There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to addiction treatment. People’s needs vary. They depend on the severity and type of addiction problem, on the support available from family, friends and others, and on the person’s motivation to change. Just as people’s needs vary, so too does the help available. Meeting with a trained counsellor for […]
Addiction Medicines
Addiction medicines are seen as aids and tools for clinical treatment and to be prescribed to patients as part of a treatment plan that integrates the use of medications with good clinical behavioral treatment. NaltrexoneFor alcohol abusers: Naltrexone, marketed since 1994 is the first medication since antabuse that has been approved for the treatment of […]
Path to Recovery
The belief that you can change is the key to change. Addictions are really no different from other behaviors—believing you can change encourages commitment to the process and enhances the likelihood of success. For many, this seems to be a conflicting message when compared with the AA’s message of being powerless over the addiction, and […]
What About Medication ?
The use of Medication-Assisted-Treatment when addressing addiction issues appears to provoke a great deal of attention. There has been no consensus even within the recovering community about the role of use of medication in recovery. There seem to be a general acceptance of medications for the treatment of chronic medical conditions, excluding addiction and psychiatric issues. […]
Length of Addiction
When families are dealing with a loved one who is locked into addiction they naturally want to know how long the insanity is going to last before the person decides to get help. The truth is, some alcoholics and addicts never do seek help, but for those who do, years can go by before they […]
Quitting Drinking for Good
Overcoming an addiction to alcohol can be a long and bumpy road. At times, it may even feel impossible. But it’s not. If you’re ready to stop drinking and willing to get the support you need, you can recover from alcoholism and alcohol abuse—no matter how bad the addiction or how powerless you feel. Recovery […]
Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment
Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment More than three decades of scientific research show that treatment can help drug-addicted individuals stop drug use, avoid relapse and successfully recover their lives. Based on this research, 13 fundamental principles that characterize effective drug abuse treatment have been developed. These principles are detailed in National Institute on Drug Abuse; […]
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)? It is a way of talking about: how you think about yourself, the world and other people how what you do affects your thoughts and feelings. CBT can help you to change how you think (‘Cognitive’) and what you do (‘Behaviour’). These changes can help you to feel better. […]
Addiction: Nobody Changes a Habit in Just 30 Days
Addiction Affects Millions of Americans Many people suffer from severe addictions that can ruin lives and are extremely difficult to control. Nearly 2 million enter roughly 12,000 addiction treatment programs each year (…). Adi Jaffe is completing his Ph.D. in psychology at UCLA, where he specializes in addiction issues. A former drug addict who spent […]
Relapse Prevention
A Relapse: Why Falling Off the Wagon Isn’t Fatal ? A great relapse story: The cover of the January issue of O magazine says it all: “How Did I Let This Happen Again?” A photo of Oprah Winfrey at her current weight of 200 lb. is juxtaposed with an image of her formerly slender self. […]
Self-Help for Drinking Too Much
Are you questioning your drinking patterns, and wondering if your use of alcohol is problematic? It is not easy to recognize a drinking problem in yourself. This article may help you: recognize your drinking patterns& determine how much alcohol you consume identify a concern (if there is a reason to be concerned) make a decision […]
Alcoholism & Health Problems
Alcoholism & Nutritional Deficiency Alcoholics suffer from a treatable, chronic disease in which their bodies are dependent on alcohol. Excessive alcohol intake inflames the lining of the stomach and interferes with vitamin absorption. Vitamin and nutritional deficiency can lead to serious problems and should be supplemented in alcoholics to prevent short-term and long-term complications. Individuals […]
Addiction Treatment
Addiction Treatment Approaches Pharmacotherapies Alcohol Addiction Treatment Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors that are involved in the rewarding effects of drinking and the craving for alcohol. It reduces relapse to heavy drinking, defined as four or more drinks per day for women and five or more for men. Naltrexone cuts relapse risk during the first 3 […]
Interveening with Your Teen
You don’t need to be scared off by the word “intervention.” An intervention can be as simple as a conversation in which you express your concern to someone about his or her drug use – it is not an attack on that person, and it doesn’t always need to be followed by rehab. The point […]
Codependent or Not ?
Living and dealing with a drug addict can be devastating. There’s no easy way to find out, no way to soften the blow. Deciding how to proceed with your friendship or relationship with someone who is addicted to drugs and alcohol is tricky, and it often feels like all the pressure is on you to […]
Why go to Rehab?
1. Going to rehab can literally save your life. It should be no secret to anyone that many addicts and alcoholics are teetering on the brink of death due to their disease. Treatment can literally save their life in some cases. But of course the truth runs much deeper than that, and in fact, treatment […]
Living With an Addict
Addiction is a devastating disease that affects not just the addict, but the loved ones as well. It is a painful experience that can have long-lasting emotional, behavioral and financial consequences. Here are some tips for living and dealing with a person who’s addicted to drugs: Take care of yourself. Dealing with a drug addict […]
Addiction Family Therapy Models
Looking at Addictions Family Therapy through an Existential Lens: The idea of treating family members and loved ones who have been impacted by other people’s addictions is a relatively new concept. Family members only started receiving help with the creation of Al-anon (originally known as the A.A. Auxilary) in 1951. Even with the development of […]