I'm reposting this to supplement Monday's post on retiring the concept of "deaths of despair." Zeynep Tufecki's analysis of the damage to public trust from misleading public health messaging during the pandemic reminded me of this post. She describes problems of omission, misrepresentation of confidence levels in information, a desire to be a counterforce to … Continue reading Follow the science . . .
Tag: Substance dependence
Time to retire “deaths of despair”?
Source: Data Behind Americans’ Waning Trust in Institutions. The Pew Charitable Trusts. Addiction recently posted an editorial suggesting that professionals and media stop using the term "deaths of despair" because it's inaccurate, it conflates different problems, and it contributes to misunderstandings about the causes and solutions. The term ‘deaths of despair’ collates deaths caused by substance poisoning, suicide … Continue reading Time to retire “deaths of despair”?
2022’s #7 post: Addiction: the whole family gets to play
Addiction isn't a spectator sport; eventually the whole family gets to play. Despite this, the impact of addiction on the wider family is seldom considered in studies. This is not okay.
Addiction: the whole family gets to play
Addiction isn't a spectator sport; eventually the whole family gets to play. Despite this, the impact of addiction on the wider family is seldom considered in studies. This is not okay.
Response to Why Addiction is NOT a Brain Disease
This post was originally published in 2012 and is part of an ongoing review of past posts about the conceptual boundaries of addiction and its relationship to the disease model and recovery. In a thoughtful post, Marc Lewis questions the disease model of addiction. He doesn't dismiss it out of hand. He seems to look … Continue reading Response to Why Addiction is NOT a Brain Disease
Addiction in animation
An oddly affecting video from Studio Filmbilder that captures some of the elements of substance dependence that will strike a chord with many. https://youtu.be/HUngLgGRJpo
“narrative truth”
This reminded me of something from Bill White. At the heart of Perry’s argument — in line with neurologist Oliver Sacks’s recent meditation on memory and how “narrative truth,” rather than “historical truth,” shapes our impression of the world — is the recognition that stories make us human and learning to reframe our interpretations of reality is key to our experience … Continue reading “narrative truth”
“Recovery High” a Respite for Young Addicts
Maybe this is a better way to address pediatric addiction? Called The Bridge Way School, the specialized high school in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia focuses on getting teenagers back on track with their education and lives after exiting rehab. It is the only school of its kind in the region – one of only … Continue reading “Recovery High” a Respite for Young Addicts
Pediatric use of buprenorphine
Drugfree.org has a piece advocating more use of buprenorphine with children. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid dependence is a science-based and proven-effective option for teens and young adults. It should be administered with age appropriate psychosocial therapy and drug testing. Unfortunately, it has been subject to controversy and stigma. Yet the neuroscience of addiction and … Continue reading Pediatric use of buprenorphine
we can heal
Jennifer Matesa has a new piece up at the recently reincarnated The Fix. It's a response to the recent NY Times series on Suboxone and goes directly after the underlying assumption and its implications for her. Reckitt can get away with convincing doctors that addicts need to be maintained on Suboxone because—as the Times story … Continue reading we can heal