Oversimplifying Addiction and Treatment?
British actor and comedian Russell Brand recently spoke with Oprah Winfrey on her show and discussed addiction. Brand said he had been sober for 11 years, and that he was …
Measuring Outcomes for Recovery
Chances are likely that you’ve come across different websites and programs claiming certain success rates for their rehab centers. The truth is that very few of them, if any, accurately …
Finding an Outlet After an Addiction
One component not often talked about in recovery is the basic urge to have an outlet to direct energy toward. The old saying “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” definitely …
How Drug Interventions Can Be Successful
Let’s face it, not everyone who becomes addicted to alcohol or other drugs is immediately ready to receive help. In fact, very few substance abusers will ask for that type …
Changing the Mindset of Addiction Treatment
Much of the success, or lack thereof, in the addiction treatment field thus far has been a combination of the intent of the individual being treated as well as the …
Treating Addiction as a Chronic Disease
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that treating addiction with chronic care management may not be as effective as once thought. Researchers followed …
Key Symptoms of Drug Withdrawal
Going through detox for any drug is a monumental task, especially when someone’s life is falling apart around them. It is not rare for people who suffer from a substance use disorder to recover and fail to repeat the cycle. Chronic relapse is so common because recovery usually means experiencing the pain of withdrawal symptoms.…
Rates of Relapse in Drug Addiction Recovery
Substance use disorders are like any other chronic illness that afflicts the body: treatment is not a cure, requiring long-term work. A person who is in drug addiction recovery is at risk of relapse during treatment, and in fact, this is often a normal part of the process. Other chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer,…
Why AA Doesn’t Work for Everyone
Some people love the camaraderie that AA offers and believe that their long-term sobriety depends on going to AA meetings for the rest of their life. Other people find AA meetings depressing or monotonous, and the thought of having to go to meetings forever is horrifying.
New Government Data Points to Sharp Increase in Overdose Deaths
The number of Americans dying from drug overdoses rose sharply in the first quarter of the year, putting the country on track for setting a new record for annual overdose deaths. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people in general and addiction services more specifically is also playing a role.