Abolish SAMHSA? On advocacy and criticism

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 2 Comments

I've seen this article shared several times recently. Here's the premise: The incoming Trump administration wants to improve public safety, push back on progressive cultural politics, and cut wasteful federal spending. One way to do all three? Abolish the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the federal mental-health agency. Trump Should Abolish the Federal … Continue reading Abolish SAMHSA? On advocacy and criticism

Relapse and burnout among recovering addiction professionals

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 1 Comment

Some of us intend to do occasional reviews of some of William White's papers. Many of his most important papers are 25 years old, meaning a whole new generation of addiction professionals have entered the workforce since they were published. Further, the volume of his work makes it overwhelming to approach. We will curate and … Continue reading Relapse and burnout among recovering addiction professionals

Recovery Capitalists and the Industries of Dependency

~ billstaufferpa

We are at the 25th anniversary of the new recovery advocacy movement in America. A movement to elevate and expand recovery opportunities nationally. It began as a grassroot community vision that rose up across the county. It envisioned a more cohesive treatment and community-based recovery model. A system to expand beyond the acute and fragmented … Continue reading Recovery Capitalists and the Industries of Dependency

Eliminating Barriers for Black Mothers With Substance Use Disorder

~ Alexandra Plante ~ 2 Comments

Between 2010 and 2017, the U.S. saw a 131% increase in maternal opioid use disorder at delivery. There also was an 83% rise in cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome due to prenatal opioid exposure. Additionally, between 2016 and 2020, there was a 3.6% increase in prenatal substance exposure, including alcohol, with significant variation across states. The rising rates of … Continue reading Eliminating Barriers for Black Mothers With Substance Use Disorder

Proposing Two First-Rank Symptoms of Alcoholism

~ Brian Coon ~ 4 Comments

Jason Schwartz recently posted about the 11 DSM-5 criteria for SUD (APA, 2013).  In doing so he discussed the: category of Substance Use Disorder in the DSM-5 as being too broad to be useful;  ballooning of epidemiological data concerning the incidence and prevalence of addiction based on category errors in context of the DSM-5 SUD … Continue reading Proposing Two First-Rank Symptoms of Alcoholism

Substance Use Disorders – The epidemiological mess more than a decade in the making

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 2 Comments

Yesterday, I posted about the epidemiological crisis being reported regarding an explosion in substance use disorders resulting in increases in untreated SUDs and low rates of problem recognition. (There's been a parallel explosion in recovery prevalence.) All of this was predictable. In fact, we were writing about it here 13 years ago. Despite the foreseeability … Continue reading Substance Use Disorders – The epidemiological mess more than a decade in the making

Substance use disorder sets off a cascade of category errors

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 2 Comments

A recent letter to JAMA analyzes the National Survey of Drug Use and Health regarding the need for treatment: Among 657 583 participants, the prevalence of individuals needing SUD treatment increased from 8.2% in 2013 to 17.1% in 2023. AUD increased from 6.6% to 10.2%, while DUD increased from 2.6% to 9.6%. OUD more than doubled … Continue reading Substance use disorder sets off a cascade of category errors

Low Expectations Yield Low Rates of Recovery from Addiction

~ billstaufferpa ~ 3 Comments

The primary limitation in life is our low expectations for ourselves and others. When we expect minimum results, that's usually what we get.” - John C. Maxwell How are we measuring our war against addiction in the United States? We have one single metric in the arena of public discourse on our progress. The increase … Continue reading Low Expectations Yield Low Rates of Recovery from Addiction

Who calls themselves a “former alumni” and what exactly does that mean?

~ Brian Coon

If someone graduates from an academic degree program then that person is an alumnus of that institution, by definition.  And of course, by definition, the status of being an alumnus is permanent.  But concerning an addiction treatment program, some people might claim they are no longer an alumnus.  At some point in the future they … Continue reading Who calls themselves a “former alumni” and what exactly does that mean?