DRUG ADDICTION AND VIOLENCE AMONG ADOLESCENTS

This the dependency phenomenon known as. "addiction". Addiction implies a consumption that cannot be stopped and is perpetuated, despite the negative consequences it can have on the physical and psychological well being of the user, on his family environment and on society. An important aspect for the clinical and research field refers to the relationship between psychoactive substances addiction and violence. More precisely, it refers to the approach to violence in adolescent psychoactive substance users, starting from the following two aspects: - The first intends to establish if psychoactive substance use can lead to violence. In order to give an answer to this question, the approach to violence associated with drug use is needed, violence due to turning to drugs as a means of satisfying psycho-physiological needs; here the effects of the used substances act as triggers for the violent behavior, thus favoring its debut. - The second aspect questions if violence favors drug use, as a means of expressing psychological disturbances in adolescence. Synthesizing the current existing knowledge with regards to psychopathological aspects is required, especially those related to personality disorders, which have been identified as vulnerability factors in the development and perpetuation of addictive behaviors. The directions given by the two aspects presented above are intertwined, having implications in prevention and treatment.