We have covered a lot of territory within the more than 50 communications we have shared in 2017. From concerns about troubling directions in national drug policy to the prevalence, pathways, styles, and stages of personal/family recovery; we have taken time each week to explore critical issues related to addiction recovery. When this weekly(……)
Month December 2017
Many people enter addiction treatment in the United States with abuse, abandonment, and loss as central thematic threads within their lives. Such experiences distort one’s self-perceptions (e.g., “I am not worthy of love and respect”), diminish one’s capacity to trust (e.g., “Everyone I love will either abuse or abandon me”) and impede one’s ability to(……)
Knowledge about the effects of addiction on families and the family recovery process has grown exponentially as a result of scientific studies and cumulative clinical experience. Among the most important conclusions to date that can be drawn from this body of knowledge are the following. 1. Alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems spring from diverse influences; unfold in(……)
The concept of karma holds that one’s fate in this life or future lives is not a random roll of the dice, but a direct product of one’s thoughts and actions. Rooted in many of the great religions and a central motif within Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, karma is mistakenly confused in popular culture with(……)
Research scientists at Sheffield Hallam University are undertaking an international study designed to document the lives of family members, friends or loved ones of people who have experienced problem gambling. The survey explores the impact of problem gambling on different family members, the coping strategies they use and their help seeking behavior. The purpose of this study is to(……)
“What is the best approach to the supervision of peer recovery support service specialists within the addictions field?” is a question that, at present, remains unanswered. In earlier communications, I have disseminated papers that outlined the history, theory, and science of peer recovery support services; delineated the roles of addiction counselor, Twelve-Step sponsor, and recovery(……)