The Differences Between Moderate Drinking Programs and Harm Reduction Programs, Pt. 1
The Differences Between Moderate Drinking Programs and Harm Reduction Programs Part 1: Moderation Drinking Programs and Moderation Management By Kenneth Anderson, MA Moderate drinking programs and harm reduction programs start from opposite assumptions and wind up in very different places. This doesn’t necessarily make one type of program better than the other–different people will find […]
Vaping: The Latest Moral Panic
By John de Miranda The sociology term moral panic is relatively new, arising in the 1970s. Examples of moral panic can be found throughout history, however. The anatomy of the concept is simple. A group with power and authority determines that another group or group practice is a threat. Misinformation about the group under attack […]
Identifying and Answering Big Life Questions
By Tom Horvath, PhD Whether we think about them or not, our lives are an ongoing answer to “big questions:” What is important to me? Who is important to me? How important is my health and longevity? What is fun? What is most satisfying? What contribution (if any) do I want to make to the […]
Alcohol and GABA: Why You Stagger, Slur, and Forget Things When Drunk
By Kenneth Anderson, MA Alcohol and the Cerebellum Some drugs like opioids, benzodiazepines, and amphetamines have been called chemical scalpels because each affects only a single neurotransmitter system. Alcohol, on the other hand, is a dirty drug which affects large numbers of neurotransmitter systems, including GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), glutamate, and dopamine. Hence, alcohol has been […]
A Podcast about SMART Recovery
By Tom Horvath, PhD On 4/9/24 the Society of Addiction Psychology (Division 50 of the American Psychological Association) released an interview with me about SMART Recovery. The interviewers are Noah Emery and Sam Acuff, both psychology professors. This podcast about SMART Recovery runs one hour and 10-minutes, and is an interview with sections on: the […]
Cannabis and THC: Neurotoxic or Neuroprotective?
By Kenneth Anderson, MA Normal and Retrograde Neurotransmission Delta-9 THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) are the two most commonly found cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. The plant contains over 100 other cannabinoids as well. THC and CBD both affect the endocannabinoid system. “Endo-” is a Greek prefix meaning “inside.” “Endocannabinoid system” refers to all the […]
SMART Recovery at 30
By Tom Horvath, PhD This weekend SMART Recovery is celebrating (a few months early) its 30th anniversary by holding a conference in Salt Lake City. What has SMART achieved? How well is it functioning? What might its future hold? What follows is my personal perspective on some highlights of SMART’s first 30 years (from someone […]
Overdose Inaction
By Tom Horvath, PhD How can we explain the widespread expressed concern about US overdose deaths, coupled with our rather ineffective response to them? US overdose deaths may be the highest in the world. I will limit the following discussion to opiates, but alcohol, meth and multiple substance use are also of concern. I suggest […]
Life and Values: Thinking Back After Thinking Ahead
By Tom Horvath, PhD I expect that you know everything I am about to write about. However, I hope this blog will be a useful reminder about life and values. A well-lived life is based on values. We act on values we are not even aware of. However, we know many of them. Becoming even […]
Does AA do More Harm than Good?
By A. Tom Horvath, PhD Is this question sacrilegious? It should not be. AA has done much good in the world, and I expect it will continue to do so, for those who freely choose to attend it. In this article I point out what harm AA can do and might continue to do. Any […]