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The persistent difficulty in conceptualizing the relationship between addictive and other mental disorders stands out among the many challenges faced by the field of Psychiatry. The different philosophies and schools of thought about, and the sheer complexity of these highly prevalent clinical conditions make progress inherently difficult, not to mention the profusion of competing and sometimes contradictory terms that unnecessarily exacerbate the challenge. The lack of a standardized term adds confusion, fuels stigma, and contributes to a “wrong door syndrome” that captures the difficulty of not only diagnosing but also treating addictive and other mental disorders in an integrated manner. The World Association on Dual Disorders (WADD) proposes the adoption of the term “Dual Disorder” which, while still arbitrary, would help harmonize various clinical and research efforts by rallying around a single, more accurate, and less stigmatizing designation.

RESUMENEl craving, ganas compulsivas, deseo intenso o compulsión irrefrenable a consumir es uno de los síntomas centrales en el síndrome de dependencia y de gran importancia en las recaídas al abuso de alcohol u otras drogas. El presente trabajo revisa la relación entre la atención, los procesos atencionales y el fenómeno del craving. Se abordan los diferentes elementos integrantes de la atención y en particular de la relevancia de la atención selectiva sobre el craving y las etapas iniciales de la recaída. Se revisan las estrategias psicológicas eficaces frente al craving, en especial en el modelo cognitivo conductual de la recaída y en la terapia de prevención de recaídas. Finalmente, se discuten las características de la denominada terapia atencional, basada en el "mindfulness" o "atención consciente" y su potencial utilidad en el abordaje de los trastornos adictivos en general y en el craving en concreto. Palabras clave: craving, atención, atención selectiva, prevención de recaídas, mindfulness.Atención y craving o ganas compulsivas. Avances en su conceptualización y su implicación en la prevención de recaídas Jesús Blasco*; José Martínez-raga*, **; eMelia carrasco***; Javier DiDia-attas**** ABSTRACTIrresistible compulsion to use, or craving, is one of the key symptoms of substance dependence syndrome, and of major relevance with regard to relapse in the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. In the present paper, the relationship between attention, attentional processes and the craving phenomenon is reviewed. The paper also explores the different elements of attention, and particularly the relevance of selective attention in craving and the initial stages of relapse. Those psychological strategies that have emerged as effective in the management of craving for substances are also reviewed, with particular emphasis on the cognitive-behavioral model of relapse and on relapse-prevention therapy. Finally, we discuss the characteristics of so-called attentional therapy, based on mindfulness, and its potential effectiveness in the management of addictive disorders in general and of craving in particular.