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Calling bullshit on addiction treatment bullies
About three years ago, I was attending a national conference on public health (American Public Health Association) and presenting my posters on the relationship between drug use and violence, and sexually transmitted infections and injecting drugs. As I walked the aisles I ran into a woman who runs a Florida addiction “treatment” facility. We talked…
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Pathological Gambling- Is it an addiction? Part II
Michael Campos, Ph.D. This is part II in Michael’s series on pathological gambling (click the preceding for part I): The risk factors for pathological gambling There are a number of factors that are important in pathological gambling including types and number of games played, alcohol use, and socio-demographic factors. Some research suggests that casino gambling,…
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Are AA and addiction- or alcohol-treatment destroying the social life of Americans?
There’s no doubt that alcoholics, and addicts, keep life interesting for those around them. True, interesting doesn’t always mean fun, or good, but there’s no doubt that once you take the alcohol away from the resident group drunk, some parties tend to lose a little spark… Well, count on The Onion to give us a…
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Is anonymity the final shame frontier in addiction?
I’m a drug addict and a sex addict, and as far as I’m concerned, staying anonymous let’s me remain buried in shame, and a double life, that keeps me always one step ahead of those close to me. Did I say too much? Did I give away my secrets? None of those questions matter when…
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How it doesn’t work – the dogma of the 12 steps
Imagine being diagnosed with cancer, going through a regimen of chemotherapy only to have the cancer return within months, and being told by your doctor that there must be something wrong with you and that he can’t treat you unless you let the chemo do its work. Absurd right? 12-Step dogma Unfortunately, if you replace…