The Neuroscience of Addiction
$65 | 3 CEUs / 1hr. Ethics credit
$65 | 3 CEUs / 1hr. Ethics credit
In this workshop, scientific information about the disorder of addiction will be provided, including the consequences of drug use on the brain and behavior. There will also be a discussion of the basic approaches used to prevent and treat substance use disorders.
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Studies of addictive behavior began formally in the 1930s when people struggling with addiction were thought to be lacking a moral compass and willpower. As a result, addiction was not viewed as a public health issue and significant attention was focused on punishment rather than prevention and treatment. Thanks to science and the revolutionary discoveries about the brain, our understanding and responses to addiction and substance use disorders have drastically changed.
In this workshop, scientific information about the disorder of addiction will be provided, including the consequences of drug use on the brain and behavior. There will also be a discussion of the basic approaches used to prevent and treat substance use disorders. Participants will develop knowledge of the nature and complexity of addiction with the emphasis on utilizing a biopsychosocial perspective. Topics examined include addiction to substances, sex, and other addictive behaviors. Participants will be able to explain the psychological and sociological factors that may be contributing to this phenomenon. Prevention and treatment options will be discussed as well as legal and ethical standards involved in working with clients with addiction.
This workshop is appropriate for all level clinicians.
Presenter: Hayley Nelson, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Delaware County Community College (DCCC) where she teaches the General Psychology, Introduction to Biological Psychology, and Foundations of Addiction courses. She is actively involved in the campus community by serving as an academic advisor, the faculty advisor for Psychology Club, and as a member of various committees including Chair of the Student Affairs Committee. She also is an invited lecturer at various local, national, and international events. Prior to joining DCCC, Dr. Nelson was a full-time lecturer and Research Director for the Biological Basis of Behavior Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Human Factors scientific consultant at Exponent Failure Analysis Associates where she applied her expertise in motivation and reward, addiction, neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and behavior to assess various contributors to a person’s actions, perceptions, and cognition in accident scenarios. Dr. Nelson earned her PhD in 2010 at The Johns Hopkins University Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences where she received behavioral neuroscience training in the classroom and laboratory, leading to several peer-reviewed research publications on the role of dopamine in motivated behaviors. Dr. Nelson also has work published from her time as a post-baccalaureate researcher with the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) and National Institutes of Drug Abuse (NIDA).