BACKGROUND: Drug addiction is a significant public health concern, and aggression is common among people with drug addiction. Despite mounting evidence showing that the Dark Triad is a risk factor for aggression, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship are less known. This study tested the mediation effect of self-control in the association between the Dark Triad and aggression and whether this mediation was moderated by physical exercise.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two compulsory drug rehabilitation centers in Nanning, China. A convenience sample of 564 drug abstainers completed a questionnaire to assess their Dark Triad, self-control, aggression, and physical exercise levels. Mediation and moderation analyses were carried out in SPSS macro-PROCESS.
RESULTS: Self-control partially mediated the positive association between the Dark Triad and aggression. Physical exercise moderated the indirect effect of the Dark Triad on aggression via self-control, with the effect decreasing with the increase in physical exercise levels.
CONCLUSIONS: This study offers fresh insights into the underlying mediating and moderating mechanisms between the Dark Triad and aggression. The findings provide important practical implications for future intervention and prevention programs to address aggression among drug abstainers, which may be realized through strengthening self-control and physical exercise.

The onset of the disease as a morphine addiction is associated with the appearance in the patient\'s body of antibodies directed against opiate receptors (ORs). Once anti-opiate receptor antibodies (anti-OR antibodies) appear in the blood they will tend to bind to ORs. Such binding will cause blocking of physiological functions of OR. The blockage is felt by a morphine addict as withdrawal syndrome. To get rid of this harmful condition, the addict increases the dose of morphine taken. This is where tolerance manifests itself. The drug addict is forced to increase the dose of morphine from time to time because of the body responds by producing the more and more anti-OR antibodies. The immunological nature of morphine addiction is the reason for lifelong changes in the body\'s reactivity to the drug. An addict can be cured if he gets rid of B- and T-memory cells, which specifically react to ORs.

The drug addiction is one of most serious deviant behavior seriously harming both addict person and one\'s relationship. The drug using is considered as deviant because means using substances from non-legal turn-over or applied in non-medical purposes. Then follows degradation of health of person and one\'s positioning into physical and mental dependence on them. With time, personal dependence on drugs becomes stronger. The addicted person looses possibility to experience joy from natural stimuli and more difficulties in controlling drug using appear. Persons using drugs frequently commit crimes to have money to maintain one\'s dependence. Therefore, issues of prevention narcotism and struggle with drug addiction are fundamental ones for whole system of prevention in Novorossiysk. The article presents analysis of implemented activities and adopted measures of struggle with drug addiction in population of Novorossiysk.

Recreational use of methamphetamines has greatly increased in frequency across the world. Like other stimulants, methamphetamines can cause several health consequences, and their addictive nature can lead to psychiatric disorders. Suicidal ideation and attempts are common in methamphetamine users and have become a leading cause of death next to incidental overdoses. In the current report, we review a case of a methamphetamine user who attempted suicide by jumping off a bridge. Further, we contextualize this case by reviewing recent literature on the relationship between methamphetamine use and suicide.

Building on the premises of Positive Psychology, this undertaking conducted a pilot study of the designed 14-session Positive Psychology Intervention (PPI) program established based on the character strengths and virtues (CSV) of persons who use drugs (PWUDs) to assess its usefulness, delivery details, and impacts. Conducted in one of the biggest Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines, 24 PWUDs were randomly selected by the program staff to participate in its pilot run while securing all necessary ethical guidelines and requirements. Via within-subjects pretest-posttest experimental design, the especially adapted and developed tools were used to assess the PWUDs\' progress as they were facilitated by the said program. Results yielded significant improvements in the PWUDs\' mental wellbeing (M = 1.29, SD = 0.35; t(21) = 9.30, P < .00001), life satisfaction (M = 1.82, SD = 0.24; t(21) = 9.89, P < .00001), and psychological functioning (M = 1.65, SD = 0.19; t(21) = 8.58, P < .00001). Moreover, the PWUDs regarded the designed PPI program very highly and experienced it with positive outcomes, especially for their CSVs. Further improvement of the said program centers around proper time allotment, number of participants in the program sessions, appropriate activities per session, including specific ice breaker games, activity materials needed, and the proper sequencing of each session. These data are used to improve the PPI program structures and components. Pertinent conclusions about the gathered data were drawn, and relevant recommendations were also thereby provided.

A systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies on drug (self-) administration in rodents is lacking. Here, we summarized effects of acute or chronic drug administration of various classes of drugs on brain function and determined consistency with human literature. We performed a systematic literature search and identified 125 studies on in vivo rodent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (n = 84) or positron emission tomography (n = 41) spanning depressants (n = 27), opioids (n = 23), stimulants (n = 72), and cannabis (n = 3). Results primarily showed alterations in the striatum, consistent with the human literature. The anterior cingulate cortex and (nonspecific) prefrontal cortex were also frequently implicated. Upregulation was most often found after shorter administration and downregulation after long chronic administration, particularly in the striatum. Importantly, results were consistent across study design, administration models, imaging method, and animal states. Results provide evidence of altered resting-state brain function in rodents upon drug administration, implicating the brain\'s reward network analogous to human studies. However, alterations were more dynamic than previously known, with dynamic adaptation depending on the length of drug administration.

