Sober Julie…An Interview with a Recovery Influencer
We are very excited to bring today’s recovery blogger interview with Julie from the blog, Life Straight Up at SoberJulie.com. Julie is a “imperfectly perfect” 46 year old woman living in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two teenage daughters. Julie is a believer in faith, recovery, family, and living a grateful life these days. […]
Jails, Institutions, and Death: Did 12-Step Programs Get it Wrong?
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Bromides abound in traditional recovery circles, arguably none more common than the folklore fantasy that substance use invariably leads to jails, institutions, and death. If threats, shaming, and fear mongering worked then the United States would be justifiably priggish in its approach to treating addiction. Instead, after nearly a century of tyrannical abstinence […]
Drugs Do Not Hijack The Brain
by Thaddeus Camlin. Psy.D. Change happens slowly over time. Gradually, habits develop and patterns of behavior establish routines. Whether we are changing our eating habits, sleeping habits, work habits, love habits, or drinking habits, the change process is the same. As behaviors develop into well-maintained patterns and habits, some self-regulatory control is compromised due to […]
Staying Sober in a “Let’s Grab Drinks” Culture
By the team at Practical Recovery Separating libations from social situations in American culture is about as easy as separating hassle from air travel. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that alcohol consumption is on the rise in the United States, especially among women, older adults, ethnic minorities, […]
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for Addiction
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Evidence continues to mount in support of safe, effective treatment assisted with psychedelics. States like Oregon, Colorado, and Washington are preparing to vote on the legalization of psilocybin in the near future, a psychedelic with a wide array of healing potentials. MDMA earned ‘breakthrough status’ from the FDA and is set […]
The Homemade High: A Guide for Parents
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Getting High: 11 Unassuming Household Items Parents Should Watch Out For A teenage mind determined to get high is a breeding ground for creativity. Everybody knows about the usual suspects: pot, alcohol, dad’s back pain pills, etc. However, there are a number of ways kids can alter their consciousness even when […]
Scientists Say James Bond is a Drunk… They’re Wrong.
By Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. By now most are accustomed to so-called addiction experts purporting hair-brained ideas about substance use. Examples of hair-brained ideas from addiction experts include but most certainly are not limited to: don’t give an alcoholic drugs, once an addict always an addict, addicts are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves, there’s […]
How to Provide Basic Addiction Treatment
by Tom Horvath, PhD., ABPP This blog is addressed to psychotherapists who do not view themselves as capable of providing addiction treatment. Many (if not most) therapists have this perspective. However, as I have suggested for many years, individual therapy (possibly supplemented by couple’s and family therapy) is the setting of choice for most individuals […]
6 Exit Strategies for Uncomfortable Holiday Situations
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. It’s the most wonderful time of year… for some. For others, this time of year brings with it uncomfortable holiday situations and challenges. Navigating difficult family members, work events, and beverage-laden holiday parties while successfully self-regulating or abstaining from alcohol can render celebratory festivities a skosh toilsome. Here are some exit […]
The Best College Recovery Programs for Students in Every State
A collegiate recovery program can mean all the difference to a young person in recovery. Having a program like this available on campus means they do not have to choose between recovery and a higher education. It provides students with an avenue to stay committed to recovery, while focusing on school, and having a community […]