A non 12 step approach to recovery promotes individuals to continue on to a sober living home after completing inpatient drug or alcohol rehab. While living in sober living homes, individuals can participate in outpatient services where there are opportunities for individuals to receive evidence-based addiction treatment. But do sober living houses help, and just how effective are they? One group of researchers put together a study to answer this question. You might also be interested in: What Will Drug Rehab be Like in 100 Years? Do Sober Living Houses Help? One Study Says Yes. The VH1 television show “Sober House” with Dr. Drew has popularized the concept of sober living houses. However, sober living houses are not just reality TV constructs. California in particular offers a wid...

Article Updated 4/13/2022 Self-empowering addiction treatment utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy and teaching mindfulness to help people cope with their cravings, be more aware of their thoughts, and increase self-regulation in alcohol recovery. But just how important is self-regulation in recovery from alcohol use? To better understand it in recovery, it helps to understand it in the context of addiction. Read on to learn more about the relationship between self-regulation and alcohol use. According to Hustad et. al., self-regulation refers to “the effortful ability to plan and achieve adaptive outcomes through goal-directed behavior, often by delaying gratification” (2009). It is important for individuals to develop self-regulation ability in alcohol recovery. Since lower lev...

When determining a self-empowering treatment plan for a person in recovery from cannabis, it is important to consider the motives for marijuana use. Some individuals may use marijuana recreationally and occasionally for years with relatively few negative consequences. Others become addicted to marijuana and continue to use it daily despite negative consequences. With increased use of marijuana, marijuana addiction is increasingly common, and drug rehab is often necessary to overcome the addiction. In the field of addiction research, relatively few studies have examined self-reports of motives for marijuana use. Self-reported motives for use are important for understanding addiction. Differences in motive for use may explain why one individual becomes addicted while another does not. ...

The relationship between negative affect and addiction is an important consideration when developing a customized treatment plan. Learn more about this relationship as we explore the study below. Previous research shows that children who have a parent with a substance abuse disorder have an elevated risk of developing alcohol and drug addiction problems. Children of alcoholics, for instance, are more likely to experiment with alcohol and drugs at a younger age, compared to children of non-alcoholics. Research shows that negative affect also plays a role in the development of drug and alcohol addiction and should be examined in addiction treatment. The negative affect regulation model posits that individuals use alcohol and drugs to cope with negative affect. The four fundamental comp...

Self-empowering addiction treatment support groups, including SMART Recovery, provide online recovery resources much like the one described in this article. Read on to find out more about internet self-assessments as alcohol treatment... are they a viable option? Article Updated 4/13/2022 Internet Self-Assessments as Alcohol Treatment Might a web-based self-assessment of risky drinking serve as an effective tool for alcohol treatment? Several previous studies suggest that it might. The self-assessment questionnaire at drinkerscheckup.com is one example of such a tool. In Finland, a similar self-assessment service known as the Drinking Habit Test (DHT) was launched in 2003. The site provides feedback and normative comparisons to raise awareness about hazardous and harmful alcohol use. ...

The following study would be useful in a self-empowering addiction treatment program where individuals learn strategies to help them cope with cravings such as those experienced when viewing alcohol-related commercials and other media. Alcohol Commercials and Drinking Behavior - A Study Tobacco advertising has been minimized in many locations. Alcohol advertising, on the other hand, is generally accepted in Western societies. Alcohol advertisements on television and the portrayal of drinking in movies paint a positive picture of an addictive and potentially deadly substance. A number of past studies have found an association between alcohol advertising and drinking behavior, and some suggest that exposure to alcohol via television or cinema may lead to a relapse in alcohol recovery. A...

Through a non 12 step program, individualized treatment plans can be created for individuals who wish to completely abstain from all drugs and alcohol. AA alternative programs provide alcohol treatment plans that are self-empowering and by promoting abstinence or safe levels of alcohol consumption, individuals can lower their risk of certain types of cancer. It is important to note that heavy alcohol drinkers can also lower their risk for cancer by cutting down alcohol consumption to safe levels. You might also be interested in: Can Cannabis Cure Cancer? Several previous studies have reported a link between alcohol and cancer (especially cancer of the upper digestive tract and liver). However, many previous studies included males only, and many were general population studies. Few stu...

Using evidence-based addiction treatment, individuals can learn a self-empowering approach to overcome addiction. Naltrexone vs Disulfiram Naltrexone and disulfiram are both used as deterrent agents in addiction treatment. Naltrexone is an opioid receptor agonist that reduces the euphoria associated with alcohol consumption and thus reduces the risk of relapse in alcohol-dependent individuals. Disulfiram blocks the metabolism of acetaldehyde, an intermediate product of alcohol metabolism. Upon consumption of alcohol, increased acetaldehyde levels cause a disulfiram-ethanol reaction, which includes flushing, nausea, vomiting, and a sense of uneasiness. Researchers in Mumbai, India, compared the efficacy of naltrexone and disulfiram in alcohol treatment for dependence in a one-year tria...

Alcohol and Heart Disease Alcohol addiction has many negative side effects including higher risk for heart disease. Research has shown that heavy drinkers can lower their risk of heart disease by decreasing alcohol consumption. However, there are many people in alcohol treatment who struggle with decreasing their alcohol consumption and/or completely abstaining altogether. From a self-empowering perspective, individuals can learn and implement coping mechanisms when they feel the urge to drink that will enable them to decrease their alcohol consumption or completely abstain. Previous research shows a relationship between alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease. Low levels of drinking may reduce heart disease mortality. High levels of alcohol consumption increase heart disease...

Individuals who drink heavily may find many benefits from either abstaining or dramatically reducing their alcohol consumption. Through a non 12 step approach to recovery, heavy drinkers can learn self-empowering tools to use in their daily life to assist them in coping with alcohol cravings, which in turn, may dramatically reduce their risk for developing various types of cancer in the future. Link Between Alcohol and Carcigonesis Previous studies show that chronic alcohol consumption is a risk factor for cancer of the mouth, pharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and esophagus, and it is also a major factor in liver carcinogenesis (the creation of cancer). Studies also show that alcohol increases the risk for breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Alcohol treatment for heavy drinkers may preve...