Addiction is a vexing challenge in our society. One it is prudent to look at what is not being spoken about, perhaps with as much or more focus than what is getting attention. Where are the proverbial elephants in the room?  Cerebral Hypoxia and related brain injury associated with overdoses is one of those elephants … Continue reading 2023’s #10 Post: Cerebral Hypoxia & the “Opioid Epidemic” – An Elephant in the Room

Disclaimer:  nothing in this post should be taken or held as clinical instruction, clinical supervision, or advisory concerning patient care.  In Part 1 of this topic from the field I addressed the problem of treatment plans that seem to reflect the counselor more than the patient.  In doing so, I described some ways to assess … Continue reading Topic from the field:  A problem with treatment plans. Part 2 – Some considerations toward improved treatment planning

Disclaimer:  nothing in this post should be taken or held as clinical instruction, clinical supervision, or advisory concerning patient care.  A colleague in the field submitted a specific problem related to treatment plans for me to comment on here at Recovery Review. “What's the specific issue?”, I asked.  They replied, “When treatment plans are individualized … Continue reading Topic from the field:  A problem with treatment plans

(Credit: Fred Murphy) A friend shared this interview with Susan Stellin and Graham MacIndoe with me yesterday. Susan and Graham do a lot of public education about addiction and drug problems, including their traveling exhibition Reframing Recovery. It's rare to hear a lengthy discussion that communicates such sincere respect for both recovery and harm reduction. … Continue reading The Politicization of Harm Reduction

Each of us have qualities that seem relatively stable over our lifespan, while other aspects seem to come and go.  Some of our more stable qualities are personality factors.  Examples of personality factors include how outgoing we are, a tendency to see the glass as “half-empty”, and our propensity for risk-taking behaviors.  There are many … Continue reading Comments on the Practical Use of Personality

Recently, I did a podcast with Jeffrey Quamme of the Connecticut Certification Board on the piece below and why we need to stop saying recovery from addiction is Possible or Expected in America. The piece that was posted here on Recovery Review on October 12, 2023 and is clipped below.  It was a great discussion … Continue reading Recovery is __________ Scope of Practice Podcast with the Connecticut Certification Board

"The beauty and the tragedy of the modern world is that it eliminates many situations that require people to demonstrate a commitment to the collective good.” ― Sebastian Junger, Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging Structures of healing and circles of recovery support have long been built on shifting sands, necessitating deep foundations. We have had … Continue reading Establishing a Recovery Community Bedrock of Mutual Interest to Build a Future On

This considers only the economic burden to others associated with the legal, regulated drug -- alcohol: Our cost estimates suggest that the burden to others from drinking is of the same general magnitude as the burden that drinkers impose on themselves and on response agencies serving them. This distinguishes alcohol from tobacco, where the burden … Continue reading Beyond the Drinker: Alcohol’s Hidden Costs

The majority of the population prefer the certainty of irrational conviction to the uncertainty of logical doubt. (Anonymous). Payte, J. T. (1997). Methadone Maintenance Treatment: The First Thirty Years. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 29(2): 149-153. DOI: 10.1080/02791072.1997.10400182