Residential rehab for drug and alcohol problems is a long-established treatment. Recent research has added to the evidence base. In this article, Dr David McCartney passes on the lessons learned from rehab at LEAP, taken from evaluation, research and experience.
Author: Dr David McCartney
Addiction Medicine Specialist
Why are you not drinking? Alcohol and Advertising
‘I notice you’re not drinking, David’, she said. It was more of a question than an observation, but I didn’t answer. We were in an upmarket restaurant having a meal with our professional peer group celebrating the successful delivery of a teaching course on addiction treatment. My colleague, a fellow addiction specialist (not a current … Continue reading Why are you not drinking? Alcohol and Advertising
Hot topics in addiction and recovery
What were the hot topics, burning themes and searing subjects in addiction recovery in 2022? I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the talking points on Recovery Review in 2022. Although the writers are very different people and we span the Atlantic, all of the contributors to Recovery Review have a … Continue reading Hot topics in addiction and recovery
2022’s #1 post: Is rehab effective? The results are in.
This summary of the research evidence provides verification that “that residential rehabilitation is associated with improvements across a variety of outcomes relating to substance use, health and quality of life”. Rehab is linked to improvements in mental health, offending, social engagement, employment, reduction in substance use and abstinence. There is little research that compares rehab with other treatments delivered in the community, but where there is, the evidence suggests that “residential treatment produces more positive outcomes in relation to substance use than other treatment modalities.” The review also suggests that rehab can be more cost-effective over time than other treatments
2022’s #4 post: Polarisation, tension and hostility: just another day in the field of addictions.
Someone relatively new to the substance use disorder area asked me recently why I thought there was so much division and hostility in the addiction and recovery field, compared to other parts of health and social care. Do we really have more conflict than in some other healthcare areas? There are strongly held positions which … Continue reading 2022’s #4 post: Polarisation, tension and hostility: just another day in the field of addictions.
2022’s #5 post: “None of them will ever get better”
Therapeutic nihilism “None of them will ever get better”, the addiction doctor said to me of her patients, “As soon as you accept that, this job gets easier.” This caution was given to me in a packed MAT (medication assisted treatment) clinic during my visit to a different city from the one I work in … Continue reading 2022’s #5 post: “None of them will ever get better”
2022’s #6 post: Three things about recovery that are really worth knowing
1. Hope matters in recovery I’ve been musing a bit recently on the place of hope in addiction treatment and in recovery journeys. Researchers from the USA[1] identified that hope, although recognised as essential for recovery, was not well researched in terms of how it helps recovery progress. They used validated tools (questionnaires) to assess hope … Continue reading 2022’s #6 post: Three things about recovery that are really worth knowing
2022’s #7 post: Addiction: the whole family gets to play
Addiction isn't a spectator sport; eventually the whole family gets to play. Despite this, the impact of addiction on the wider family is seldom considered in studies. This is not okay.
Peer recovery support: a bridge to hope and healing
Good human relationships and social connections are potent protections against both physical and mental ill health. In an analysis[1] involving hundreds of thousands of people researchers looked to see to what extent social relationships influenced the risk of death. They found that those who had stronger relationships were 50% less likely to die early. Loneliness and … Continue reading Peer recovery support: a bridge to hope and healing
Double standards in addiction treatment?
Addiction to alcohol or other drugs is not always easy to recover from. However, there are many pathways to recovery, including through treatment. One group of patients does far better than most other groups. In fact, their results are so impressive that many commentators have urged us to learn from what’s different about their treatment … Continue reading Double standards in addiction treatment?
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