It’s funny how the same old hysterical drug myths refuse to die. Back in 1992 former editor of the Journal Addiction Research & Theory John Booth Davies described the persistent tale of pushers and helpless addicts: “At the present moment, the standard line taken by a majority of people in the media, in treatment agencies,… Continue reading What Stephen Colbert got wrong about the opioid crisis.
Category: Culture
19 ugly truths about addiction and recovery that nobody wants to look at.
Some people really fall for the whole thing, hook, line, and sinker, and that leads to a lot of unnecessary pain. But here’s what’s really going on with addiction, treatment, and recovery – they are social constructs that are killing us: The entire concept of addiction – a state in which people are involuntarily using… Continue reading 19 ugly truths about addiction and recovery that nobody wants to look at.
Intervention Promises More Addiction Misinformation in 2017
90% of people with addiction are not getting treatment, and that needs to change – according to a new promo for A&Es long running show Intervention. It’s ironic that they’re coming out with this messaging now, because it’s exactly the message I’ve been fighting this year. See their promo below: I was tapped to give… Continue reading Intervention Promises More Addiction Misinformation in 2017
The Disease Propaganda Never Stops. Or, yes it is being screamed from the rooftops.
Commenters to this site claim the disease debate doesn’t matter, and some even say that no one is pushing the disease model of addiction. The most basic review of the news shows that the push for the disease model of addiction is still going strong. It obviously matters to someone.
A few ways society can reduce opiate overdoses
With the recent overdose death of beloved actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in the news, this is a good time to discuss the causes of such tragedies. First and foremost, overdoses happen because people use drugs. People use drugs because they like the way the drugs make them feel. These facts will never change, so there… Continue reading A few ways society can reduce opiate overdoses
Matthew Perry Wrong About Addiction and Alcoholism in Debate With Peter Hitchens on BBC
The recent debate between Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing from “Friends”) and Peter Hitchens about the nature of addiction and alcoholism on BBC’s Newsnight was utterly painful and sad to watch. Matthew Perry was there to push a drug court initiative, but shortly into the debate Hitchens called the idea that people can’t stop taking drugs… Continue reading Matthew Perry Wrong About Addiction and Alcoholism in Debate With Peter Hitchens on BBC
The Misguided Obsession with Heroin / Opiate Maintenance Drugs (Suboxone, Subutex, Buprenorphine, Methadone)
Two fairly recent stories discussing Suboxone / Buprenorphine have me shaking my head. In one, a pregnant woman who had already quit using opiates was punished for refusing to take Suboxone. In another, it is claimed that Glee actor Cory Monteith wouldn’t have died from overdose, if only he had been prescribed some sort of… Continue reading The Misguided Obsession with Heroin / Opiate Maintenance Drugs (Suboxone, Subutex, Buprenorphine, Methadone)
13th Step Film Needs Your Support
13th Stepping is a term that refers to the act of more experienced 12-step support group members taking advantage of newer, more desperate and impressionable 12-step group attendees – financially, or sexually. At times, it’s been referred to jokingly. I remember a movie with Greg Kinnear and Gary Shandling where they used AA meetings as… Continue reading 13th Step Film Needs Your Support
What Marc Maron Taught Me about Medical Malpractice
Slate.com recently featured an article by Yale Psychiatry resident physician Arjune Rama in which he interviewed comedian Marc Maron (host of the populare WTF podcast) about addiction, titled What Marc Maron Taught Me About Addiction. However, it seemed more like Maron was interviewing the doctor: Slate: A big problem for psychiatrists when it comes to understanding… Continue reading What Marc Maron Taught Me about Medical Malpractice
Alcoholics Anonymous Allergy Model Madness Displayed by Jane Velez-Mitchell
Jane Velez-Mitchell spews garbage recovery advice about eating foods that contain alcohol, or using any products that contain alcohol, and their supposed ability to trigger relapse. Jane identifies as a recovering alcoholic and consumption addict.