Article archive / October 1, 2010
Originally published: . Volume 2, No. 2. Source pages: 13, 14.
At LSU’s Anxiety & Addictive Behaviors Clinic (AABC), Dr. Julia (Julie) Buckner and her team integrate state-of-the-art assessments and treatments, with cutting edge research. The AABC was founded by Dr. Buckner, and is a specialty clinic within the LSU Psychology Services Center on the Baton Rouge campus.
Dr. Buckner will chair the symposium, “Laboratory Research Applications: Science for the Outside World, from Lab to Clinic to Community,” at the Fall Meeting of the Louisiana Psychological Association Scientific Program, October 23rd in Baton Rouge.
“We specialize in the assessment and treatment of adult anxiety disorders,” Julie explained to the Times, “with a particular emphasis on the co-occurrence of anxiety and substance-related problems.”
Julie, an assistant professor, recently joined the LSU faculty after a series of career steps that led her to specialize in the combination of anxiety and substance use.
After working at New York State Psychiatric Institute’s Anxiety Clinic, she went on to study maternal substance use and children’s mental health, and then cognitive variables related to drinking in a “bar lab” at Yale University. She told the Times, “Given the high rate of co-occurring anxiety and substance use, merging these two interests was a natural next step. My research and clinical work concerns understanding the nature and treatment of adult anxiety disorders, especially when they co- occur with substance use problems.”
She explained that substance use continues to be one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders, with alcohol use the most prevalent and marijuana the most common illicit substance use disorder. A recent survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicated that there is a nationwide increase in substance use that is being driven by an eight percent increase in marijuana use.
In light of growing recognition of the impact of anxiety on substance-related behaviors, SAMHSA asked Julie to chair their expert consensus panel for the “Treatment Improvement Protocol” on Managing Anxiety Symptoms in Early Recovery [working title]. Since May Julie has worked closely with SAMHSA and panel members to write recommendations for best practice assessment and treatment of elevated, subclinical anxiety symptoms among individuals in substance abuse treatment.
At AABC adult clients are assisted with time-limited, cognitive-behavioral treatment in both individual and group formats to help them with the interplay of the two conditions. “Many of our clients have struggled with anxiety and/or substance-related problems for many years,” Julie noted, “and often enter therapy very hopeless about whether they will ever experience symptom relief. One of the most rewarding outcomes for me then, is watching these clients experience symptom relief and improved functioning as a result of treatment.”
Improvements come in many forms Julie explained. “Individuals with social anxiety who have avoided social activities not only experience improvements in their social support systems—they start dating, make new friends, achieve closer relationships with existing support networks—but oftentimes will start engaging in more physical activities, as their fear of negative evaluation decreases.”
“We see similar improvements in health among our clients with substance use disorders who often begin to exercise more as a result of symptom relief.” She added, “Similarly, we know there is a strong relationship between sleep and anxiety and substance use, and we explicitly attend to problematic sleeping behaviors when clients report difficulties with sleep.”
In addition to providing clinical services the AABC is also committed to research that refines existing treatments, discovers risk and resilience factors, and helps clients avoid relapse and improve faster. Clients of the AABC are asked to partici- pate in a confidential research study to better understand mechanisms of treat- ment and outcomes.
For example, Julie’s team is examining how laboratory induced anxiety affects physiological reactivity and craving for marijuana. Part of this study involves examining how those adults with and those without social anxiety disorder respond differently.
“We are also currently testing the utility of a one session MI [motivational interviewing] intervention to explore and resolve ambivalence about seeking treatment for social anxiety among non-treatment seekers with social anxiety disorder,” she said. “In a separate study we are striving to identify the optimal dose of MI for LSU students that have been referred to our clinic for marijuana treatment by the Dean of Academic Affairs.”
Julie and her research team produce a steady flow of scholarly contributions. When the Times requested a recent in-press article, Julie asked, "…which one?" She has 12 in-press at this time, with over 50 publications, including peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters, and a book. Her team includes doctoral students who work in both the treatment and the research areas. For example, Julie and Anthony Ecker, an LSU doctoral student, have authored, “Mental health problems and interest in marijuana treatment among marijuana-using college students,” in Addictive Behaviors. LSU graduate student Jose Silgado and Julie have in press “Marijuana craving during a public speaking challenge: understanding marijuana use vulnerability among women and those with social anxiety disorder” in J. of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry. Julie and LSU graduate student Steve Proctor have in press “Cocaine dependence and anxiety sensitivity among patients presenting for residential drug use treatment” in J. of Cognitive Psychotherapy.
Dr. Buckner received her doctoral degree form Florida State University, where she served as the assistant director of the Anxiety and Behavioral Health Research Laboratory. She completed her clinical internship in the Division of Substance Abuse at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Dr. Buckner can be reached at jbuckner@lsu.edu. Go to Anxiety & Addictive Behaviors Laboratory website go to www.lsu.edu/psychology/aabc/.
Photos courtesy of AABC Dr. Julia Buckner (center) during Anxiety and Addictive Behaviors Team clinical supervision with LSU graduate student therapists (L to R) Jose Silgado, Megan Apperson, Magda Kulesza, & Melissa Munson. Dr. Buckner will chair one of the symposiums at the LPA Fall Conference.
The AABC and research team members left to right: (top) Jose Silgado, Anthony Ecker, Steven Proctor, Joe Deschamps, Katelyn Gros, (bottom) Rebecca Graham, Rachel Chatham, Tina Hoang, Dr. Julia Buckner, Emily Carlson, Emily Wilson, and Brittany Melvin. Photo courtesy of AABC
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