Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnois and Treatment (Critical Issues in Psychiatry) [Hardcover]

Marc A. Schuckit (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2000 | ISBN-10: 0306462303 | ISBN-13: 978-0306462306 | Edition: 5th

Written to serve the needs of clinicians handling emergency problems, and the student seeking an introduction to abused substances, the new fifth edition of this acclaimed text offers the most up-to-date clinically oriented guide available in the field of drug and alcohol abuse. This valuable work continues to set the standard for substance abuse research.
New features of the fifth edition include:
-A revision of approximately 70% of the references with most citations from 1997-1999.
-Important expanded material on pharmacology.
-An entire chapter on Prevention has been added.
-More in-depth coverage of substance-related pathology and treatment related issues.
-Special attention is placed on the upcoming DSM-IV revision.
-More information on co-morbidity with psychiatric disorders and genetics of substance use disorders.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Reviews from Previous Editions:
"Polished, well-edited, and tendered on pages laid out in an attractive, uncrowded format [...]There are tables and figures, adequately and thoughtfully placed throughout the book, which enhance learning and understanding of the textual material [...] The physical characteristics of the book [...] are well above average for the genre and reflect the publisher's attention to detail in planning and producing a volume worthy of its contents."
(American Journal of Psychiatry)
An OUTSTANDING resource that can help clinicians clarify the interface between clinical pharmacology and management techniques in the addiction field. This work embodies the principle thrust of academic psychiatry in the addictions, and it conveys its message with unusual skill."
(Journal of Studies on Alcohol)
"The book certainly lives up to its author's claim to `serve as a resource [...] and as an emergency handbook."
(British Journal of Psychiatry)
"The fifth and latest edition features 380 pages of current information, with 70% of the references dated 1995 or later, arranged for the convenience of clinicians and students. Unlike most textbooks, Schuckit's is written in the first person [...]This provides a refreshing alternative to the more ponderous multiauthor textbook written in the third person [...] The book will be most appreciated by health professionals and students, especially those in primary and emergency care settings. It is organized by drug type (e.g., sedatives, stimulants, inhalants, cannabinols), and each chapter contains brief sections on pharmacology, epidemiology, medical uses, the natural history of dependence, and making a diagnosis. Following this are sections on emergency problems involving the particular class of drugs, including their diagnosis and treatment. Alcohol and alcoholism receive the greatest emphasis, reflecting Schuckit's interest and experience, but the other drugs are not short-changed [...] A great convenience, especially for newcomers to the field, is that all medications are identified by both their chemical and brand names. The text is also very well indexed, and there are many references to other sections of the book in each chapter. This makes it valuable both for reading cover-to-cover and for use as a reference book for specific clinical problems [...] In summary, Dr. Schuckit has brought us a clinically useful, readable, down-to-earth, and up-to-date textbook not just once, but for the fifth time. That in itself is remarkable."
(S.B. Blume, M.D., American Journal of Psychiatry, 157:11 (2000)
"The format is consistent and the text and contents benefit so much from being produced by a single author."
(Addiction Biology, 6 (2001)
"This is an excellent and brief clinical textbook. It is the fifth edition and has been extensively revised with approximately 70% of the references being new since the previous edition in 1994. A single author book of this range and quality is rare and reflects the author's experience as a research worker and clinical psychiatrist. The book is essentially aimed at clinicians, but will be of value to all those who are learning about substance misuse as part of post-graduate training."
(Alcohol and Alcoholism, 36:6 (2001)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 380 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 5th edition (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306462303
• ISBN-13: 978-0306462306
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,439,279 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Book Provides Critical Guide to Treating Drug Emergencie, September 8, 2000

By 

Stewart B. Leavitt (Glenview, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnois and Treatment (Critical Issues in Psychiatry) (Hardcover)

Addiction Treatment Forum (www.atforum.com) book review; September 2000; Stewart B. Leavitt, PhD, Editor -- Simply put, Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment; 5th edition. is a book that may help save lives. In this 380 page text, Marc A. Schuckit, MD provides an overview of drug classifications and mechanisms, and covers the pharmacology and mental/physical effects of alcohol, depressants, stimulants, opioids, hallucinogens, cannabis, and more. Most critical, there is an emphasis throughout the book on how to deal with emergency medical problems related to drug abuse, dependency, and overdose.

