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Advances in understanding addiction treatment and recovery

Despite our extensive understanding of the effects of addiction on behavior and the underlying neurobiology, knowledge remains limited on how the affected biological systems interact with external environmental factors and across the molecular, cellular, and system levels during the development of and recovery from SUDs. The challenge in identifying successful long-term treatments for SUDs is complex because of various factors. Individual differences in responding to treatments are among the known factors common to all SUDs. These differences are reflected in various ways, including genetic determinants (e.g., sex and other forms of genetic heterogeneity), differences in metabolic responses…

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Featured

 Few doctors know how to treat addiction. A new program aims to change that

A recent comprehensive report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University found that most doctors fail to identify or diagnose substance abuse “or know what to do with patients who present with treatable symptoms.”

Articles of Interest

Why America’s Drug Treatment System Doesn’t Work

Journalist Shoshana Walter investigates how drug addiction programs exploit vulnerable patients.

A radical approach to confronting addiction puts human connection first

In 2015, Jennifer Nicolaisen was working in consulting and getting by some days on just two hours of sleep. She was a 27-year-old statistician in northern Virginia, basking in what she called “rising star energy”—the glow that came from approval from her boss, her clients, and her peers. It was a thrill, she says. She was also downing Adderall and Vyvanse like candy, medications prescribed for her ADHD but also used to maintain a relentless pace of work and life.

Effective Addiction Treatment

Countless people addicted to drugs, alcohol or both have managed to get clean and stay clean with the help of organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous or the thousands of residential and outpatient clinics devoted to treating addiction. But if you have failed one or more times to achieve lasting sobriety after rehab, perhaps after spending tens of thousands of dollars, you’re not alone. And chances are, it’s not your fault.

Norway tries a novel tactic for drug addicts—rehab instead of jail

In the US, almost half of federal prisoners are in jail for crimes related to drugs (pdf); almost a fifth committed their crimes to obtain money for drugs. Norway is trying to take a different approach to the problem.

The Irrationality of Alcoholics Anonymous

Its faith-based 12-step program dominates treatment in the United States. But researchers have debunked central tenets of AA doctrine and found dozens of other treatments more effective.

The Wrong Way to Treat Opioid Addiction

Buprenorphine is one of only two treatments proven to cut the death rate from opioid addiction by half or more. But the programs Mr. Thompson tried viewed abstinence as the only true recovery — even though abstinence treatment has not been shown to reduce mortality and is less effective than medication at preventing relapse. Unfortunately, Mr. Thompson’s experience is more the rule than the exception.

When Relapse Turns Deadly: What You Need to Know About Drug Overdose

It is a sad irony that rehab is life-saving, yet the weeks and months immediately following checkout are among the most vulnerable times in an addict's recovery. It can take up to a year for the areas of the brain responsible for impulse control and emotion regulation to return to normal functioning.

Why Forced Addiction Treatment Fails

To do better, the United States needs more evidence-based treatment. And since the data shows that the best treatment is compassionate and inviting, coercion should be the last resort, not the first.

Resources

SAMHSA’s National Helpline

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.

Addiction Treatment Forum

Addiction Treatment Forum has reported on substance abuse and addiction therapies, research, news, and events of interest to both healthcare professionals and patients since 1992.

The Clean Slate Addiction Site

The addiction treatment industry, along with it's anointed experts and the recovery subculture have made a simple matter extremely complicated. The results of their teachings are disastrous. Addiction rates are edging up, overdoses and alcohol related deaths are skyrocketing, and the people who receive their help end up having higher rates of binge use, overdose, and longer periods of "addictive" use and more "relapses." The Freedom Model for Addictions is the antidote to the mess the recovery...

OverTheCounterDrugAddiction.com

Some addicts may resort to over the counter drugs when trying to quit using their original prescription or illegal drug of choice. These substitutions are part of the cycle of chemical addiction. Substituting over the counter drugs for previous substances of abuse is not the answer. The solution to over the counter drug addiction can be found in a drug rehab treatment center with a proven track record in helping individuals overcome their addictions to OTC drugs.