How full do you want your recovery to be?

Bill White on the importance of primary care: The Philadelphia survey goes beyond affirming the significant prevalence of recovery in the general population to provide a detailed profile of the health of people in recovery.  The results are sobering.  People in recovery, compared to citizens not in recovery, are twice as likely to describe their … Continue reading How full do you want your recovery to be?

What good is religion?

Sigfried Gold on what religion and 12 step fellowships get right: The work of self-transformation can be done through psychotherapy, religious practice, reading self-help books, independent resolutions and intentions, consulting coaches, gurus, psychics, body healers, mind healers and faith healers of all stripes. People come to the work of self-transformation in moments of despair, moments … Continue reading What good is religion?

As the ACA expands coverage for addiction, can the system deliver?

The AP recently ran an article looking at the horizon for addition treatment under the Affordable Care Act expansion in insurance coverage: The surge in patients is expected to push a marginal part of the health care system out of church basements and into the mainstream of medical care. Already, the prospect of more paying patients … Continue reading As the ACA expands coverage for addiction, can the system deliver?

If it wasn’t rational, they wouldn’t be doing it

Ugh. The NY Times has another column promoting a rational addiction model. "When they were given an alternative to crack, they made rational economic decisions.” ... When methamphetamine replaced crack as the great drug scourge in the United States, Dr. Hart brought meth addicts into his laboratory for similar experiments — and the results showed … Continue reading If it wasn’t rational, they wouldn’t be doing it

Addressing reality with a health-oriented approach

We know how to crackdown -- but we seem ignorant when it comes to what to do with all those addicted people we've "cracked down" on. You may thwart them with your database at the pharmacy, but they're still addicted. Now what? Abuse-deterrent formulations of drugs and prescription drug take-back days are well and good, but … Continue reading Addressing reality with a health-oriented approach

Feds won’t challenge states with marijuana legalization

This is big news. And, I think it's good news. The Obama administration on Thursday said it will not stand in the way of Colorado, Washington and other states where voters have supported legalizing marijuana either for medical or recreational use, as long as those states maintain strict rules involving distribution of the drug. In … Continue reading Feds won’t challenge states with marijuana legalization