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The alcohol paradox: A psychological model
Author(s) -
Rosenbaum Gerald
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(199503)51:2<303::aid-jclp2270510222>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - psychology , stereotypy , neuropsychology , alcohol abuse , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychotherapist , psychiatry , cognition , neuroscience , amphetamine , dopamine
The paradoxical continuation of excessive drinking by chronic alcoholics despite extremely aversive personal deterioration is addressed by a two‐factor theory. The theory regards the increasing stereotypy of alcohol‐related behaviors as a function of: (a) primary neuropsychological impairments that result from alcohol abuse and (b) secondary fears of catastrophic failure attendant upon brain dysfunction, which leads to acquired aversions to situations that require adaptive behaviors. A schematic quantitative model of this formulation is presented that may be useful to practicing psychologists in explaining perserverative behavior in a variety of brain syndromes.