Program Overview

Pharmacological Aspects of Alcohol and Other Drugs

The course provides historical, cultural, psychological, and neurological perspectives to get a basic understanding of alcohol and drug addiction symptoms and various treatment approaches.

Course Details

Course Description

This course provides students with a basic level of understanding of addiction from a historical, cultural, psychological, and neurobiological perspective. It examines alcohol and other drug dependencies through a multidisciplinary approach with lectures, discussions, film, exercises, and readings.

Course Objectives

• Explore alcohol and other drug dependencies through multidisciplinary lectures, discussions, films, exercises, and readings
• Understand the complicated nature of dependencies as a disease and different substances of abuse
• Comprehend the current genetic and environmental research in the development of substance use disorders
• Identify symptoms of addictive disorders and various behavioral and medication-assisted intervention strategies
• Evaluate the prevalence of dependencies across the life span among adolescents, seniors, families, and those exposed to trauma

About This Course

This course focuses on different substances of abuse and the current genetic and environmental research in the development of substance use disorders. Specific topics to be covered include:

• The biological, developmental, psychological, environmental, and social factors that lead to vulnerability to addictions
• Symptoms of addictive disorders
• Prevalence across the life span among target populations, including adolescents, seniors, families, and those with trauma exposure
• Various treatment approaches, including both behavioral and medication-assisted intervention strategies

Program Applications

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Certificate

This course applies toward the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling certificate. The certificate is designed to provide the knowledge to become an effective substance use disorder counselor. It teaches the skills to help clients identify and change addiction-related beliefs and behaviors. The format is remote for required courses, with an in-person internship.

Certificate Details

• Acquire the knowledge to become an effective substance use disorder counselor
• Learn the skills to help clients identify and change addiction-related beliefs and behaviors
• Format: Remote (Required Courses), with an in-person internship