What happens after completion of rehab is critical to successful, long-term recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction. As many as 40% to 60% of patients treated for alcohol or another chemical dependency go back to using their drug(s) of choice within a year after treatment, for example, according to the physician-authored, clinical information resource…
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This is the third in a five-part series on “Finding Addiction Treatment That Works.” Read “Part One” and “Part Two.“ Finding addiction treatment that works — “evidence-based treatment” — requires knowing what medical interventions you cannot do without. Addiction, after all, is a “primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry,” according…
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Surviving your first-year post-rehab can sound as daunting as playing Minecraft for the very first time … without a manual … and in a foreign language. You’re spending much of your time moving, disassembling and putting back together big chunks of your life, like arranging cubic building blocks on a screen. And if the sand,…
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Roughly 23 million American adults will struggle with a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. That’s almost ten percent of the population! Sadly, of those 23 million people 75% reported not having received any help at all. Some people grow out of their addictions, some are able to help themselves, and…
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The opioid crisis continues to expand into suburbs and more affluent areas, and now we’ve started to hear the message that “addiction doesn’t discriminate.” The statement is meant to showcase that addiction can affect people regardless of economic status, to change the way we view those struggling with addiction. On the one hand, this…
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New evidence from a team of American scientists indicates that teenage alcohol consumers may drink alone as a consequence of negative emotional states and an associated inability to resist alcohol intake. So, why do teenagers drink alone? Compared to people who drink in social settings with others, adults and teenagers who consume alcohol on their…
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Cigarette smoking and use of other tobacco products is comparatively high among members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and poses a major health risk to LGBT individuals. Relatively little time and money has been devoted to studying LGBT health issues, and the studies…
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Eating disorders have always affected young people in large numbers. However, the average age of onset has been getting still lower in recent years. The number of girls aged 15-19 with anorexia nervosa has increased every decade since 1930, and more and more pre-adolescents are also developing eating disorders. If you’re a parent, you may…
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Have you ever wondered, “When alcohol causes insomnia, is suicide more likely?” Unfortunately, we have the answer. Alcohol consumers affected by insomnia have increased chances of contemplating suicide or attempting suicide, according to recent findings from a team of American researchers. Doctors and researchers know that people who habitually drink alcohol in significant amounts have…
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Living with a love addict isn’t easy. Your partner may have a lot of unrealistic expectations of you. She may be too needy or obsessed with romance. Maybe she spends more time with her romance novels and romantic movies than with you. The challenges of living with and loving a love addict are serious, but…
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