Resilience to meet the challenge of addiction: Psychobiology and clinical considerations

Acute and chronic stress-related mechanisms play an important role in thedevelopment of addiction and its chronic, relapsing nature. Multisystem adaptations inbrain, body, behavioral, and social function may contribute to a dysregulatedphysiological state that is maintained beyond the homeostatic range. In addition,chronic abuse of substances leads to an altered set point across multiple systems.Resilience can be defined as the absence of psychopathology despite exposure tohigh stress and reflects a person's ability to cope successfully in the face of adversity,demonstrating adaptive psychological and physiological stress responses. The study ofresilience can be approached by examining interindividual stress responsibility atmultiple phenotypic levels, ranging from psychological differences in the way peoplecope with stress to differences in neurochemical or neural circuitry function. Theultimate goal of such research is the development of strategies and interventions toenhance resilience and coping in the face of stress and prevent the onset of addictionproblems or relapse.