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Unfortunately AA Just Isn’t Effective
I wish AA worked, it just doesn't, despite being mimicked as the way to recover from every malady and bad habit you can think of. If it truly was the way to a new lifestyle America would look like a very different place. A new book by Lance Dodes, MD, "The Sober...
read moreRecovery-Should we Stay in the Closet?
David Colman wrote a fascinating article last week , in the New York Times, Challenging the Second A in A.A., discussing the opposing, strong opinions about AA's insistence on maintaining member anonymity. Below are some of the highlights. The timing is interesting,...
read moreMy Last Hangover! Really, Truly This Time!
Do you find yourself assuring yourself that you will never allow yourself to feel so miserable again. You realize fully that last night, once again, you seem to have forgotten how lousy overdrinking makes you feel. You well know your limit, but somehow, when the...
read moreThe Merry-Go Round of Addiction
Take a look at a short video by Dr. Marc Kern that compares the life of substance abuse to a carousel. We may have the sensation of going somewhere, but it's only up and down movement-getting high or a buzz and then going down again into depression and remorse, over...
read moreCuring Alcohol Addiction with a Joystick?
While a lot of recovery programs emphasize rational thinking, a new approach similar to a video game focuses on impulses. As with any addiction, like smoking or overeating, we can know all the reasons in the world why we should not be reaching for that cigarette or...
read moreThe Movie Made Me Relapse!
Choose your movies carefully, a new study published in theThe Journal of Neuroscience shows that "in addition to activating brain areas linked to addiction, watching movies in which people smoke activates brain areas that drive the body movements a smoker makes...
read moreAddiction and Oxytocin
A recent post mentions a new study that shows the effectiveness of Baclofen in the treatment of alcohol addiction. Other studies show that one of the effects of the medication is on the level of the "love drug" oxytocin, that plays a role in bonding behaviors. Maybe...
read moreSavoring Each Sip!
A recent study shows that when we aren't paying attention to what we eat, we tend to eat more and even get hungry sooner. When we are distracted, we can't remember how much we've eaten and memory is tied to satiety. Researchers found that distracted eaters, who were...
read moreCan’t Lick that Darn Habit? It’s Wired into Your Brain
The desire to drink is truly "wired into our brains." Bad habits are ingrained very deeply and intensely. Why are they stronger than good habits? -because we're like toddlers who love and crave immediate reward. Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on...
read moreStudy Shows Baclofen Effective Treatment for Alcohol Addiction
Good news! A small, but good study, using a "gold standard trial design and evaluation methodologies," replicated the Italian study finding that Baclofen is effective in the treatment of alcohol addiction. A previous post talks about French cardiologist Dr. Oliver...
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