For more click on link: http://www.sciencecodex.com/missing_enzyme_linked_to_drug_addiction-114224
A missing brain enzyme increases concentrations of a protein related to pain-killer addiction, according to an animal study. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
For more click on link: http://www.sciencecodex.com/missing_enzyme_linked_to_drug_addiction-114224
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The Science of YogaSubmitted by JC Peters on July 6, 2012 - 2:40pm
I went to take a friend of mine’s class a while ago, on a full moon. She talked about how humans are made mostly of water, and the moon pulls the tides, so therefore it must have an effect on how we feel. She finished her spiel with this line: “But I’m not a scientist. I’m a yoga teacher.” Not all yoga teachers are known for being very grounded in reality. I know a few who get loopy after a few too many kombuchas, and some who think they are probably aliens. We are not scientists. We are yoga teachers. Yet in recent times, Western science has been catching up to some “hippie” realities and proving us kombucha-swigging aliens true. Well, maybe not about the aliens. The kombucha is definitely good for you. Now I’m going to do the thing where I drop some science on you. Remember that I am a yoga teacher. The Science of YogaSubmitted by JC Peters on July 6, 2012 - 2:40pm cont. reading at http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/blog/jc-peters/science-yoga These drug-free remedies may help you prevent chronic disease and tackle illness--without side effects
Read more: http://www.prevention.com/health/natural-remedies/top-10-prescription-drugs-and-natural-remedies#.T_dlK2XRvn4.facebook#ixzz1zssclKrQ While few of its individual findings will come as much of a surprise to seasoned professionals in the addiction field, a newly issued report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA Columbia) packs a punch in its assault on current substance use treatment practice.
Perhaps the most stinging, if still not stunning, comment in the report is its statement that the medical profession is largely absent from addiction practice and that the counseling professionals who deliver most of the treatment services to patients are often subject to few or no qualification standards. CONT. http://www.addictionpro.com/article/casa-report-decries-quality-addiction-treatment-system?WA_MAILINGLEVEL_CODE=&spMailingID=39399618&spUserID=MTEyMDkxNzA1OAS2&spJobID=148516852&spReportId=MTQ4NTE2ODUyS0 The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA Columbia) released a report on addictions today that is remarkably comprehensive and even more remarkably honest in portraying the virtually utter failure to identify and effectively treat addiction in the U.S.
CONT. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-i-sederer-md/casa-addiction-report_b_1622978.html 1. Being in the presence of drugs or alcohol, drug or alcohol users, or places where you used or bought chemicals.
2. Feelings we perceive as negative, particularly anger; also sadness, loneliness, guilt, fear, and anxiety. 3. Positive feelings that make you want to celebrate. 4. Boredom. 5. Getting high on any drug. 6. Physical pain. 7. Listening to war stories and just dwelling on getting high. 8. Suddenly having a lot of cash. 9. Using prescription drugs that can get you high even if you use them properly. 10. Believing that you no longer have to worry (complacent). That is, that you are no longer stimulated to crave drugs/alcohol by any of the above situations, or by anything else – and therefore maybe it’s safe for you to use occasionally. This question — asked so often — suggests that there is actually a plausible answer. Almost as if our being were a fixed thing. People who ask this sort of question are typically struggling with their identity and are searching for a core sense of themselves. The irony is that the more you seek to identify who you are, the more fragile you are likely to feel about yourself. There may be an inverse correlation between the question being asked and the ease with which you experience your life. The emphasis shouldn’t be on discovering who you are (what is buried beneath) but on facilitating the emergence of what you’d like to experience.
cont. reading at http://blog.melschwartz.com/2010/06/03/who-am-i/?utm_source=Who+Am+I%3F&utm_campaign=Constant+Contact&utm_medium=email For most people new to recovery, the first 18 months following addiction treatment are critical to building lasting sobriety. With an emphasis on recovery coaching, monitoring, verification reports and even drug testing, Hazelden’s new post-treatment program, Hazelden Connection, offers additional recovery support and services during that decisive 18-month period.
