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There are 11 modules in this course
Many people around the world struggle with substance use disorders and addictive behaviors. You might know someone, possibly a family member or close friend, who is currently dealing with one of these problems. This course provides a review of common substance use disorders associated with the use of common depressants, opioids, stimulants, hallucinogens, dissociative drugs, and inhalants. Because they share many of the same characteristics, addictive behaviors, such as gambling and gaming disorders, are covered. In addition, the course discusses the diagnostic criteria, demographics, contributing factors, and treatments for each disorder.
This module introduces you to your PsycLearn Essentials course. Find out what’s included in this course and how to navigate the modules and lessons. You’ll also learn valuable study tips for successful learning.
What's included
1 video7 readings
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 2 minutes
A Welcome Video From Your Instructor•2 minutes
7 readings•Total 28 minutes
Welcome to PsycLearn Essentials•3 minutes
Survey: What Would You Like to See Next?•2 minutes
How to Earn Certificates•2 minutes
What’s in Your Course•5 minutes
Study Tips for Success in PsycLearn Essentials•5 minutes
Additional Information•10 minutes
Representation in Research•1 minute
Opening to Disorders Due to Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
What's included
1 video8 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 6 minutes
Overview of Disorders Due to Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors •6 minutes
8 readings•Total 54 minutes
Focus of the Course •3 minutes
Classifying Psychopathology•4 minutes
Culture and Psychopathology•4 minutes
Culture and Intersectionality•4 minutes
Culture and Stigma•4 minutes
Introduction to Disorders Due to Substance Use•20 minutes
Introduction to Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviors•5 minutes
Key Takeaways: Opening to Disorders Due to Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 18 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Culture and Disorders Due to Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors•4 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Introduction to Disorders Due to Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors•7 minutes
Module Quiz: Opening to Disorders Due to Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors•7 minutes
Depressants, Alcohol, Cannabis, and Opioids
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
This module describes the substance use disorders involving depressants, alcohol, and cannabis. For each disorder, the diagnostic criteria, prevalence, demographic characteristics, and neurochemical effects on the brain are described.
What's included
1 video9 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 1 minute
Depressants’ Effects on Neurotransmission •1 minute
9 readings•Total 75 minutes
Depressants •3 minutes
Sedatives, Hypnotic, and Anxiolytic Drugs•10 minutes
Alcohol•15 minutes
Cannabis •10 minutes
Opioids•5 minutes
Synthetic Opioids•2 minutes
Endorphins, Opioids, and Neurotransmission•10 minutes
Opioid Use Disorder and the Opioid Crisis•10 minutes
Key Takeaways: Depressants, Alcohol, Cannabis, and Opioids•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 22 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Depressants, Alcohol, and Cannabis •10 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Opioids•4 minutes
Module Quiz: Depressants, Alcohol, Cannabis, and Opioids•8 minutes
Stimulants, Hallucinogens, Dissociative Drugs, and Inhalants
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
This module describes the substance use disorders for stimulants, hallucinogens, dissociative drugs, and inhalants are introduced. For each disorder, the diagnostic criteria, prevalence, demographic characteristics, and neurochemical effects on the brain are described.
What's included
11 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
11 readings•Total 74 minutes
Stimulants •5 minutes
Amphetamines•10 minutes
Cocaine•10 minutes
Nicotine•10 minutes
Caffeine•2 minutes
Stimulants’ Actions in the Brain•2 minutes
Hallucinogenic and Dissociative Drugs•5 minutes
LSD, Psilocybin, and MDMA •5 minutes
Dissociative Drugs•5 minutes
Inhalants•10 minutes
Key Takeaways: Stimulants, Hallucinogens, Dissociative Drugs, and Inhalant•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 19 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Stimulants•5 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Hallucinogens, Dissociative Drugs, and Inhalants•5 minutes
Module Quiz: Stimulants, Hallucinogens, Dissociative Drugs, and Inhalants•9 minutes
Primary contributing factors
Module 5•2 hours to complete
Module details
This module describes the biological, psychological, and sociocultural contributing factors for disorders of substance use.
What's included
1 video9 readings4 assignments
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 4 minutes
Psychological Influences on Substance Use Disorders •4 minutes
9 readings•Total 52 minutes
Biological Contributing Factors to Substance Use Disorders•2 minutes
Heritability of Substance Use Disorders•5 minutes
Epigenetics and Substance Use Disorders•3 minutes
Neurobiology of Substance Use Disorder•10 minutes
Stress and Substance Use Disorders•5 minutes
Comorbidity of Substance Use Disorders and Other Psychological Disorders•2 minutes
Sociocultural Contributors to Substance Use Disorder•10 minutes
Integrating the Contributors: The Developmental Psychopathology Approach•5 minutes
Key Takeaways: Contributing Factors•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 36 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Biological Contributing Factors•12 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Psychological Contributing Factors•4 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Sociocultural Contributing Factors•6 minutes
Module Quiz: Contributing Factors•14 minutes
Treatments
Module 6•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module describes the biological, psychological, and sociocultural treatments for disorders of substance use.
