This article got me thinking about the bigotry of low expectations and the importance of continuing to assert that every addict should be offered treatment services that provide a path to full recovery, not just symptom or harm reduction. If it's not suicide or drug overdoses doing the killing in psychiatric patients after all, how … Continue reading “looking past these behaviors”
Category: Mental Health
For Depression Treatment, Meditation Might Rival Medication – Forbes
A new study finds mindfulness meditation to be an effective treatment for depression: On the list of ways in which meditation appears to benefit the brain, depression treatment may be the latest to gain scientific backing. A new review study, out yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine, finds that … Continue reading For Depression Treatment, Meditation Might Rival Medication – Forbes
Stephanie Brown Interview on Addictions and Psychotherapy
Stephanie Brown on object attachment in addiction and recovery: RW: Is this what people refer to as hitting bottom, or surrendering somehow? SB: That's the first experience - to hit bottom, to surrender, and to reach outside the self. So people seek help, they go to 12-steps. They then shift their object attachment from alcohol … Continue reading Stephanie Brown Interview on Addictions and Psychotherapy
What are teens hoping to feel when they self-harm?
This isn't about addiction, but self-harm is not unusual in the addicts we serve. A common motivation teenagers give is that non-suicidal self-harm provides a way to escape unpleasant thoughts and emotions. Another motive, little explored before now, is that self-harm is a way to deliberately provoke a particular desired feeling or sensation. … Continue reading What are teens hoping to feel when they self-harm?
Could ADHD Meds Promote Future Cocaine Use?
Boston University recently posted a series on their own addiction research. One examined whether there is a relationship between taking ADHD meds and future cocaine use. The results of Kantak’s research could present a dual cautionary tale for adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. “If they’re an adolescent getting a stimulant medication, and they’re properly … Continue reading Could ADHD Meds Promote Future Cocaine Use?
Want to be grateful? Remember to remember.
“Choose [your memories] carefully. Memories are all we end up with … You’ll have a thousand pasts and no future.” –The Secret Behind Their Eyes (film) Robert Emmons summarizes research on gratitude and reviews the impact of it at a social level. He closes with thoughts on cultivating it at an individual level. Gratitude, at least … Continue reading Want to be grateful? Remember to remember.
Make a Gratitude Adjustment
A good article on the relationship between gratitude and happiness. A psychology professor at the University of Michigan, Peterson regularly gave his students an unusual homework assignment. He asked them to write a "gratitude letter," a kind of belated thank-you note to someone in their lives. Studies show such letters provide long-lasting mood boosts to … Continue reading Make a Gratitude Adjustment
Sentences to ponder
After controlling for all factors, adults exposed to parental addiction had 69% higher odds of depression compared to their peers with non-addicted parents (OR=1.69; 95% CI, 1.25-2.28). The relationship between parental addictions and depression did not vary by gender. - The long arm of parental addictions - PubMed - NCBI
DSM 5 Substance Use Disorders: A Concise Summary
Terry Gorski has a nice summary of substance use disorders in the DSM-5. Here's his analysis at the end of the post: The DSM 5 is criticized for combining the the DSM IV categories of substance dependence (addiction marked by a pattern of compulsive use or loss of control) and substance abuse disorders (using in … Continue reading DSM 5 Substance Use Disorders: A Concise Summary
Sentences to ponder
Nearly one-third of U.S. veterans who are given psychiatric medications by their doctors do not have a diagnosed mental health problem Many vets given psychiatric drugs without diagnosis | Reuters Related articles Many Vets Given Psychiatric Drugs without Diagnosis (nlm.nih.gov) 30% of Vets Given Psych Drugs Have no Diagnosis (madinamerica.com) When "Psychiatric Survivors" Think They … Continue reading Sentences to ponder
Recovery Review 