Addiction is a chronic disease with relapse rates similar to rates for diabetes, hypertension and asthma, explains Janelle Wesloh, executive director of recovery management for Hazelden. "What this means for Hazelden patients is that getting sober is their first step. Learning how to stay sober is a lifelong journey. We start patients off with the web-based MORE® program to begin their transition from treatment, but many people need more intensive support and attention. And, with the right level of care and support, we know that the likelihood of long-term sobriety increases greatly." Hazelden alumni already have access to a variety of continuing care resources and services through the online MORE program, continuing care groups, recovery-sensitive mental health services, sober residences and outpatient programs. The new program leverages and consolidates these important resources and more under the direction of a Hazelden Connection coach. "Hazelden Connection does for the average person what intensive monitoring and diversion programs of boards and licensing agencies do for health care professionals, pilots and lawyers," explains Wesloh. "And people who are under the guidance of a licensing board post-treatment have excellent outcomes. Providing first-rate addiction treatment is a given at Hazelden, says Richard Choate, manager of recovery support and the former supervisor of the Simpson Unit on Hazelden’s Center City campus. "Now we are looking beyond the treatment experience and providing guidance and support as people transition out of care. We want to be there for them as they’re moving out from Hazelden’s cocoon of care and support. If they stumble, we can help them get back on track. We can intervene quickly. That’s critical." Hazelden Connection extends the continuum of care beyond treatment, using protocols and techniques developed from time-tested recovery management methodologies. Coaches are keyThe main role of the Hazelden Connection coach is to be an advocate for recovery. This starts with an initial meeting during treatment to align the newly recovering person, the family, the treatment counselor and the Hazelden Connection coach. This team provides the foundation of support and accountability during the critical early months of recovery. An individualized continuing care plan, developed by Hazelden’s interdisciplinary treatment team, informs and guides the work of the Hazelden Connection recovery coach. In addition to ongoing communication with the person in recovery, the Hazelden Connection coach meets with other parties, including family, employers or school administrators, as appropriate. Telephone-based communication begins the first week post-discharge and gradually decreases in frequency over the 18-month program. Contact sessions include ongoing screening of individual needs and intervention for emerging issues, with solution-focused coaching to address the person’s current level of action toward recovery goals. The family receives coaching in tandem, gaining the education, access to resources and guidance they need to understand and support their loved one’s recovery. In addition to monitoring the newly recovering individual, the coach compiles monthly verification reports that are sent to key stakeholders including the participant, family, and other contacts such as the legal system or employer. This intensive level of post-treatment support and assistance is ideal for people who need additional encouragement and accountability, such as those facing legal issues, custody matters, or loss of their professional license; people who’ve been in treatment multiple times; and students who are returning to college. "We are excited to extend Hazelden’s reach of hope and help in this whole new way," adds Wesloh. Published in the Voice, Spring 2011 There seems to be a growing a trend that addiction is all about the cravings, and if you focus on reducing an addict’s cravings then the addiction will be essentially cured. This is a natural assumption, but understanding addiction will clarify this misnomer. The reason an addict is addicted to chemicals (alcohol, etc.) and seemingly can’t live without them is that they usually felt bad prior to having substances in their body. They have never felt as good as the average, non-addicted person.
As mentioned, they have what Blum identified as the Reward Deficiency Syndrome. This syndrome causes their mind to develop an operating system that is more self-centered than the average person, because they simply can’t experience satisfaction, appreciation and gratitude. Mood altering substances temporarily and artificially correct this abnormality. 12-step and faith-based programs also correct the Reward Deficiency Syndrome. Unfortunately, addicts will despise the notion of any constructive group involvement on an on-going basis. In contrast, they are comfortable in social setting that support the use of substances as a way of life. Many times addicts have one or more other disorders in addition to their addiction. These are called co-morbidities and frequently include: depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, obsessionality, and panic attacks. These comorbid issues create obstacles to an addict’s recovery. For example, it is challenging to be present in treatment or recovery groups while suffering with these issues. Understanding addiction means acknowledging the reason for an addict’s intense resistance to effective addiction treatment, especially if it is on-going such as participating in a 12-step or faith-based program. Intervention always triggers an intense fight or flight response. Since an addict views substances with the same importance as air, water and food, an effective treatment will evoke a intense survival reaction. Aftercare Definition - From National Library of Medicine & SAMSHA
Aftercare, or continuing care, is the stage following discharge, when the client no longer requires services at the intensity required during primary treatment. A client is able to function using a self-directed plan, which includes minimal interaction with a counselor. Counselor interaction takes on a monitoring function. Clients continue to reorient their behavior to the ongoing reality of a pro-social, sober lifestyle. Aftercare can occur in a variety of settings, such as periodic outpatient aftercare, relapse/recovery groups, 12-Step and self-help groups, and halfway houses. Whether individuals completed primary treatment in a residential or outpatient program, they have at least some of the skills to maintain sobriety and begin work on remediating various areas of their lives. Work is intrapersonal and interpersonal as well as environmental. Areas that relate to environmental issues, such as vocational rehabilitation, finding employment, and securing safe housing, fall within the purview of case management. Because case managers interact with the client in the community, they are in a unique position to see the results of work being done in aftercare groups and provide perspective about the client's functioning in the community. Recent findings suggest that the case management relationship may be as valuable to the client during this phase of recovery as that with the addictions counselor (Siegal et al., 1997; Godley et al., 1994). Aftercare is important in completing treatment both from a funding standpoint (many funders refuse to pay for aftercare services), as well as from the client's perspective. |
AuthorTimothy Harrington is passionate about sharing information with people on ways to strengthen the link between treatment and long-term recovery. Archives
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