Attitudes toward Drugs/Alcohol and Anxiety: Concepts, Definitions, and Theoretical Perspectives

Abstract

This paper synthesizes concepts, definitions, and theories explaining how attitudes toward drugs and alcohol intersect with anxiety across historical, cultural, and educational contexts. Attitudes are framed as multidimensional (cognitive–affective–behavioral) evaluations that shape intentions and behavior, consistent with foundational models such as the Theory of Planned Behavior. Physiological accounts of addiction (e.g., dopaminergic reinforcement) are integrated with psychological perspectives emphasizing stress relief, expectancy effects, and perceived control over anxiety states. Historically shifting norms and culturally embedded scripts organize when substance use is deemed acceptable, while contemporary social environments—peers, families, and institutions—amplify or constrain use through explicit and implicit pressures. Demographic variation (age, gender, socioeconomic status) moderates both attitudes and risk pathways, with adolescence highlighted as a sensitive period linking social anxiety, sensation seeking, and outcome expectancies to early initiation. Media and social media are identified as powerful norm setters that glamorize or problematize use, influencing implicit associations and prevention receptivity. Methodologically, the paper underscores the complementarity of quantitative surveys and qualitative inquiry, anchored by strict ethical safeguards. Educational implications include school-based prevention, peer-led coping skills, and anxiety-focused cognitive–behavioral strategies that recalibrate beliefs, reduce rumination, and strengthen distress tolerance. Policy sections call for balanced regulation and public health initiatives that align communication, enforcement, and community partnerships. Future research priorities include longitudinal designs that trace attitude formation in formative years, mechanisms linking trauma, anxiety sensitivity, and substance use, and the optimization of interventions within educational systems.

Keywords: attitudes, substance use, anxiety, theory of planned behavior, peer pressure, media influence, preventive education.