Behavioral addictions, substance abuse disorders explored at School of Social Work's upcoming Edith Harris lecture

Matthew Owen Howard, a national expert on behavioral addictions and substance use disorders, will deliver the Wayne State School of Social Work's annual Edith Harris lecture on Nov. 6. The lecture will examine causes and conceptualizations of dependencies that range from commonplace to quite unusual.

The word "addiction" is frequently associated with alcohol, cigarettes, cocaine and other drugs, however research has increasingly sought to explain the compulsive nature of behaviors. Shopping, tanning, exercise, sex, gambling, the Internet and like activities can spin out of control, interfering with health, relationships, and work responsibilities. Howard, who is the Daniels Distinguished Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has blazed trails in this area of research with more than 260 peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, and governmental reports, as well as three research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"Dr. Howard brings a social work lens and a comprehensive view to addiction research and the identification of best practices," said Cheryl Waites, dean of the Wayne State School of Social Work. "It's critical to take this wide-ranging view of the problem of addiction in today's society."

Howard, who in 2014 was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and a Fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research, will describe the best available tools for assessing and diagnosing behavioral addictions as well as psychosocial and pharmacological treatments. He will also describe recent developments for identifying and treating chemical dependencies. The lecture will look at "bath salts," synthetic marijuana, prescription drug abuse, heroin overdose deaths and other examples of abuse that have caught national attention through media reports.

The Edith Harris lecture will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Community Arts Auditorium on the university's main campus. This free event is open to the public, faculty, staff, students and alumni, and is approved by the Michigan Social Work Continuing Education Collaborative for two CE Clock Hours for a $10 fee with no pre-registration required. If you are a faculty member and interested in tracking your student's attendance at the lecture, a sign-process for students is available. For more information on this and other lecture related details, contact Lauree Emery at 313-577-9348 or ab7097@wayne.edu.