LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND SEEKING SUPPORT AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.4892Palabras clave:
Substance Use Disorders, Awareness of Addiction, Help-seeking Behavior, Psychosocial Support, StigmaResumen
Substance use disorders represent a significant public health and societal challenge, characterized not only by biological and psychological determinants, but also by deficits in self-awareness, stigma, and delayed help-seeking. The level of awareness of substance-related problems plays a critical role in recognizing the need for treatment and initiating timely medical and psychosocial support. This article examines the relationship between awareness of substance dependence and the adequacy of medical and psychosocial help-seeking. Drawing on contemporary theoretical models of addiction, including the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change and the concept of insight in addiction, the article integrates evidence from international research on stigma, motivation for change, and mindfulness-based interventions. Particular attention is paid to the role of awareness as a mediating factor between substance use severity, perceived stigma, and engagement with health and social services. The results of the author's study show that insufficient awareness and internalized stigma significantly hinder help-seeking behavior, while higher levels of insight and motivation are associated with earlier intervention and better treatment outcomes. Mindfulness-based and psychosocial interventions are discussed as promising approaches to increase self-awareness, emotional regulation, and readiness for change among people with substance use disorders. The article emphasizes the importance of integrated medical and psychosocial support and highlights the role of social work in raising awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting access to appropriate services. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of help-seeking behavior for substance use disorders and offer implications for prevention, treatment, and social policy development.
Citas
Alizadehgoradel, J., Imani, S., Nejati, V., & Fathabadi, J. (2019). Mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment (MBSAT) improves executive functions in adolescents with substance use disorders. Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research, 34, 21–34.
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). APA Publishing.
Aytop, S., & Kargin, M. (2025). The correlation between mindfulness and relapse prediction in individuals with substance use disorder: A cross-sectional study from Turkey. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, Advance online publication, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332640.2025.2502979
Boneva, B. (2018). Social Work with Individuals with Addictions. Sofia: St. Kliment Ohridski University Press.
Carroll, H. B., & Lustyk, M. K. B. (2018). Mindfulness-based relapse prevention for substance use disorders: Effects on cardiac vagal control and craving under stress. Mindfulness, 9, 488–499.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2015). Substance abuse treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders (Treatment Improvement Protocol Series No. 42). SAMHSA.
Chmiel, J., Malinowska, A., Rybakowski, F., & Leszek, J. (2024). The effectiveness of mindfulness in the treatment of methamphetamine addiction symptoms: Does neuroplasticity play a role? Brain Sciences, 14(4), 320. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14040320
Corrigan, P. (2004). How stigma interferes with mental health care. American Psychologist, 59(7), 614–625.
DiClemente, C. C. (2003). Addiction and change: How addictions develop and addicted people recover. Guilford Press.
DiClemente, C. C. (2018). Addiction and change: How addictions develop and addicted people recover (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
El Hayek, S., Foad, W., de Filippis, R., Ghosh, A., Koukach, N., Mahgoub Mohammed Khier, A., Pant, S. B., Padilla, V., Ramalho, R., Tolba, H., & Shalbafan, M. (2024). Stigma toward substance use disorders: A multinational perspective and call for action. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, Article 1295818.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. (2023). European drug report 2023: Trends and developments. Publications Office of the European Union.
Galanis, C., Leske, M., Hamamura, T., Weber, N., Hing, N., Delfabbro, P. H., & King, D. L. (2025). Stigma in substance-based and behavioural addictions: A systematic review. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 14(1), 79–99.
Garland, E. L., Bryan, M. A., Priddy, S. E., Riquino, M. R., Froeliger, B., & Howard, M. O. (2019). Effects of mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement versus social support on negative affective interference during inhibitory control among opioid-treated chronic pain patients: A pilot mechanistic study. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 53, 865–876.
Hosseini, P. S., Eftekhar Saadi, Z., & Johari Fard, R. (2023). Effects of mindfulness-based relapse prevention therapy on drug craving and emotion regulation of therapeutic community centers’ clients. Journal of Health Reports and Technology, 9, e136888.
