Until recent years, co-occurring disorders were considered to be a rare case. Addiction and alcoholism, more formally referred to as alcohol use or substance use disorder, were treated as an isolated problem. Some might refer to the debate as the “chicken and the egg”. People assumed that the chicken and the egg were different- meaning...Read More

As the supporting loved ones of someone in need of going to treatment, it can be frustrating to hear their excuses which don’t make sense. We know that their lives are at stake, yet their priorities seem to be elsewhere. Here are two common excuses for not going ot treatment and the way to counter...Read More

The signs of progress are sometimes obvious and sometimes subtle. For those watching and supporting your journey, your changes will be more evident. For you, it might be more difficult to tell where you’re really progressing. Here are some of the less obvious signs of progress in addiction treatment. There Is Far Less Ego Addiction...Read More

The western world has undergone dramatic, revolutionary changes regarding drugs and addiction—specifically by way of placing greater emphasis on treating addiction rather than imprisoning those whose only real crime was developing this debilitating mental health disorder. In the United States, we have seen the damage done by draconian drug policies that disproportionately affect the lives...Read More

In a perfect world, science would provide a remedy to cure addiction outright. With millions of people suffering from a substance use disorder (SUD), and an exponentially greater number of people affected by their loved one’s condition, a cure-all would save society much heartache. Perhaps one day scientists will be able to find the missing...Read More

Suboxone is a drug that is used for treating addiction, specifically opioid use disorder. The drug is prescribed by doctors both inside addiction treatment facilities and outside at primary care offices. In recent years, in the wake of the American opioid addiction epidemic, there have been concerns about the number of doctors prescribing the drug....Read More

When you were growing up, there is a good chance that your parents rewarded you for good behaviors. Such rewards would reinforce your desire to continue the same pattern in the future. Completed chores were probably rewarded with an allowance and following directions were likely rewarded with your parents exhibiting greater trust in your ability...Read More

The fight to provide access to substance use disorder treatment centers continues across the country. The need to expand such access has been driven in large part by the American opioid epidemic. Without addiction treatment, the chances of long-term recovery are significantly diminished. Treatment centers provide a safe environment, closed from the realms of influences...Read More

Last week, the U.S. Congress approved the 21st Century Cures Act, which, among other things, aims to tackle the American opioid epidemic. The bill calls for $1 billion in funding for expanding access to addiction treatment centers across the country and strengthening existing mental health parity laws. While there are several critics of the Cures...Read More

The new year is knocking on the door and it is time to see if opioid addiction legislation has the desired effect in 2017. You are probably aware of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), a dense piece of legislation that was written to address the most serious drug epidemic in our history. It...Read More