National Conference on Addiction Disorders

The NAADAC, the association for addiction professionals, just wrapped up its first annual National Conference on Addiction Disorders (NCAD).  The conference took place in Washington DC from Sept 8-11th, included 800 attendees, nearly one hundred exhibitors, and included a full schedule of seminars.  So what’s the news to come out of this event?  Nothing.  I… Continue reading National Conference on Addiction Disorders

Dramatic Increase in Substance Abuse Among Older Americans

I found this story about substance abuse in older americans today: Dramatic Increase in Substance Abuse Among Older Americans The article focuses on a new report being released by SAMHSA today, which shows that substance abuse among people aged 50 and older has more than doubled between 1992 and 2008.  This is the key part… Continue reading Dramatic Increase in Substance Abuse Among Older Americans

Does Teen Drug Rehab Cure Addiction or Create It?

Time magazine actually published an insightful article on the plight of teens in rehab, back in July.  They’re saying something I’ve been personally telling people for years: if you send your kid to rehab after catching him experimenting with drugs, you’ll turn him into a full fledged substance abuser.  Here are some excerpts from the… Continue reading Does Teen Drug Rehab Cure Addiction or Create It?

Everyone Has A Disorder!

The psychiatric world is full of absurdity, like this gem.  Neuroskeptic reports on a recent British Journal of Psychiatry article in which a new and less stringent category of Personality Disorder, called Personality Difficulties, is recommended as an addition to DSM-V (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual vol 5, to be published by the American Psychological Association,… Continue reading Everyone Has A Disorder!

Different Methods Work For Different People. Or Do They?

A reader recently chastised me about denigrating the conventional recovery methods (see my response here), but they also went on to say: Different people find their solutions in different ways and it really doesn’t matter what rehab method they use, if it works for them then it is effective. I’ve heard this many times, and… Continue reading Different Methods Work For Different People. Or Do They?

The Bonkers Institute On Addiction

The Bonkers Institute is a website that makes fun of junk science and intellectual absurdity.  If you’re really nerdy about your disdain for the disease theory of addiction, check out this post: Addictive Properties of Shiitake Sesame Vinaigrette

Comedian Hannibal Buress Takes It One Day At A Time

I saw a performance by SNL writer Hannibal Buress tonight, and he had a funny bit about a famous AA slogan (to paraphrase): People get so cliche when they’re going through shit.  They say ‘well I’m just taking things one day at a time right now’.  Yeah, of course you are, that’s how time works.… Continue reading Comedian Hannibal Buress Takes It One Day At A Time