Hu, Z., Wen, Y., Wang, Y., Lin, Y., Shi, J., Yu, Z., & Wang, Y. (2022). Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on empathy: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 992575.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2013). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Bantam Books.
Kilian, C., Manthey, J., Carr, S., Hanschmidt, F., Rehm, J., Speerforck, S., & Schomerus, G. (2021). Stigmatization of people with alcohol use disorders: An updated systematic review of population studies. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 45(5), 899–911. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14598
Kitt-Lewis, E., Adam, M., & Phillips, K. (2025). Stigma surrounding people with substance use disorder: A scoping review examining educational programs. Substance Use & Misuse, 60(12), 1839–1873.
Kral, T. R. A., Imhoff-Smith, T., Dean, D. C., Grupe, D., Adluru, N., & Patsenko, E. et al. (2019). Mindfulness-based stress reduction–related changes in posterior cingulate resting brain connectivity. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 14(7), 777–787.
Lorenzetti, V., Gaillard, A., Beyer, E., Kowalczyk, M., Kamboj, S. K., Manning, V., & Gleeson, J. (2023). Do mindfulness-based interventions change brain function in people with substance dependence? A systematic review of the fMRI evidence. BMC Psychiatry, 23, 407.
Matanova, M., & Parvanova, R. (2019). Psychology of Addictions. New Bulgarian University.
Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
National Focal Point on Drugs and Drug Addiction. (2025). Annual Report on the Drug Situation in Bulgaria 2024. Retrieved from https://www.nfp-drugs.bg/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AR-2024.pdf
Özay Köse, E., & Gül, Ş. (2018). The substance addiction awareness scale: A study of the validity and reliability. İnönü University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 19, 41–56.
Prochaska, J. O., & Velicer, W. F. (1997). The transtheoretical model of health behavior change. American Journal of Health Promotion, 12(1), 38–48.
Tarhan, N., Demirsoy, Ç., & Tutgun-Ünal, A. (2023). Measuring the awareness levels of individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders: Tertiary prevention standards and development of Üsküdar result awareness and harm perception scales. Brain Sciences, 13(6), 901. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13060901
Ünal Demir, F., Akpınar Aslan, E., Batmaz, S., Çelikbaş, Z., Hızlı Sayar, G., & Ünübol, H. (2022). Levels of awareness, negative attitudes and stigma towards addictions of university students using smoking, alcohol, or substances. Journal of Dependence, 23, 86–94.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2023). World drug report 2023. UNODC Publishing.
Verdejo-García, A., & Pérez-García, M. (2008). Substance abusers’ self-awareness of the neurobehavioral consequences of addiction. Psychiatry Research, 158, 172–180.
Volkow, N. D., & Koob, G. F. (2015). Brain disease model of addiction: Why is it so controversial? The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(8), 677–679.
World Health Organization. (2022). Health topics: Substance use. WHO Press.
World Health Organization. (2023). Health systems and substance use. WHO Press.
Yurtsever, B., & Arabacı Baysan, L. (2021). Validity and reliability of the substance awareness scale and the substance addiction knowledge test among adults. Fenerbahçe University Journal of Health Sciences, 1, 206–225.
Zhai, J., Long, Y., Shi, J., Shi, D., Ren, Q., Zhao, M., & Du, J. (2022). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based relapse prevention on Chinese methamphetamine-dependent patients: A pilot study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, Article 819075.
Descargas
Publicado
Cómo citar
Número
Sección
Licencia
I (we) submit this article which is original and unpublished, of my (our) own authorship, to the evaluation of the Veredas do Direito Journal, and agree that the related copyrights will become exclusive property of the Journal, being prohibited any partial or total copy in any other part or other printed or online communication vehicle dissociated from the Veredas do Direito Journal, without the necessary and prior authorization that should be requested in writing to Editor in Chief. I (we) also declare that there is no conflict of interest between the articles theme, the author (s) and enterprises, institutions or individuals.
I (we) recognize that the Veredas do Direito Journal is licensed under a CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE.
Licença Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
