by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Crises precipitate change.  The opioid crisis is catalyzing change in addiction treatment.  The tragedies of the opioid crisis may be the reveille that stirs addiction treatment from its walking slumber.  Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is finally being championed as the frontline defense in the opioid crisis.  Not only are advances being made in increasing accessibility to medication-assisted options like methadone and buprenorphine, researchers are looking into other options as well.  A new study investigated whether CBD helps heroin cravings, and the results were encouraging. Heroin Cravings and CBD: The Study The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found that CBD significantly reduced both cravings and anxiety after participant...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Great works are often underappreciated in their time.  Many people well-versed in self-empowering approaches to treating addictive problems are familiar with Dr. Horvath’s book for overcoming addictions entitled, Sex, Drugs, Gambling, & Chocolate (SDG&C).  However, outside self-empowering circles, Dr. Horvath’s book remains underappreciated.  A recent review of the workbook, however, serves as a reminder of just how ahead of its time SDG&C truly was.  The review is literally titled, 'A New Way To Think About Addiction,' even though SDG&C was originally published over 20 years ago!  For those not familiar with SDG&C, the review is an invitation to explore a visionary work decades ahead of its time. Dr. Horvath's Book Making its Way into ...

Substance abuse affects the family and when someone in your family is struggling with addiction, it can be complicated, exhausting, and confusing. You must find a delicate balance between being supportive and protecting your own boundaries. Navigating through this environment is often times draining and most families have questions. If you are experiencing problematic substance use in your family, there is support for you. It is important to realize that drug and alcohol use can affect the entire family and it’s wise for family members to get help as well. Below are a few common questions shared by family members of those with problematic substance use issues.  Substance Abuse Support for Families Q&A Do I have to stop loving my family member who has a substance use issue? No. Yo...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Despite unfounded resistance, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is increasingly considered the treatment of choice to combat what is commonly referred to as an opioid epidemic.  A report issued this week from the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) solidifies MAT as a frontline defense in the opioid crisis and makes important points about how to increase the accessibility and effectiveness of MAT addiction treatment in the United States. Unsupported Restrictions on MAT Services Many cumbersome, unsupported restrictions remain in place that hinder MAT services in the United States.  The AATOD report states that MAT regulations like waiver policies, patient limits, restrictions on settings where medications are available, a...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Addiction treatment needs improvement.  Exploring new methods is essential to advancing the field.  To imagine the latest radical approach to treating addiction one might envision an amalgamation of electro-shock therapy and trepanning.  Brain surgery for addiction is not a futuristic concept at the dawn of its conception.  On the contrary, brain surgery for addiction is happening now in China and a clinical trial is scheduled in West Virginia this year.  Like any emerging treatment, brain surgery to treat addiction is worth a closer look to consider potential costs, benefits, risks, rewards, and ethical delivery of services. The Technique The brain surgery technique used to treat addiction is deep brain stimulation (DBS).  DBS is already an established t...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Possession of psychoactive fungus is no longer a crime in Denver, Colorado.  Denver's decriminalization of psilocybin (the magic in magic mushrooms) is a major step forward in efforts to end the disastrous drug war, failed prohibition efforts, and the injustice of mass incarceration. Decriminalizing psilocybin is also a major step forward in advancing the use of psychedelics to improve treatment for numerous issues including anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and addiction.  In light of Denver’s bold and courageous move, this week let us consider the idea that psychedelics in general, and psilocybin specifically, might advance the quality of medical and mental health care significantly. Magic Mushrooms Have a Place in Medicine Mushroom therapy for addict...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. This week offers another controversial idea to consider in the realm of addiction, the idea that drugs are good.  In order to truly consider the idea that drugs are beneficial in an honest way, we must start by recognizing the vast extent to which we are led to believe the opposite.  There is no way for anyone raised in modern society, and the U.S. in particular, to not absorb – through PR campaigns, pop culture, D.A.R.E., etc. - the overarching message that drugs are bad.  Lucky for us we have the gifts of reason and thought, and we can question.  Let us exercise our intellectual gifts and openly consider the idea that drugs have value to balance out the indoctrination of the message that drugs are bad. People tend to feel guilty about doing something b...

There are a number of recovery options available for those dealing with addiction, and it is truly up to the individual to determine the best fit for them. One of the most popular paths to recovery is Alcoholics Anonymous (while there are many 12-step programs, this article will, for brevity, reference AA and alcohol use)  which has been around for quite some time and has become nearly synonymous with addiction recovery. It is important that individuals be aware that there other recovery options outside of AA. If you have explored AA and feel that it is not the best fit for you, consider looking into SMART’s approach to recovery. SMART Recovery vs. AA and Other 12-Step Approaches SMART Recovery is the largest alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous and the disease model of addiction. ...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. It has been said that the problem with good advice is that it usually interferes with our plans.  In the spirit of a human tendency to give advice in buckets and take it in grains, SMART Recovery starts off its meetings by asking participants to refrain from advice and instead encourages people to offer others ideas to consider.  This week’s article is the first installment in a series that will offer ideas to consider rather than direct advice on how to improve the rather dismal track record of treatment for addictive problems.  This week the idea up for consideration is that avoiding rock bottom is good. Rock Bottom The concept of rock bottom implies that if I want to change a pattern of addictive behavior then I must lose everything and hit the lowest ...

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is hosting its 17th annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 27th, 2019 from 10AM - 2PM. National Prescription Drug-Take Back Day is a nationwide event that aims to provide a safe, anonymous, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while simultaneously informing the general public about the potential for medication abuse. If it is time to clean out your medicine cabinet and you want to take part in reducing the risk of prescription abuse, consider visiting one of the San Diego Take-Back Day locations mentioned below. Some of the major risks associated with improper disposal of prescription drugs include, but are not limited to: Medications that are unused, expired, or lost...