Coping with drug and alcohol cravings is a major component of changing problematic addictive behavior, so much so that the DSM5 added craving as a diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders.  It is next to certain that any change in habitual behavior will at some point result in urges or cravings for the old behavior.  Who hasn't experienced a craving for something salty or sweet when trying to eat healthier?  Below we discuss 10 tried and true methods that help people manage drug and alcohol cravings. 1. Set a Timer Urges tend to run out of steam after 30-45 minutes, setting a timer for a ½ hour can help to ride out the urge.  Think of cravings as sprinters, they are intense but run out of steam pretty quickly. 2. Distract Yourself from the Craving Do something that requires f...

Sugar's Shadow: Is Sugar Addictive? By Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Cultural conditioning (aka brainwashing) will produce a recoiling, dismissive reaction in many to the idea that sugar not only deserves a seat at the table in the discussion of addiction, but that sugar’s rightful place at the table of addiction is on the throne of rule and dominance.  For those not interested in stepping into the muddy trenches of deconditioned thought it is probably best to cease reading here.  For those who enjoy getting their thoughts a little dirty with the stains that come from the territories outside the boxes of comfort and familiarity, let us openly consider the arguments that refined sugar addiction is the least discussed, most rampant, and most difficult to kick of all addictions.  Is sugar ad...

To continue our interview series with top recovery bloggers, we have Tawny Lara, from SobrieTea Party. Tawny has been blogging since she quit drinking in 2015 and believes “hitting rock bottom is not a prerequisite to recovery. You can begin your recovery journey at anytime.” Tawny lives in New York City, is a journalist and writing instructor, and, in addition to the SobrieTea Party blog, has produced and starred in an award-winning documentary about her recovery called Fixed Up. She also started Readings on Recovery, a reading series that aims to show that we are all recovering from something. The series gives New Yorkers the platform to share their adversity stories through personal essays, poetry, stand-up comedy, dance, or song. We’ve asked Tawny to share some of her th...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Online Drug and Alcohol Assessments: The Experiment I did a little experiment this week. To indulge my amateur investigative spirit, I went to multiple rehab websites and took some so-called online drug and alcohol assessments that claim to determine through a brief series of questions whether or not someone is an addict/alcoholic.  The premise of the so-called assessments had me skeptical going in.  After completing a dozen or so, I was downright angry. The Results In the online drug and alcohol assessments I completed, I experimented with many different combinations of answers.  Almost all combinations of answers resulted in the definitive conclusion that I was an addict/alcoholic, and that I needed to contact the treatment center immediately to “get my ...

This month's featured top-blogger of 2018 is Marc Lewis, Ph.D., who has published two books on addiction and hosts a blog called Understanding Addiction. His unique angle on writing about addiction comes from his experience as a neuroscientist and professor, which allows him to write about the journey of addiction and recovery with a scientific and academic spin. Having been through addiction and come out the other side, he brings a sense of humanization and personalization to the treatment of addiction, which has left an impression on the recovery community worldwide. Dr. Lewis took time out of his busy schedule to interview with us via Skype from his office in The Netherlands. With permission, we have transcribed his interview and posted it here for our readers. PR: What is the...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Some of the most powerful groups I’ve been a part of have been on the topic of the ‘Gaslight.’  Derived from the title of a 1944 Ingrid Bergman film in which Bergman’s character leads his wife to believe she is going mad, the term gaslight grew into a potent psychological concept.  In the film, Bergman’s character makes the sound of footsteps and adjusts the brightness of gaslights, pretends he knows nothing of the changes, and his wife is left only to conclude that she must be losing her mind.  In psychology, the gaslight concept is primarily applied to contradictory messages children receive from parents from which children draw the natural conclusion, ‘there must be something wrong with me.’  Today, some unnerving gaslight elements can be found in the tr...

The “tobacco settlement” was reached in 1998 after five years of litigation. Tobacco manufacturers agreed to change some business and marketing practices, and to pay over $200 billion spread over 25 years (with continued payments thereafter) to reimburse 46 states for their expenses in treating tobacco-related illnesses. Opiate Settlements There are now hundreds of opiate cases pending. The case against manufacturers is based on how opiates were marketed. Opiates can be more harmful than the marketing suggested. The case against drug distributors is based on the implausibly high numbers of pills that were made available to “patients” in specific localities, suggesting that massive amounts of medication were diverted from prescribed to other uses. Based on the tobacco settlement we cou...

“Go to your room and calm down…  Wake up, breakfast is ready…  Are you gonna’ sleep all day?...  You can’t have candy in your room…  It’s 10 o’clock, lights out, it’s bedtime…” The Practice of Infantilizing Addiction The statements above are just a few of the endless parade of childish remarks that are hurled at grown adults constantly at rehabs everywhere.  I’ve seen airline pilots, engineers, physicians, and CEOs talked down to like they’re a junior high trouble maker almost as many times as I’ve heard cliché’s masquerade as treatment.  Women and men with children, careers, and a long and established history of responsible, productive contribution to society are treated no differently than a 19-year-old who smokes heroin in treatment to defy his parents and get back at them for rest...

by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Dr. Horvath and I, along with a team of colleagues, recently published an article on ibogaine treatment for addiction.  In the context of the psychedelic treatment renaissance, it is worth summarizing our findings to provide an overview of what one can expect when taking ibogaine. While much variation between individual experiences exists with all psychedelics, some consistent themes emerged in our study. Here, the themes from our study are organized into the hypothetical presentation that follows (any particular individual’s experience may differ drastically). Ibogaine Treatment: What to Expect Your ibogaine experience may begin with a buzzing.  The sound of a swarm of bees over your head or a motorcycle outside might clue you in to the journey that awai...

[caption id="attachment_11004" align="alignright" width="358"] Image Credit: Jesi Cason Photography[/caption] Next up in our top-blogger interview series is Kelly Fitzgerald, of Sober Senorita. We've been following Kelly's blog for a while now, maybe 2-3 years. Her personal and professional growth, as well as that of her blog, have been nothing short of inspiring. What started out in 2014 as a blog about Kelly's personal recovery journey, has since become a cornerstone resource for the online recovery community. With her new e-book, podcast, upcoming memoir by Passageway Press (2019), and her signature Bloom Club, Kelly's work has provided a foundation for healing, community, and growth. We were thrilled when Kelly agreed to take time out of her busy schedule to interview wi...