“Low Barrier” Treatment Options
By Tom Horvath, PhD This month the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the federal government released a 15-page document entitled Advisory: Low Barrier Models of Care for Substance Use Disorders. The document summarizes the difficulties associated with reaching and providing care for individuals with substance use disorders. Less than 10% of […]
Coping with Boredom
By Tom Horvath, PhD Boredom is the perception of being under-stimulated. We all have optimal levels of stimulation (some generally want more, some generally less). Whatever your level, when you are not getting enough, you are bored (and when over-stimulated, you may be stressed). Boredom is often considered an undesirable state. However, let’s start with […]
THIQs Revisited
by Kenneth Anderson, M.A. THIQ is an acronym which stands for tetrahydroisoquinoline, a chemical which is formed in the brain when a metabolite of alcohol combines with dopamine. The THIQ theory of “alcoholism” became very popular in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was erroneously believed that THIQs were formed in the brains of “alcoholics,” […]
Listening at Thanksgiving (or any time)
By Tom Horvath, PhD The Thanksgiving dinner table will provide many opportunities for conversation, and perhaps nearly as many opportunities for disagreements and fights. That level of tension can easily motivate us to overuse substances! Let’s look at some ways to prevent the tension from getting that high. Tips for Listening at Thanksgiving Is it […]
What is “Recovery?”
By Tom Horvath, PhD A recent scientific paper analyzed the responses from nearly 10K individuals who identify themselves as “in recovery” from substance problems. In recent years the addiction recovery field has been considering how to define “recovery.” Five major organizations have offered definitions or attempts at definitions. However, there is not much data on […]
The Holiday Season Begins
By Tom Horvath, PhD With Halloween parties starting this weekend, the holiday season begins. That season will continue through Thanksgiving, multiple holiday celebrations near the end of the year, New Years, and then on to the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day. Including work, family, and other social events, you could be invited to a dozen […]
Is Alcohol a Depressant? The Biphasic Effects of Alcohol
Kenneth Anderson, M.A. First, it is important to define our terms. A stimulant is a drug which raises levels of physiological or nervous activity. A depressant is the opposite of a stimulant, i.e., a depressant is a drug which lowers levels of physiological or nervous activity. A depressant is not a drug which causes depressed […]
Nixon, Reagan, and the War on Drugs
By Kenneth Anderson All too often I hear people erroneously lay the blame for the current war on drugs on Nixon; however, this is historically inaccurate. The focus of Nixon’s war on drugs was treatment, and under Nixon, the harsh drug laws of the 1950s were eased. Ronald Reagan was the true architect of the […]
Balance Points vs. Expanding Polarities
by A. Tom Horvath, Ph.D., ABPP It is an old idea that we need to balance both ends of a polarity to have a good life. Over 2,000 years ago Aristotle suggested that using the mid-point between two extremes would be a sensible guide for behavior. For instance, the courage polarity has recklessness (acting without […]
Practicing Psychological Skills: What is Effective Practice?
By Tom Horvath, PhD This blog will focus less on physical skills (like playing the piano or hitting a baseball) and more on “psychological skills” like being assertive. Physical and psychological skills are not entirely distinct. Your body will need to play its part in a psychological skill. For instance, you would need to say […]