Bill White responds to a recent article that has gotten a lot of attention by Gene Heyman, a disease model critic. Heyman (and a couple of other recent articles) question whether it's accurate to call addiction a chronic illness. If there is anything that the full scope of modern research on the resolution of AOD problems is … Continue reading A chronic illness?
Tag: Chronic (medicine)
6 sessions of chronic care management for addiction is not effective
JAMA published a study of a primary-care based chronic care management model (CCM) for addiction. The test group did no better than the control group. The headline is a big bummer for any of us who want to see chronic disease models developed and implemented for addiction. What should we make of it? Many headlines … Continue reading 6 sessions of chronic care management for addiction is not effective
Recover from ==> Recovery to
Commenter Web Servant responded to the a recent "Sentence to Ponder" from Bill White about the need to expand the scope of treatment and recovery services that create pathways to natural community supports and adopt a wellness model. His comments seem worthy of a post of their own. The place of treatment in recovery is … Continue reading Recover from ==> Recovery to
Recovery coaches for chronic disease management
We've been talking about talking about peer supports and recovery coaches for more than a decade. The use of para-professionals in the field goes back several decades. Now, a new study evaluates a similar role for enhancing management of other chronic diseases. Disease Management Care Blog provides a little analysis: There is increasing interest in incorporating lay-persons in the outpatient … Continue reading Recovery coaches for chronic disease management
2012’s most popular posts #10 – Almost Alcoholic
This article demonstrates a big problem in understanding addiction and the a big problem in the current diagnostic categories. ...when we think about alcohol abuse or alcoholism, our thoughts often go to situations like this where someone is at a stage where they are doing immediate damage to themselves or others, but what about the stage … Continue reading 2012’s most popular posts #10 – Almost Alcoholic
Non-medical treatments are essential
Love First linked to this article on the role of non-medical interventions in treating addiction. I'm more and more convinced that the key to managing costs and improving outcomes for all chronic diseases are behavioral or lifestyle strategies. We've got a lot to learn about helping people make important changes in their lives that … Continue reading Non-medical treatments are essential
Disease and choice
A NY Times philosophy blogger challenges the hijacked brain metaphor for addiction: It might be tempting to claim that in an addiction scenario, the drugs or behaviors are the hijackers. However, those drugs and behaviors need to be done by the person herself (barring cases in which someone is given drugs and may be made … Continue reading Disease and choice
Almost alcoholic?
This article demonstrates a big problem in understanding addiction and the a big problem in the current diagnostic categories. ...when we think about alcohol abuse or alcoholism, our thoughts often go to situations like this where someone is at a stage where they are doing immediate damage to themselves or others, but what about the … Continue reading Almost alcoholic?
Identity and addiction
The White Noise had a post on identity and addiction. The blogger ends up expressing some discomfort with the way many recovering addicts make their addiction and recovery so central to their identity: I have mixed feelings on AA. I believe in camaraderie and community in times of strain and crisis. I believe in cultivating the … Continue reading Identity and addiction