Schuckit, who is affiliated with the University of California Medical School and Veteran Affairs Healthcare System in San Diego, is a talented lecturer and he apparently writes like he speaks: clear and concise, technical but understandable. This 5th edition of his text dating back to 1979 includes a 70% updating of reference material with a focus on newer developments in pharmacotherapy, plus an all new chapter on prevention. The coverage of substances of abuse is all-encompassing; ranging from "Acid" (hallucinogens) to "Zoom" (stimulants), and everything imaginable in between.

How does one use a book like this? Schuckit recommends skimming all of the chapters covering the many drug classes, including descriptions of individual drugs and associated pathology, then rereading sections of particular interest. From there, the book can serve as a handbook, kept nearby for easily-accessed advice on dealing with drug-related crises or confirming suspected drug-induced symptomatology appearing in clinical settings. The text is fully indexed and evidence-based, with research references listed at the end of each of the 16 chapters.

Certainly, medical practitioners will find this book invaluable. It also could be an essential reference for nursing staff, psychologists, counselors, social workers, and other professionals who need a quick, handy, clinically-oriented manual on alcohol and other drug problems.

Schuckit MA. Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment; 5th edition. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; January 2000. ISBN 0306462303. Available online from www.Amazon.com ($49.95 + shipping) and at other booksellers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive text for medical management of addictions, July 1, 2006

By 

James A. Swartz "JASwartz" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment (Hardcover)

This year, I needed a comprehensive text to help me put together a lecture on substance use disorders for psychiatrists taking their board exams. It had been some time since I, a psychologist who conducts research on co-occurring disorders, had updated myself generally on current knowledge regarding substance use disorders. This text was very useful for this purpose; I can see it being a useful reference guide for medical practioners concerned with treating those with substance use disorders. I found Schuckit's classification of substances by their effects (depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens) rather than trying to present information on similar-acting drugs individually (cocaine, amphetamines) particularly useful. The chapters are concise and well-written and loaded with details as noted by the previous reviewer.

That said, I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars because as a comprehensive guide, it gives relatively short shrift to psychosocial treatments. Whereas each chapter on drug classes goes into step-by-step detail about, for example, treating symptoms of acute withdrawal or intoxication for a particular drug class, there is only a single chapter at the end of the text regarding psychosocial treatments. That chapter is too short and lacks sufficient detail to cover recent developments such as the inclusion of evidence-based practices (e.g., motivational interviewing, trauma reduction therapies) into many treatment regimens. And although published in 2005, knowledge on pharmacological treatments in conjunction with psychosocial treatments such as the results of the recent COMBINE study (acamprosate and naltrexone plus CBT for treating alcoholism) are not included in detail.

To be fair, research is moving far too fast for any text to be completely up-to-date by the time of publication. However, this exclusion simply calls attention to the lack of coverage of psychosocial treatments generally.

In short then, this text is recommended as a primer and a guide to medical management of substance use disorders and will be of particular use to those working in emergency rooms or detoxification centers. Those working in longer term programs needing guidance on the management of addiction disorders through the post-acute and relapse management phases should consider a different text.

5.0 out of 5 stars overseas customer, April 19, 2009

By 

Regis Dewes (Brazil,Lajeado,RS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment (Hardcover)

I am a medical doctor from Brazil and Amazon help me
to keep me updating.Is great buy with Amazon,because they are soo fast .
This book is an excellent oportunity to understand ilegal drugs.Is easy,fast and pratice to read.