What unique insights do you think addiction psychologists can provide to improve public health more generally?
Addiction psychologists can improve public health by engaging with non-academic communities to address the social and economic determinants of health. Addiction psychologists should involve themselves in debates about public policies that: contribute to the development of addiction, block investment in substance abuse prevention and addiction treatment, and perpetuate stigma surrounding addiction and mental disorder.
Dennis L. Thombs, PhD
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Addiction psychologists can improve public health by (1) answering the question “so what?” in their research, and (2) identifying effective ways to encourage healthy behaviors. It is essential that we contribute to bridging the T0 – T4 translation gaps and consider scaling up of interventions to improve public health more generally.
Neo Gebru
University of Florida
Addiction psychologists tend to see addiction's impact on the system and how the system facilitates or discourages substance use. Within those systems, addiction psychologists should explore the consequences of the abuse and the patterns of behavior.
Rose Marie Ward, PhD
Miami University
Resources are available for those struggling with addiction and numerous effective treatments exist. Whether you are looking for help for yourself or a loved one, we encourage you to seek out help.