UNASSIGNED: Aggression, and therefore gender-based violence, can be an impulsive or compulsive behavior, depending on the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. In Europe, the prevalence of gender-based violence is 16 to 23%. This prevalence shows that there is a need to make further progress in the treatment of aggression against women. Qualitative techniques allow us to understand perceptions and attributions holistically by analyzing what people who commit the crime say, why they say it and how they say it.
UNASSIGNED: To explore the experience of physical and verbal aggression by a partner, dependent on the presence or absence of alcohol and drug use, in the prison population.
UNASSIGNED: A mixed methodology was used (combining qualitative and quantitative techniques). The sample was made up of 140 men divided into two focus groups [with alcohol and/or drug consumption (SAD) and without alcohol and/or drug consumption (NSAD)] who completed the Demographic, Criminal and Behavioral Interview in Penitentiary Institutions; the Gender Violence Questionnaire (both developed for this study) and the MultiCAGE CAD-4 Questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis and quantitative data were obtained using contingency tables.
UNASSIGNED: It was found that the SAD group attributed the crime committed to alcohol and/or drug consumption, while the NSAD group attributed it to jealousy and to their partner. The SAD group revealed that the consequence of the physical aggressions was to get what they were looking for from their partner and the consequences of the verbal aggressions was regret, unlike the NSAD group that did not get anything from the aggressions. The SAD group recognized that to avoid future aggressions they would have to avoid alcohol and/or drug use, while the NSAD group mentioned that they would have to avoid contact with their partner.
UNASSIGNED: The need to include perceptions and attributions as well as the use of alcohol and/or drugs is emphasized when assessing individuals who commit the crime of gender-based violence.

OBJECTIVE: The abuse of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines has been a major issue addressed as a serious public health problem worldwide. This study explored factors contributing to substance abuse in Korea by examining the status of substance abuse among Korean adults and evaluating their knowledge, attitudes, and intentions toward substance abuse.
METHODS: Data were collected online from a sample of participants 19 years old or older from May 20 to June 1, 2020 (n=1,020). The survey consisted of questions on demographics, perceptions of drug risk, motives for drug use, and attitudes toward drug addiction treatment. Principal component and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to explore the factors contributing to the perception of drug abuse.
RESULTS: In the multivariate regression analysis, overconfidence in handling drug usage, acceptance of addictive substances, and affirmation of public support for drug abuse were associated with opioid abuse (Nagelkerke R2=0.486), and additionally affirmation of legal cannabis usage and motivation to use diet pills were associated with diet pill abuse (Nagelkerke R2=0.569).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that the actual situation of substance abuse among Korean adults increases awareness of and attitudes toward drug use related to substance abuse.

Introduction Our study aimed to compare meditation and compassion-based group therapy with the standard of care in patients with eating disorders, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and depression, concerning acceptance, mindfulness awareness, self-compassion, and psychological distress. Methods A controlled designed study was performed, comparing meditation and compassion-focused group therapy added to the standard of care with the standard of care alone, on patients with eating disorders, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and mood disorders. Four validated questionnaires were administered: the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), which assesses the ability to be fully in touch with the present moment; the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), which assesses the ability to experience consciously what is happening in the present moment; the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), which assesses self-compassion characteristics, including loving-kindness; and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), which measures psychological distress (anxiety, depression, psychotic behavior, etc.). Results There was a total of 75 subjects, out of which 48 represented the experimental group, and 27 represented the control group. The overall mean age of the subjects was 44.8 ± 13.2 years. There were statistically significant increases in the experimental group (baseline vs. end of study) for the AAQ-II, MAAS, and SCS scores, and a statistically significant decrease in the SCL-90 score. In the control group, there was a statistically significant decrease in the SCL-90 score, but no significant differences for other measurements. The comparisons between the two groups at the end of the study were as follows: AAQ-II: 0.7 (-5.74 to 7.15), p = 0.827; MAAS: 4.78 (-3.19 to 12.75), p = 0.233; SCS: 5.89 (-3.18 to 14.96), p = 0.199; SCL-90: -0.26 (-0.62 to 0.1), p = 0.157. Conclusion Within the experimental group, all scales improved statistically significantly. There were no statistically significant differences at the end of the study concerning the four scales between the groups. The comparison between groups was limited by data availability.

UNASSIGNED: Previous research has found that the electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is involved in drug-dependent behaviors and plays a role in reward-seeking. However, the mechanisms remain unknown, especially the effect of electrical stimulation on this area. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how the electrical stimulation and the temporary inactivation of VTA affect the morphine- dependent behavior in male rats.
UNASSIGNED: The adult Wistar male rats were anesthetized with ketamine and xylazine. The stimulation electrode (unilaterally) and the microinjection cannula (bilaterally) were implanted into the VTA, stereotaxically. Then, the rats underwent three-day of repeated conditioning with subcutaneous morphine (0.5 or 5 mg/kg) injections, in the conditioned place preference apparatus, followed by four-day forced abstinence, which altered their conditioning response to a morphine (0.5 mg/kg) priming dose on the ninth day. On that day, rats were given high- or low-intensity electrical stimulation or reversible inactivation with lidocaine (0.5 pL/site) in the VTA.
UNASSIGNED: Results showed that the electrical stimulation of the VTA with the high intensity (150 μA/rat), had a minimal effect on the expression of morphine-induced place conditioning in rats treated with a high dose (5 mg/kg) of morphine. However, the reversible inactivation of the VTA with lidocaine greatly increased place preference in rats treated with a low dose (0.5 mg/kg) of morphine. Additionally, the reinstatement of 0.5 mg/kg morphine-treated rats was observed after lidocaine infusion into the VTA.
UNASSIGNED: These results suggest that VTA electrical stimulation suppresses neuronal activation, but the priming dose causes reinstatement. The VTA may be a potential target for deep brain stimulation-based treatment of intractable disorders induced by substance abuse.