Author Archive
Announcement: The Evolution of Addiction Intervention
An Interview with Board Certified Interventionist Roger Canevari
Announcement: 10 Tell-Tale Signs Someone Needs an Addiction Intervention
Most people at some point in their lives discover someone they love or work with has a problem with alcohol or drugs. Public health experts estimate 1 in 10 people has a substance abuse problem, so it is unlikely you will never meet someone who needs addiction treatment. And chances are some of those people need an intervention. How do you know if an addiction intervention is the right next step for your family?
Announcement: How to Do an Alcohol Intervention on a High-Functioning Alcoholic
We suggest you first read “How to Recognize a High-Functioning Alcoholic” to help you eliminate any denial or soft-pedaling by family members. The high-functioning alcoholic can be one of the most difficult to do an intervention on because denial is so strong.
Families often proceed with an alcohol intervention when the alcoholic has really done significant damage, such as been arrest for DUIs, ended up in the hospital, been in a car wreck, or has completely ruined their financial, professional, and family lives. Full Story
Do Young Problem Drinkers Respond to Motivational Interviewing?
Motivational interviewing is a counseling technique designed to (among other things) increase the willingness of people with significant alcohol problems to seek help for their excessive, dysfunctional alcohol intake. Current evidence supports the usefulness of this technique for adults affected by problematic drinking behaviors. In a study review published in August 2014 in The Cochrane Library, researchers from the United Kingdom’s Oxford Brookes University assessed the usefulness of motivational interviewing for teenagers and young adults who consume alcohol in dangerous ways. The researchers concluded that the technique may produce a substantially smaller benefit for people in these younger age groups. Full Story
College Alcohol Consumption Reduced With Interventions
Most college students drink alcohol on a regular basis, and public health officials are well aware that college drinking leads to serious harms for hundreds of thousands of people each year. In a large-scale review published in 2014 in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, researchers from two U.S. institutions assessed the effectiveness of the various interventions used to curb alcohol consumption among college freshmen. These researchers concluded that no one type of alcohol intervention has a universal impact on all students; still, many specific types of intervention do successfully address key aspects of the problem, either on their own or in combination with other interventions. Full Story
Detecting Teen Alcohol and Drug Addiction
Adolescence is full of a multitude of challenges for both teens and their parents. One of the biggest challenges parents may have to face is that their teen could end up with a problem with addiction. Whether the substance being abused is alcohol, nicotine, prescription drugs or street drugs, addiction is a real threat in the lives of young people. Full Story
Does Substance Treatment Reduce Violence in People With Dual Diagnosis?
Dual diagnosis is a serious health condition characterized by overlapping symptoms of substance abuse/addiction and at least one other diagnosable mental health problem. Many people in the U.S. dealing with substance issues meet the criteria for this condition, and subsequently have worse mental/physical outcomes than others who do not meet the criteria. In a study published in November-December 2014 in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, researchers from three U.S. universities concluded that effective treatment of substance problems in people with dual diagnosis may lead to a decline in violent/aggressive behavior, a phenomenon linked to several forms of mental illness. Full Story
Alcohol Ads Have Little Impact on Consumption
Despite growing concern about the effect of alcohol advertising and regulatory changes prohibiting the ads in some places, a new study has suggested that there is little, if any, overall impact of alcohol advertising on how much Americans drink. The research showed that while advertising affects the type of alcohol consumed or the brand chosen, more advertising doesn’t directly lead to more drinking. The authors suggest that moves to ban advertising may not accomplish their intended goal of reducing drinking, and they instead argue that providing information on the risks of alcohol consumption is a more logical approach to cutting down on America’s drinking. Full Story
Emergency Room Good Place for Alcohol Interventions
Brief alcohol interventions are short sessions that doctors and other health professionals use to identify people affected by serious drinking problems or at risk for such problems, and also to encourage a switch to safer patterns of alcohol intake. Current evidence indicates that these interventions have a positive effect in a number of settings. In a study published in September 2014 in the journal Substance Abuse, a team of American researchers explored the usefulness of brief alcohol interventions given to young people receiving treatment in an emergency room. Full Story
How Do Public Health Officials Track Substance Use and Substance-Related Problems?
Public health officials and the general public have a vital interest in tracking how many teens and adults use substances of abuse, as well as how many substance users develop serious problems with abuse or addiction. In the U.S., the most broad-based statistics on these topics commonly come from three ongoing, nationwide federal projects called Monitoring the Future, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Monitoring the Future tracks information on middle school and high school students enrolled in three specific grades, while the Youth Risk Behavior Survey tracks information on students in all four grades of high school. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health tracks information on all American adults, as well as on children age 12 or older. Full Story
Need Help Finding an Intervention Specialist?
We can refer you to an experienced interventionist who can help you help your loved one.
The Addiction Primer: Everything You Need to Know to Get Help for a Loved One
A very inexpensive yet indispensable guide for anyone struggling with a loved one's addiction. Chapters on intervention, what to expect from rehab, and information on how addiction impacts the family.
