Choosing not to drink can be difficult – not because a person necessarily has trouble not drinking, but rather it’s because of the prodding, probing questions of peers, friends and family, such as: “Why aren’t you drinking?” “Come on, just have a beer.” “Let me pour you a glass of wine – one can’t hurt… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: April 2011
Seven Kinds of Power
The following is a guest post by Steve Hauptman, LCSW, and therapist practicing in Mount Sinai, New York. Steven is a Gestaltist and leader of Interactive Therapy groups and is currently writing a book titled, The Illusion of Control. Steve also writes Monkeytraps, a blog devoted to the oldest human addiction: control. He can be… Continue Reading
“Where Are the Cocoa Puffs?” A Story of Bipolar Disorder
As you know, I often write about dual diagnosis (co-occurring disorders — having both a mental health illness and an addiction), as well as the fact that mental illness is one of the five key risk factors for developing an addiction (whether it’s to drugs or alcohol). [The other four are childhood trauma, social environment,… Continue Reading
May 3 – National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
by Lisa Frederiksen Mental illness is one of the key risk factors for developing a substance abuse problem and/or addiction. One of the contributing factors to a child developing a mental illness is the chaos that can reign (often a subtle, quiet chaos, by the way) in a family where there is undiagnosed, undiscussed, untreated… Continue Reading
Monitoring the Future Study Highlights Simplified in Infographic
The following infographic was brought to my attention by Robyn Schelenz, Home Health Testing, with this introduction: After the most recent National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded Monitoring the Future study overview came out late last year, we decided to convert the data from the study into infographic form. Dr. Lloyd Johnston, the Principal… Continue Reading
The Brain Can Change When Substance Abuse is Stopped
Knowing the brain can change when substance abuse is stopped can be a huge motivator for some who struggle with their substance abuse, as well as for those who love them. I was re-reading NIDA’s free booklet, “The Science of Addiction” (revised 2010 and linked below), and want to share one of the images contained… Continue Reading
Is the Addict In Your Life Crying for Help?
The following is a guest post by Kelli Athas, a certified national drug and alcohol interventionist, and co-founder of Intercept Interventions, a program which helps families through the intervention process. Kelli is also a highly sought after drug and alcohol recovery expert and works with courts, child protection services’ case managers, and school administrators to… Continue Reading