Addiction Treatment
Wiping Memories to Treat Addiction
A professor and director of research at Cambridge University has completed research that could lead to a dramatic new method of addiction treatment: targeting and eliminating memories related to addiction.
Professor Barry Everitt, one of three winners of the 25th annual Neuronal Plasticity Prize of the Fondation Ipsen, recently revealed his research targeting the memory plasticity of rodents and its effect on their addictive substance use. Much of Everitt’s career as a behavioral neuroscientist has been directed toward understanding how learning and memory relate to addictive drug use. Full Story
Buprenorphine/Naloxone Effective in Opioid Addicts With Co-Occurring Disorders
Buprenorphine and naloxone are two medications often used together to help individuals recovering from an addiction to opioid drugs or medications. A significant number of the people affected by an opioid addiction also have diagnosable problems stemming from a serious mental health issue such as major depression, bipolar disorder or an anxiety disorder. In a study published in March 2014 in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, researchers from five U.S. institutions sought to determine if the buprenorphine-naloxone combination still produces treatment benefits in recovering prescription opioid addicts also affected by a co-existing mental health problem.
Counselor’s Approach Key to Success of Brief Motivational Interviewing
Brief motivational interviewing (also known as brief motivational intervention or motivational enhancement therapy) is a form of counseling designed to help at-risk people recognize their substance problems and make the decision to enter an appropriate treatment program. The technique has established benefits for individuals with alcohol-related problems, nicotine/tobacco-related problems and marijuana-related problems. In a study published in June 2014 in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, a team of American and Swiss researchers investigated the impact that the professional conducting a brief motivational interview has on the success of the approach among young adults who are at-risk for drinking problems.
Helping Family and Friends Understand Addiction and Recovery
Most people, unless they are addicts in recovery, have no real framework for understanding addiction and recovery. To them, eating and drinking are simply normal parts of life. There is no obsession or compulsion related to them. Thus it is often difficult for the family of an addict to understand what the addict is going through. The family may be well intentioned and may desire to be helpful, but their lack of experience with addiction means their attempts may not only be unhelpful, but even harmful. Full Story
Shame Is No Good for Recovery
Shame is a feeling that addicts know well. Sometimes the shame is connected to one particular event. Maybe you drank too much at a family wedding and made a fool of yourself. The next day, you feel overwhelmed by embarrassment and shame and vow never to do that again. Or maybe your shame runs deeper. Society takes a pretty low view of drug addicts and alcoholics. No matter how much new research tells us about addiction and the biological, neurological, and genetic connections, we shame addicts. Full Story
Effective Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorders
Alcohol use disorder affects many aspects of life. Those who struggle to overcome an alcohol addiction may experience a deterioration of their professional achievements, social and family relationships and financial goals. A compulsion to drink soon overrides all other responsibilities and the risk of negative consequences do not deter the addiction. Full Story
Coping With Chronic Pain After Drug Rehab
Chronic pain is that pain or discomfort which continues after a normally anticipated period of pain response. Chronic pain can run the gamut from mildly uncomfortable to nearly paralyzing and everywhere in between. According to a report from the Institute of Medicine in 2011, close to 116 million U.S. adults are currently living with some form of chronic pain. Full Story
Experts Say Self-Control and Self-Awareness Critical to Addicts’ Recovery
For recovering addicts, celebrating at parties or having pills in your possession may seem to be a sign of control to the addict. Experts say, most likely it is a mark of weakness that may lead to a dangerous or deadly outcome. Full Story
New iHeal Technology Can Help Recovering Addicts Beat Cravings
Drug or alcohol treatment is highly effective in helping recovering addicts during their clinical stay period, yet many patients struggle with drug cravings and relapse following their treatment due to lack of continual clinical monitoring. Full Story
Negative Thoughts Can Inhibit Addiction Recovery
At some point in time we have all doubted ourselves. Whether it’s that we think we’re impatient, not smart enough or not pretty enough, it’s all negative self beliefs and negative self talk. Full Story