Triggers and Cravings Critique, Article Critique Example

The video series, “Triggers and Cravings”, was produced by SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=sFmxasB_ApU&feature=BFa&list=PLA2A8260D89D626D9 . There are six videos in the series: “What is Addiction?”, “The Science of Addiction”, “Introductory and Maintenance Phases of Addiction”, “Disenchantment Phase”, “Disaster Phase”, and “Dealing with Triggers and Cravings”. The series deals specifically with addiction and substance abuse disorder.

The series starts out by introducing the meaning of addiction and introduces the science behind what is believed to be a long-term illness that affects any social, gender, or ethnic genre. This is a key point for the topic as all symptom identification and treatment methods are based on this conclusion. The series moves from definition to symptoms, such as uncontrolled use, irritability when not using, and using alone, on into the science behind addiction. The difference between the conscious, rational prefrontal cortex and unconscious limbic area of the brain is another key component to understanding substance abuse disorder. The video series explains that as the addict moves through the four phases of addiction, introductory, maintenance, disenchantment and disaster phases, increased substance use physically alters the brain. Discussion of each phase over three videos clearly explains the social actions and physical responses that take place during each phase.

The series winds up the topic discussion by addressing what triggers and cravings are, why they do not go away when substance use ends, and how to keep a trigger from queuing a craving. That virtually anything seen, heard, felt, smelled, or tasted can be a trigger is brought to realization and how different techniques, such as thought-stopping, visualization, and meditation, can stop the craving is explained. The topic of addiction was covered thoroughly with these videos.