Connection & Addiction
“The opposite of addiction is connection,” but what kind of connection? By Tom Horvath, PhD Isolation is both a cause and effect of addictive problems, often in a vicious cycle: As we become more isolated, we may turn to our addictive behavior more, and as we do, we may become more isolated. Growing out of […]
Addiction and Mitochondria
Addiction and Mitochondriaby Kenneth Anderson, M.A. A recent paper by Jun Gao and colleagues found that methamphetamine, morphine, and heroin result in high energy demands of the neurons which release dopamine into the nucleus accumbens. These high energy demands force the mitochondria of these cells to kick into overdrive to produce enough energy to keep […]
Emerging Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Emerging Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Social and other media platforms are buzzing with words like the “microbiome”, “peptides”, and “fibermaxxing” lately. Should we pay attention to the hype? It turns out, these concepts are relevant to the field of treatment and recovery. Interventions that address gut health, whether through oral supplementation, enema, or […]
Addiction as Disease vs. Choice: A False Dichotomy
Disease vs. Choice: A False DichotomyBy Kenneth Anderson, MA NOTE FROM PRACTICAL RECOVERY: How to understand addiction (or addictive problems) is a long-standing question, and that question is addressed by several blogs on this website. Practical Recovery is pleased to publish the most recent thoughts of esteemed author, historian, advocate, and founder of the HAMS […]
Remembering 9/11/2001
Remembering 9/11/2001By Tom Horvath, Ph.D. Today is too important an anniversary to pass over. Thousands died, tens of thousands were directly harmed, and all Americans and the world were indirectly harmed. There were and continue to be tens of thousands of stories of struggle and heroism as individuals, families, and communities coped with and continue […]
Psilocybin To Treat Addiction?
Psilocybin to Treat Addiction? Psilocybin, Brain Entropy, Brain Modularity, and Social Reward, by Kenneth Anderson, MA What is Brain Entropy? Brain entropy is defined by the complexity of the signals produced by the brain. Simpler signals are defined as having lower entropy, and more complex signals are defined as having higher entropy. A sine wave […]
Are You Considering Self-Empowering Addiction Treatment?
Are You Considering Self-Empowering Addiction Treatment?By Tom Horvath, PhD Are you seeking assistance for resolving addictive problems? Would you like that assistance to respect your ability to make your own decisions and your other abilities? We view you as able to identify and create your own solutions for change, even though you may initially need […]
Principles of Self-Empowering Addiction Treatment
Principles of Self-Empowering Addiction TreatmentBy Tom Horvath, PhD Most US addiction treatment does not use a self-empowering approach and instead relies on some version of the 12-step powerlessness approach. If you are looking for an alternative to the 12 steps, this blog describes Practical Recovery’s implementation of the self-empowering approach. Self-empowerment: Rather than listening to […]
Union County Premiere, San Diego 8/14/26
A New Addiction Film, Union County, Premieres Fri 8/14/26 in San Diego By Tom Horvath Keep in mind that I am reviewing this film based on the trailer and other promotional material, the IMDB.com listing, and comments made by reviewers and others who have actually seen this film. I think realistic films about addictive problems […]
A Guide to Addiction Treatment Services
A Guide to Addiction Treatment Services By Tom Horvath, PhD There are many types of addiction treatment and many places to participate in it. The US government lists well over 15,000 treatment facilities: US government listing of services There are also many services associated with addiction treatment. By comparison, if you admit to a hospital […]