What's included
6 videos17 readings4 assignments
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 14 minutes
Treating Substance Use Disorders with Medication•2 minutes
Medication Can be Used to Treat Substance Use Disorders•2 minutes
Antagonist Drug Effects in the Synapse•2 minutes
Agonist Drug Effects in the Synapse•2 minutes
Principles of Motivational Interviewing •3 minutes
Three Stages of Relapse•3 minutes
17 readings•Total 101 minutes
Biological Treatments for Substance Use Disorders•3 minutes
Antianxiety Medications for Substance Use Disorders•5 minutes
Antidepressant Medications for Substance Use Disorder•5 minutes
Antagonist Drugs for Substance Use Disorders•5 minutes
Agonist Drugs for Substance Use Disorders•3 minutes
Aversion Therapies for Substance Use Disorders•7 minutes
Motivational Interviewing for Substance Use Disorders•3 minutes
Techniques for Motivational Interviewing•5 minutes
Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change for Substance Use Disorders•10 minutes
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Substance Use Disorders•10 minutes
Recovery and Relapse Prevention for Substance Use Disorders•10 minutes
Sociocultural Treatments for Substance Use Disorders•2 minutes
Group Treatments•10 minutes
Centers•3 minutes
Decreased Use and Harm Reduction•7 minutes
Gender- and Culturally-Sensitive Treatment Programs•3 minutes
Key Takeaways: Treatments•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 40 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Biological •5 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Psychological Treatments•11 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Sociocultural Treatments for Substance Use Disorders•5 minutes
Module Quiz: Treatments•19 minutes
Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviors
Module 7•1 hour to complete
Module details
This module describes the diagnostic criteria, contributing factors, and treatments for disorders of addictive behaviors.
What's included
5 readings3 assignments
Show info about module content
5 readings•Total 43 minutes
Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviors•2 minutes
Gambling Disorder•13 minutes
Gaming Disorder•15 minutes
Conclusion: Disorders Due to Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors•3 minutes
Key Takeaways: Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviors•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 19 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Gambling Disorder•4 minutes
Check Your Understanding: Gaming Disorder•5 minutes
Module Quiz: Disorders Due to Addictive Behaviors•10 minutes
Conclusion
Module 8•2 hours to complete
Module details
This final content module brings all of the previous course material together and gives you material to review and questions for you to use to assess your learning.
What's included
32 readings16 assignments
Show info about module content
32 readings•Total 64 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
Key Takeaways•2 minutes
Key Terms•2 minutes
16 assignments•Total 47 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•2 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•2 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•2 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•2 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•2 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•4 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•4 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•5 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Knowledge Check-Up•3 minutes
Cumulative Quiz
Module 9•16 minutes to complete
Module details
This module contains a cumulative quiz.
What's included
1 assignment
Show info about module content
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
Cumulative Quiz: Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors•16 minutes
Course Resources
Module 10•19 minutes to complete
Module details
This module contains a glossary, course references and a list of contributors to the course.
What's included
3 readings
Show info about module content
3 readings•Total 19 minutes
Glossary•15 minutes
References•2 minutes
Contributors•2 minutes
PsycLearn Essentials APA Student Resources
Module 11•19 minutes to complete
Module details
This module provides a variety of information and tools from the American Psychological Association (APA) that will help inspire you as you complete your coursework and plan your career goals. Explore APA resources on various psychological issues and scholarly research and writing; a list of sites providing valuable resources on diversity, equity, and inclusion in psychology education and in the professional community; resources on a career in psychology; and links to career opportunities at the APA.
What's included
8 readings
Show info about module content
8 readings•Total 19 minutes
Introduction to APA Resources•5 minutes
Student Resources•2 minutes
APA Style®, Research, and Writing•2 minutes
Students from Diverse Ethnic, Cultural, and Economic Backgrounds•2 minutes
Psychology Help Center•2 minutes
Psychology Careers•2 minutes
Careers and Internships at APA•2 minutes
Other APA Resources•2 minutes
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APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 146,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members. Its mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
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S
SM
5·
Reviewed on Sep 23, 2025
Relevant information and quick delivery in a comprehensive manner
V
VA
5·
Reviewed on Oct 12, 2025
Good course! A lot of useful and practical information.
J
JM
5·
Reviewed on Jun 11, 2025
This was a comprehensive and useful course. The material was presented logically and was effective at explaining substance use disorders and addictive behaviors.
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