Do Certain People Prefer Certain Drugs?
Columns - Research to Practice
Written by Mike Taleff, PhD, CSAC, MAC   
Friday, 04 January 2008
As long I as I have been in this field, I have heard claims that certain types of people seem to like certain types of drugs. You hear this in staff meetings, workshops, books, and even at coffee after 12-Step meetings. But, is any of it true? And, what does this mean for treatment?
To answer that question, we need to first look at a basic set of personality parameters that might prefer one drug over another. The research on which this column is based (Feldman, et al., 2007) used the personality types developed by Hans Eysenck (1957, 1967), who theorized humans can be extraverts, introverts, or basically neurotic, among others.

Eysenck suggested that extraverts, those who direct their attention outward, are most often in a low cortical state of arousal and are easily bored. One could, therefore, infer that this type would look for stimulation, such as stimulating drugs. Introverts, who direct their attention inward, are generally high in cortical arousal (thinking and pondering a lot) and would seek depressants in order to bring down the higher arousal they constantly feel. Lastly, those in neuroticism would tend to constantly be anxious, worried, and often have low self-esteem. Because of these feelings, they tend to disengage from others and their environment. It is inferred that they would seek drugs of comfort and escape.



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