In the U.S., several classes of mind-altering prescription medications are abused by a small but significant portion of the total population. Examples of the most commonly abused medications include opioid painkillers, stimulants and sedative-hypnotics (also known as tranquilizers). In a study scheduled for publication in 2014 in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, researchers from…
Heavy drinking in functional adults often begins as a way to relax. You need that glass of wine at the end of a long day to unwind, right? The next thing you know it’s two, then three glasses before you can finally feel like yourself again. You start drinking so much that you’re not sleeping…
Cybersex addiction is the term for a condition that shares features of two forms of behavioral addiction — sex addiction and Internet addiction. While there is no agreement on the precise definition of these ailments in the U.S., mounting evidence supports their presence in a small but sizable portion of the general population. In a…
It’s no surprise that an addict’s behavior affects people around her, but did you realize just how much it impacts your family? Whether the addict is a parent, a child, a spouse, a sibling, or an extended relative, the addiction causes serious and lasting changes to everyone involved. If someone in your family is struggling…
As more voters decide to make recreational marijuana legal, its safety naturally comes into question. At the top of the list is the question of addiction. Marijuana has long been considered non-addictive, especially when compared to drugs like heroin or cocaine, but is that really true? You may be surprised to hear that you can…
New findings from a team of American researchers indicate that the strength of a client/therapist bond called the therapeutic alliance significantly impacts the success of treatment for borderline personality disorder. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is often treated with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a form of psychotherapy specifically intended to reduce suicidal behavior in people affected…
Are 12-step programs really effective against alcoholism? Dr. Lance Dodes, a psychiatrist who specializes in treatment for substance abuse, claims most emphatically that they are not. His critique appeared in written form in 2014, in a book he co-authored with his son, freelance writer Zachary Dodes, called The Sober Truth: Debunking the Bad Science Behind…
When it comes to mental illness, sometimes making a diagnosis has to do more with degree than anything else. For example, you and I and everyone around us have good days and not-so-good days. Sometimes we feel bright and capable and full of energy. Other days we feel like we just meet the minimum requirements.…
As a parent, it’s not easy to hear scary statistics about teens and drinking. Teenagers abuse alcohol more than any other substance, and many pay a price for their drinking. From accidents to missed school and poor grades to fatalities, drinking and teens is a disturbing topic. However, as a parent you have a responsibility…
Researchers from the University of Connecticut and Elements Behavioral Health find that complex PTSD is not simply a subtype of BPD and suggest the disorders be addressed together. People affected by borderline personality disorder often have diagnosable symptoms of a form of post-traumatic stress disorder called complex PTSD, according to recent findings from the University…
