Another study brings good news about adolescents and 12 step recovery: Results The proportion attending 12-step meetings was relatively low across follow-up (24 to 29%), but more frequent attendance was independently associated with greater abstinence in concurrent and, to a lesser extent, lagged models. An 8-item composite measure of 12-step involvement did not enhance outcomes … Continue reading Youth Recovery Contexts
Tag: Substance abuse
Only 2.6% of welfare applicants test positive
Not surprisingly, drug testing of welfare recipients does not confirm the assumptions of supporters: Of the 4,086 applicants who scheduled drug tests while the law was enforced, 108 people, or 2.6 percent, failed, most often testing positive for marijuana. About 40 people scheduled tests but canceled them, according to the Department of Children and Families, … Continue reading Only 2.6% of welfare applicants test positive
Why we can’t agree
The Obama administration just released their annual drug control strategy report and all the headlines say it emphasizes treatment over incarceration. Sounds great, but the stories are short on details. Others, from the Drug Policy Alliance are dismissing it as more of the same. More of the same? Really? I think Obama's safely within the … Continue reading Why we can’t agree
Dry run
Recovery lessons from training for a marathon: I had set myself up for marathon success: I had a cohort of supporters, I followed the training rules, I hydrated for fear of splitting headaches, I had my guilt-inducing early morning car pool in place, and I had faith in the coaches. And yet, when it came … Continue reading Dry run
Memory ‘trick’ relieves drug cravings
We've previously posted about the use of medications like propranolol to interfere with memory reconsolidation and reduce the power of addicts' neurological triggers to get high. Chinese researchers are experimenting with non-pharmaceutical approaches to using memory reconsolidation to reduce craving: Addicts tend to associate a drug's effects with drug-taking equipment and a certain environment, which can make … Continue reading Memory ‘trick’ relieves drug cravings
Twelve-Step attendance trajectories over 7 years among adolescents
More evidence for the benefits of 12 step facilitation for adolescents: Results of multivariate logistic GEE models indicated that adolescents with continued 12-Step attendance had better outcomes over time, whereas those in the early but not continued group had no different long-term outcomes compared to those in the low/no attendance group. A problem, of course, … Continue reading Twelve-Step attendance trajectories over 7 years among adolescents
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?
Everyone, from Yale to jail
Greater Good has a nice piece on the benefits of helping others in addiction recovery: In recent years, a growing body of research has found that helping others brings measurable physical and psychological benefits to the helper. Building on this work, Pagano is exploring the particular and sometimes surprising benefits of altruism for people battling alcoholism and … Continue reading Everyone, from Yale to jail
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
Even more on the DSM-V
The Fix follows up on the previous piece about the coming changes in the DSM-V. The writer captures my concerns: I don’t foresee any negative results from dropping those two misguided terms. (abuse and dependence) But what does concern me is the fact that rather than still having two separate and distinct conditions—one, a short-term, … Continue reading Even more on the DSM-V
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