Ending Drug Prohibition Could Unite Left & Right
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 […]
Disputing Irrational Beliefs & The Power of the Question
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 […]
Drug Overdoses on the Rise Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic
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 […]
Oregon Sets Stage to Legalize Mushroom Therapy for Addiction Treatment
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 […]
Addiction Prevention is About the Same as Recovery
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 […]
Fortune Favors Adaptation Over Control, in Life & Addiction
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Human Adaptation and Adjusting to Change Humans are masters of control. We push a button for the exact temperature we want, the exact food we want, the exact gift we want, the exact date match we want, the exact everything we want. God forbid the one-click purchase sends the grey headphones […]
We Can’t Feel Safe All The Time
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Feeling safe is a monumental component of mental health and well-being. However, a focus on feeling safe all the time is a setup for failure because it is impossible to feel safe all the time. Furthermore, feeling safe all the time would be detrimental in some ways. Feeling safe is […]
Research Chemicals May Accelerate Psychedelic Treatment
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Research chemicals are commonly associated with things like ‘the dark web,’ ‘silk road,’ ‘the amazon of drugs,’ and other, slightly shady and un-salubrious sectors of society. However, research chemicals earn their family name because there are some actual scientific researchers investigating true therapeutic and clinical potential. Recently, one such scientific researcher, […]
I Can’t Help It, I Was Triggered: How the Language of Powerlessness Can Inhibit Recovery from Addiction
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. We know that self-efficacy is vital to successful recovery from addictive problems. We know that feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are cornerstones of depression. We know that underlying issues like depression tend to fuel addictive problems. Yet, mainstream addiction treatment continues to promote language that encourages and reinforces feelings of helplessness […]
Simple Truths Still Not Accepted About Addiction: People Who Use Drugs Are Not Bad People
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Drugs are bad, therefore, people who use drugs are bad, or so the faulty groupthink of our epoch goes. For people who seek decency and efficacy in addiction treatment, obtaining results in the realm of positive change often feels like beating one’s head against a wall of misstatements, misinformation, and misanthropy. […]