Controlled Substance Prescribing and Drug Diversion Prevention: Expanded Version

Course overview

Substance use disorders are a significant public health problem with a wide range of adverse effects on individuals' mental, physical, and social well-being. Mental health problems co-occurring with substance use disorders includes depressive, anxiety, and psychotic disorders, as well as organic brain syndromes (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Substance use disorders share many of the same features but differ in pharmacology and associated behaviors that account for the unique effects of each substance (Boland & Verduin, 2022). Alcohol, opioids, central nervous stimulants, cannabinoids, and tobacco describe the phenomenon associated with substance disorders. The hallmark of substance use disorders includes cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms which lead to intoxication, withdrawal, and dependence (APA, 2013). This complex phenomenon demonstrates impaired functioning regardless of presentation. Diagnosis is based on pathological patterns, but all substances activate the same brain reward pathway via dopaminergic neurotransmission (Paxos & Teter, 2019).