Heroes Health Initiative

“Healthcare workers on the frontlines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic are being called heroes, and we can all see why”, wrote Matthew Lewis, et al. on Statnews in May. “They have been asked to treat huge numbers of very sick people in a shifting landscape without sufficient personal protective equipment or coordination. Some have seen… Continue Reading Heroes Health Initiative

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How Opioid Litigation Complicates the Response to COVID-19

For years, the focus of one of the most pressing public health debates in America was the drug overdose epidemic. This epidemic killed almost 200 people each day last year alone.  In March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. The novel coronavirus is currently killing about 1,000 people per day in the… Continue Reading How Opioid Litigation Complicates the Response to COVID-19

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Increased Addiction and Suicide Risk for Those Diagnosed With Schizophrenia

There is a strong correlation between mental illness and substance misuse.   According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “Multiple national population surveys have found that about half of those who experience a mental illness during their lives will also experience a substance use disorder and vice versa.” Schizophrenia is a severe and debilitating… Continue Reading Increased Addiction and Suicide Risk for Those Diagnosed With Schizophrenia

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September is Recovery Month

The last day of August was International Overdose Awareness Day a day of raising awareness about overdose and helping to reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths. It also acknowledged the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have died and those whose overdoses resulted in permanent injury. September is Recovery Month. Recovery Month is all… Continue Reading September is Recovery Month

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Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Linked to Elevated Risk of Autism

In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers from The Ottawa Hospital, BORN Ontario, and the University of Ottawa found “an association between maternal cannabis use in pregnancy and the incidence of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring” and “the incidence of intellectual disability and learning disorders was higher among offspring of mothers… Continue Reading Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Linked to Elevated Risk of Autism

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Repetitive Head Trauma Associated with Depressive Symptoms, Worsening Cognitive Function, and Suicide 

Adults over forty who reported a history of repetitive head trauma through contact sports, physical abuse, or military service had increased symptoms of depression and difficulty with cognitive functioning, as compared to those without such a history, according to a study published online in the journal, Neurology.    Scientists from the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease and… Continue Reading Repetitive Head Trauma Associated with Depressive Symptoms, Worsening Cognitive Function, and Suicide 

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International Overdose Awareness Day: August 31, 2020

Thousands of people die each year from drug overdoses. In the United States, drug overdose deaths rose again in 2019, according to new preliminary data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July 2020. The CDC predicts the final count for 2019 will be close to 72,000 overdose deaths, an increase of… Continue Reading International Overdose Awareness Day: August 31, 2020

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LGBTQ Patients and Specialized Addiction Treatment

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth are more likely to experience poor health than their heterosexual (straight/cisgender) peers. As a webpage by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about LGBTQ health explains, “LGBTQ youth are part of every community, come from all walks of life, and are present in every racial,… Continue Reading LGBTQ Patients and Specialized Addiction Treatment

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Sensory Regulation in Recovery

Emotional self-regulation is a crucial life skill. Our ability to modulate our emotions keeps them from becoming excessive, counterproductive, or inappropriate. We cannot help having emotions, of course—and they are quite important after all—but when we let our emotions control our decision making, we tend to run into trouble. It’s quite normal to be temporarily… Continue Reading Sensory Regulation in Recovery

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dr pham staff member at recovery ways

How Comprehensive Mental Health Interventions Reduce the Risk of Relapse

The National  Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) describes addiction as “a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, [with] continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes in the brain.” “The chronic nature of addiction means that relapsing to drug use is not only possible but also likely,” explains NIDA. “Relapse rates are similar… Continue Reading How Comprehensive Mental Health Interventions Reduce the Risk of Relapse

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