by Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD A 2020 mega study from research juggernauts Cochrane garnered substantial attention when it concluded that “there is high quality evidence that manualized AA/[Twelve Step Facilitation] interventions are more effective than other established treatments, such as CBT.”  Click-bait headlines proliferated touting things like, “AA Superior to CBT for Alcohol Addiction,” and, “AA Still Best to Beat Problem Drinking.”  The 2020 Cochrane study conclusion was strikingly divergent from a similar Cochrane mega-study in 2006, which concluded that “no experimental studies unequivocally demonstrated the effectiveness of AA or [Twelve Step Facilitation] approaches.”  Such discrepancies warrant further investigation. Beyond the surface of the click-bait headlines, details ...

by Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD Addiction is characterized by a narrowing of behavior patterns.  As a particular behavior begins to dominate others, problems are likely to arise.  Expanding and diversifying behavior patterns is vital to overcoming addictive problems.  Identifying and participating in activities that capture and sustain our engaged interest is essential to well-being, and improved well-being is an excellent outcome in addictive problems and life in general. A lesser known SMART Recovery tool is called VACI, or Vital Absorbing Creative Interests.  When we engage in VACI, neural networks can be activated that promote a state of consciousness some researchers call flow.  Although the human brain remains a highly unexplored scientific frontier, it is not a stretch to wonder i...

by Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD Few things scare big pharma like effective medicines people don’t have to take every day.  Many are familiar with the sardonic notion that there is no money in the cure.  The psychedelic treatment renaissance is arguably the biggest existential threat to big pharma’s decades-long chokehold on America’s addiction to psychotropic medications.  Patents on naturally occurring alkaloids are not permitted in the U.S., so for those looking to capitalize on the resurgence of effective plant medicines creative strategies must be employed.  Enter psilocybin sublingual strips.  A Toronto based company recently announced its efforts to develop a patentable delivery mechanism for the psychoactive compounds in magic mushrooms, namely, psilocybin and psilocyn.  Administ...

By Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD Most of us recall fondly a time when facts were facts.  No facts and alternative facts, just facts based on following the evidence even when it leads in undesirable and uncomfortable directions.  The world of addiction still awaits a time when facts rule over groupthink and personal opinion.  We at Practical Recovery continue to don a cloak of controversy for attempting to clearly state addiction facts. One of the many myths in the world of addiction is that drugs hijack the brain with chemical hooks, so one hit will likely lead to addiction.  The evidence shows clearly that most who experiment with drugs do not become addicted, so let us explore the controversial but true notion that drug use rarely leads to addiction. If drug use often led to addiction w...

The coronavirus has affected nearly every aspect of our society. Just as our daily routines, personal habits, and day to day frameworks we use to navigate the human experience have all been disrupted, so too, has the social capacity to help those who are struggling.  To keep a pulse on the impact of the pandemic on addiction and treatment, this article surveyed four experts to get a sense of where we are with addiction and treatment during the coronavirus crisis. This article covers the impact on those seeking treatment, modes of treatment (remote vs. in-person sessions), and the opioid crisis, as well as tips to manage the lifting of restrictions and resources for those who cannot access care. Post-Pandemic Increase in Intakes/People Needing Treatment When asked whether there ...

By Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD We know prohibition doesn’t stop drug use, actually makes the use of drugs more dangerous, and helps increase profit margins for those who control the black market.  We know that humans locked in cages for possessing psychoactive compounds deemed dangerous by the government are disproportionately people of color.  We know the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated the retail value of the illegal drug trade in 2005 alone to be $321 billion, nearly 1% of total global trade.  We know that people are hurting right now, that calls for social change are strong, that the economy is hurting, and that an efficiently functioning government helps in times of societal distress.  Ending drug prohibition is a concrete, achievable action step that would advance ...

by Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD Humans are renowned for our cranial horsepower.  To maximize efficiency, our brains developed a number of shortcuts to thinking that are rarely questioned.  The discovery of the brain’s cognitive shortcuts made researcher Daniel Kahneman one of only two psychologists ever to with both the Nobel and Grawemeyer prizes, and for those interested the book Thinking Fast & Slow gives a detailed account of the cognitive cheats than can wreak havoc when they go unquestioned.  In the world of addiction, the company line continues to be notoriously under-questioned and groupthink abounds.  People who question the status quo in addiction treatment are greeted with about as much enthusiasm as a free thinker in boot camp.  But for any provider or person seeking treatme...

by Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD We know that close connections and a breadth of quality relationships are often at the heart of overcoming addictive problems.  The coronavirus and subsequent safety measures mandating isolation make close connections with others more challenging than ever.  It is no surprise then, amidst a pandemic forcing social isolation, that people are turning to substances to cope with disconnection from others.  Sadly, recent data from first responders and hospitals suggests that during social isolation restrictions overdoses increased 18% in March, 29% in April, and 42% in May.  The harrowing overdose statistics further evidence the notion that, to a large extent, the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it’s connection. Spiking alcohol sales during coronavir...

by Thaddeus Camlin, PsyD Good news for people interested in effective treatment innovations, Oregon recently set the stage to legalize mushroom therapy for addiction.  The measure will be on the ballot for voters in the fall of 2020, and if passed, Oregon could be the first state to legally offer psilocybin treatment.  Years later, our first piece on mushroom therapy for addiction remains one of our most heavily trafficked editorials.  Thanks to the intrepid spirit of Oregonian voters, the days of jetting off to mycology retreat centers in paradisian locations with legal grey areas on drug policies and paying tens of thousands of dollars for psilocybin treatment may be coming to a close sooner than expected. Research continues to mount in support of mushroom therapy for addict...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. We spend ample time opining on how addiction treatment can be improved.  We don't talk as often about what helps prevent addictive problems in the first place.  Interestingly, what helps people overcome addictive problems is essentially the same as what helps prevent addictive problems.  In this article we’ll take a look at what helps prevent addiction, and of course, toss in a few sarcasm-laden critiques of some of the traditional prevention methods.   If only addiction prevention was as easy as trying to terrify children about how bad drugs are so they just say no.  DARE programs, just say no, scared straight, and hateful propaganda campaigns encouraging and promoting harmful addiction stigma awaken kids to the possibilities of drug use more than they ...