Tag: Substance use disorder

Eliminating Inequities 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 Inequities for Black Mothers With Substance Use Disorder

The Hollow Villain: How Stigma Distracts Us from Action 

~ Alexandra Plante

In the world of addiction, “stigma” often gets cast as the ultimate villain—the big bad wolf of public health narratives. It’s the term we throw around when we talk about shame, isolation, and the barriers people face when seeking treatment. The problem with the term stigma is that it's broad and elusive, seeming to apply … Continue reading The Hollow Villain: How Stigma Distracts Us from Action 

From the Sidelines to Center Stage: Harm Reduction’s Entry into the Continuum of Care

~ Alexandra Plante

There is a private club, known only as the “Substance Use Continuum of Care.” Membership in the club is by invitation only, and all addiction interventions in the club are legal and have federal funding. You want to be in the club, but like with any exclusive club, there are rules for members and strings … Continue reading From the Sidelines to Center Stage: Harm Reduction’s Entry into the Continuum of Care

2022’s #5 post: “None of them will ever get better”

~ Dr David McCartney

Therapeutic nihilism “None of them will ever get better”, the addiction doctor said to me of her patients, “As soon as you accept that, this job gets easier.” This caution was given to me in a packed MAT (medication assisted treatment) clinic during my visit to a different city from the one I work in … Continue reading 2022’s #5 post: “None of them will ever get better”

Diagnosing ADHD in detox?

~ Jason Schwartz ~ 3 Comments

Unreal. Someone's got an awful lot of faith in their diagnostic skills. Diagnosing ADHD with addicts in a detox unit? Really? And, now that it's published, it's "evidence". Rates of undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in London drug and alcohol detoxification units Background ADHD is a common childhood onset mental health disorder that persists into … Continue reading Diagnosing ADHD in detox?