Report on Tobacco Use and Health Disparities
Update on Tobacco Use and Health Disparities in the US: A New Surgeon General’s Report By Tom Horvath, PhD On 11/19/24, the Surgeon General released Eliminating Tobacco-Related Disease and Death, Addressing Health Disparities. This report updates the report issued in 1998, Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial Ethnic Minority Groups. Below are some key points of […]
Coping with Thanksgiving
By Tom Horvath, PhD, ABPP Although many of us have warm memories about Thanksgiving spent with family and friends, there may be some painful memories as well. If you’re looking for tips on coping with Thanksgiving, and the problems that might arise, consider the following goals: If avoiding squabbles is your goal, can you sit […]
Practical Recovery to Celebrate 40th Anniversary January, 2025
By Tom Horvath, PhD If you are a behavioral health professional and would like an invitation to this event in late January, please email Susie.Lee@practicalrecovery.com. Practical Recovery Turning 40 In gratitude, we are preparing an event that will be both party and networking event. Over the years we have established many relationships in the behavioral […]
Differences between AA and SMART Recovery
By Tom Horvath, PhD On October 22, 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal, SMART Recovery held its first international conference, in conjunction with the Lisbon Addictions 2024 conference. Lisbon Addictions drew over 2,000 attendees. SMART’s event only had about 50, but they attended from Indonesia, Australia, Hong Kong, Africa, the US, and throughout Europe. SMART was also […]
If We Have Our Own Why
By Tom Horvath, PhD “If we have our own why, we shall get along with almost any how.” –Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, Maxims and Arrows, #12, translated (1954) by Walter Kaufman, originally published 1889. Our Own Why There is a range of “whys” that explain how we behave. We have in-the-moment behaviors like […]
We Are Disturbed Not By Events
By Tom Horvath, PhD “We are disturbed not by events, but by our views about them.” – Epictetus, 60-138 CE Bad events happen to all of us. To some of us, they happen to a great extent. Whether we have first-world problems, third-world problems, or something else, our problems focus our attention. We want to […]
Can a Single Episode of Extreme Binge Drinking Change the Brain?
by Kenneth Anderson, MA The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as drinking enough alcohol to reach a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, i.e., to become legally intoxicated. For men, this typically means drinking five or more US standard drinks in a two-hour period. For women, this […]
Looking for some inspiration?
By Tom Horvath, PhD I was recently contacted by a website putting together a list of 50 very brief accounts, including before and after pictures, about individuals resolving addictive problems. I was pleased that they included a few quotes from me, about the process of change. https://www.boredpanda.com/best-all-times-before-after-addicts-transformation/ Perhaps the most important fact to know about […]
Gaining Strength from Our Successes
By Tom Horvath, PhD Although occasionally we hear someone say “I’m addicted to everything,” it appears that most of us deeply enjoy only a few substances or activities. You would not have time for all of them! This fact means that there are many or at least some substances that you do not feel strongly […]
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Using My Muscles to Relax My Mind By Tom Horvath, PhD Have you had moments when you believed “I cannot relax” or “I cannot relax unless I use?” Have you then used or drank because it was your best method to relax? Sometimes we do need to relax! The good news is […]