Substance Abuse / Addiction

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c5212

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Is there a job field of psych specifically for substance abuse / addiction - if so, what type of program(s) would you need to enroll in to be a psychologist specializing in substance abuse?
 
Many of us in doctoral programs programs specialize in substance abuse/addiction, though we all receive generalist training.

There are certifications and I believe master's programs that are specific to substance abuse counseling if that is what you are looking for. I don't know what you mean by "job field". There are plenty of jobs out there related to substance abuse, ranging from running groups at a local community clinic for almost no money, on up to director of NIDA/NIAAA and everything in between. What exactly are you looking to do, what kind of qualifications do you have, what kind of qualifications are you willing to get, and how much are you expecting to make?
 
Is there a job field of psych specifically for substance abuse / addiction - if so, what type of program(s) would you need to enroll in to be a psychologist specializing in substance abuse?
The most common route is for someone to be trained in a generalist model in a counseling or clinical psychology program, and then pursue specific training and supervision in substance abuse/addiction. Some people have research interests in this area, so they tie in that work too.

As for where to practice....substance abuse comes up in all settings, it just depends in you want that to be a primary focus.
 
...what kind of qualifications are you willing to get...
Sorry, should have been more specific. I was asking about substance abuse in relation to doctoral programs- if there are specific programs geared towards substance abuse or if you need to go through a general doctoral program and then seek further training in substance abuse---therapist4chnge gave a pretty good answer though
 
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Ahhh, okay.

Every doctoral program should contain some training in substance use/addiction. Some more than others. Many programs allow you to "focus" your training. For instance, pretty much all of my research will involve various aspects of addiction, on topics ranging from policy, to treatment research, to cognitive processes in addiction, to the neurobiology of withdrawal. I suspect around 50% or more of my total clinical hours will also involve working with substance use disorders. You can further specialize in post-doc.

This is a pretty typical training model for doctoral programs, and most programs will have at least one person who specializes in the area so opportunities are plentiful.
 
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