How the Mind Works
How the Mind Works: No Need For A Vacation, Your Mind’s Already On One by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. We like to think we are in control, making conscious decisions, and acting of our own free will. Causes lead to effects, stimuli trigger responses, nature carries on in an orderly fashion. We are thoughtful, contemplative, questioning […]
New Year’s Resolutions
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Turn New Year’s Resolutions into Lasting Change Achieving lasting change can be elusive. Whether you make resolutions at the dawn of the New Year or at other times in your life, we all make promises to ourselves to change. However, many times the firm commitments we make to ourselves fade like […]
Changing Habits: Learning to Cope with the Urges
Adapted from Pages 32 and 34 of the SMART Recovery Handbook, 3rd Edition This post has been updated from the original version that first ran in 2015. With so many people on day two of their 2018 New Year’s resolutions, it seems appropriate to offer some basic strategies for coping with urges that tempt us […]
Dr. Dealer: America’s Prescription Drug Epidemic
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. The Surgeon General’s Report and the US Prescription Drug Epidemic Trusted Physician or Neighborhood Drug Dealer? It is no secret that the United States has a serious problem when it comes to prescription drugs. Heroin’s renaissance is puzzling to many, but the trail of evidence leads back to our own medical […]
In Memoriam of David H. Jacobs, Ph.D.
David H. Jacobs, Ph.D. 1945-2016 In Memoriam Our brilliant and beloved colleague, David Jacobs, died last month. He had been with Practical Recovery since 2003. David was a therapist’s therapist. In our era most therapists rush to learn the latest evidence-based techniques. David was not opposed to new ideas, but his focus was on continually […]
Defects of Character: A Defective Way of “Helping”
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Defects of Character: Helpful or Hurtful? This week’s article explores the widely accepted, rarely contemplated idea that identifying defects of character is helpful in recovery. Fault, failing, weakness, flaw, shortcoming, and inadequacy are all synonyms for the word defect. Character refers to the mental and moral qualities of an individual. Thus, […]
Addiction as a Brain Disease? Cherry-Picking the Surgeon General’s Report
Addiction as a Brain Disease? Cherry-Picking the Surgeon General’s Report by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. The Surgeon General’s “landmark” report is generating a fair amount of media attention and discussion. While it is valuable that substance use and related issues are receiving more attention, the aspects of the report receiving the lion’s share of the limelight […]
Instant Gratification: This Thanksgiving Don’t Have the P.I.G.
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Thansgiving and the Problem of Instant Gratification Somehow Thanksgiving, our holiday of gratitude, has morphed into a gluttonous melee of over-indulgence and excess. If there is ever a time to practice coping with urges, resisting temptations, and moderate indulging, it is amidst the relentless onslaught of food and drink offerings that […]
A Recipe for Success in Addiction Recovery
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. One Person’s Recipe for Success in Addiction Recovery Arguably the most meaningful aspect of working in a helping profession is receiving updates of success. With permission from the individual and after removing identifying information, this week’s article shares one person’s recipe for continued success in changing a problematic pattern of substance […]
Recovery and The Slow Death of Prohibition
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. I often hear words of empathy from people struggling with the use of illegal substances offered to individuals struggling with the use of legal substances. “I feel bad for you,” and “I can’t imagine having my drug of choice available in every store I go to,” are examples of the types […]