South Africa, a giant in the global drug trade, is at breaking point with the number of child addicts reaching an all-time high. Research has found that substance abuse in South Africa is double that of the global average and ranked in the top 10 countries concerning the amount of alcohol being consumed each year. […]
This past week, I presented a paper at the 2nd Canadian Conference on Positive Psychology. The paper was titled, “From Despondency to Hope: Ending Addiction for Good Using a Positive Psychological Approach.” Positive Psychology is a relatively new field of psychological research and intervention. The University of Pennsylvania describes positive psychology in this way: […]
Most homeless alcoholics began drinking while they were still children and became alcohol dependent soon after. This is a profound conclusion based on findings from a quantitative study at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. The detailed insights into chronically homeless, alcohol-dependent patients, helps give a better understanding to a tragic social problem. Twenty patients […]
Our culture shows its acceptance of alcohol use by its positive and widespread depiction in movies and advertising, which more often than not, show young, happy people at celebrations, sporting events, or popular outdoor activities drinking some form of alcohol. More often than not, risky behavior is often shown being lightly treated when it comes […]
When people are out having a good time on the town with friends, let’s face reality; many do not keep accurate count on how much they drink. Maybe a rough estimate, but it is a well-known fact that alcohol affects our ability to make sound decisions or there would not be such high statistics on […]
An alarming number of young people are consuming alcohol nowadays, often binging on the weekends and combining drinking with drug experimentation. These risky behaviors are causing health problems with consequences that will have to be dealt with throughout their adult lives. I should know. I was once that teenage drinker turned alcoholic. As such, these […]
Alcohol and marijuana are two drugs commonly used by people at the same time. New information indicates that combining the two may cause individuals to over-use both substances and in some cases, can result in death. The danger of drinking before smoking is severe illness. A side effect of smoking marijuana, called “greening out”, is […]
Do we always learn from our mistakes? New research suggests that alcoholics may not. University of Utah neuroscientists recently published a study that can help us understand behaviors that can influence alcohol addiction. Research in rats suggests that a region in the brain called the lateral habenula controls the ability to learn from an experience. […]
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. This is an excellent time to have conversations with friends, relatives, and medical professionals about drinking and its impact on our lives. Several problems are specifically related to women and drinking. These are particularly important for us to talk about. These issues include but are not limited to: pregnancy and […]
Quality addiction treatment consists of far more than 12 step meetings and weekly visits to a psychologist. For those who want a deep and meaningful recovery, research has shown that there are a variety of complementary therapies that help addicts transition from a life of substance abuse to one of sobriety. Recent studies show how […]