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 […]
Principles for Improving US Addiction Treatment
by Tom Horvath, Ph.D., ABPP How can the United States improve addiction treatment? The ultimate goal of support for overcoming problematic addictive behavior is to improve individual health and well-being while reducing societal costs associated with the behavior. Several countries (e.g., Portugal, Switzerland, the Netherlands) are much more effective than the US in providing this […]
The Biggest Lies in Recovery, Pt. VI: Addiction as a Disease
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. This week’s topic is the sixth and final installment in a series exploring lies that have permeated the recovery culture. Thus far, lies about success, failure, everyone in recovery being the same, shaming, and labeling have been challenged. While there are many more lies than six that have infiltrated the consciousness […]
The Biggest Lies in Recovery, Pt. V: Labeling
by Thaddeus Camlin, Psy.D. Labels Can Actually Hurt the Recovery Process This week’s topic is the fifth installment in a series exploring lies that have permeated the recovery culture. Thus far, lies about success, failure, everyone in recovery being the same, and shaming have been challenged. This week’s article challenges the lie of labeling addiction, […]