A new subject has been added to the existing college curriculum that is making minor waves in academic circles in the US. Recently the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Human Environmental Studies offers an academic minor in Addiction and Recovery. Though addiction studies programs are relatively new additions to the existing college curriculum, still a large number of students are taking keen interest in this subject because addiction is one of the most challenging problems to have emerged in the US in the past few decades.

The move to introduce Addiction Science was initiated after the demand for professionals in this field saw a rapid growth. The academic minor in Addiction and Recovery introduced by UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences (CHES) has been introduced for students who are genuinely interested in this field. Most students who opt for this subject plan to become doctors, nurses, researchers, or counselors to lend a helping hand to people who are struggling to fight this problem alone.

Addiction Science requires students to learn the different ways in which addiction develops and clings on to a person for life. Additionally they are required to learn about prevention, intervention, and recovery methods as well. The good news for students is that several states provide certification with a bachelor’s degree or higher as far as Addiction Science subject is concerned.

Benefits of This Subject

The benefits associated with this subject are manifold. To begin with, this course provide the students with the necessary training to cope with jobs available in hospitals, clinics, schools, nonprofit organizations, counseling agencies, government institutes, rehab centers, and criminal justice system. Furthermore, students who opt for this subject can also go on to attend medical school and law school while also trying their hand in social work, holding family therapy sessions or even becoming psychologists.

What Will You Learn?

From among the educational programs for college students the Addiction Science course is a complete subject which would prove useful in the following ways:

• Students would be able to understand and define the biological, developmental, social, psychological, and cultural factors that lead towards development and sustenance of addiction.
• Awareness about latest research conducted in this field.
• Understand and define both chemical and behavioral addictions.
• Know how about the physical, behavioral, psychological, social, and health benefits of different drugs.
• Have complete understanding of how adolescents can get hooked to drugs and how it may impact their behavior.
• Students will be able to describe evidence-based prevention methods for substance abuse.
• Be able to implement and successfully carry out recovery programs for addicts.
• Utilize the role of family in the development, maintenance, and consequences of addiction and how they can be translated into a successful recovery program.

Moreover, students of Addiction Science can also study and find solutions to addictive and dysfunctional behaviors related to money management (e.g., gambling or compulsive spending), mental and behavioral disorders that arise due to addictive disorders, legal and policy issues related to substance abuse, and basic financial knowledge to help individuals stand on their own feet after undergoing the recovery process.

With the rise of drug use culture in America this subject would certainly become a hit as more students find out about it. Hopefully, initiatives of this kind would empower the youth to one day make America a drug-free society.