so it is conceivable that different drugs (including proposed immunotherapy) can be more or less effective on different kinds of craving. Hence there is great need for psychological management as augmented and maintenance strategy.
