New drugs and polydrug use: Implications for clinical psychology

In the study of drug addiction, polydrug use is a complex phenomenon. Drug addiction research needs to be done by experts who have accurate knowledge of the effects of new substances and their interaction (which is difficult also for the toxicologist, given the variety of synthetic molecules recently introduced), the personal meanings linked to the use, and new contexts related to polydrug abuse. Biochemistry, pharmacology, but also psychology, sociology, and anthropology are the involved in the study of polydrug use. What makes it difficult the network within experts (that is necessary in the equip group, and also in the collaboration between the public service, community service and psychotherapy) is the ability to refer to various professional skills and competences, recognizing the limits of their own knowledge and not superimposing one of the expertise over others, what happens for example considering the medical intervention, or considering the use or cessation of the substance use as a criterion of effectiveness of other not medical interventions. This theoretical paper aims to present a new conceptualization of drug use, which complements that of "drug-addiction.” We will identify this different perspective using the term "toxico-philia."