In a study published in December 2014 in the Journal of Eating Disorders, a team of Canadian and American researchers examined the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as a binge eating disorder treatment; the researchers also explored the underlying factors that may account for DBT’s usefulness, including an improved ability to control the emotions…
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Alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder are frequently co-occurring or comorbid substance problems in both teenagers and adults, a group of U.S.-based researchers report. Comorbid conditions are health problems that appear together in one person and cause more difficulties for that person than they would on their own. In a study published in January…
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A study dating back to the 1970s demonstrates how changing environmental factors and cues can actually help people overcome addiction and avoid relapsing. The study, heavily questioned and doubted in its own time, is now being viewed as valuable to current ideas about how we change behaviors and how addiction can be conquered. Learn how a…
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People who drink heavily must work substantially harder on critical thinking tasks to achieve the same results as people unaffected by alcohol problems due to changes in the white matter in their brains, a new study finds. Changes in the health of white matter were recently compared among people affected by alcohol dependence (alcoholism) and…
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A sober New Year’s can be an alien concept to people in the earliest stages of recovery. How do you get through one of the biggest party nights of the year without alcohol? The best way you can go about avoiding temptation and risking a relapse is by planning out the events of your evening.…
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Illegal drugs can cause a variety of health problems. So can prescription drugs when they’re misused. Many of these problems are widely known, such as loss of short-term memory associated with marijuana, tooth damage from methamphetamine, and anxiety linked to cocaine. How Drugs Can Affect Your Health These drugs can also have serious — even…
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One of the hardest things for those with an alcohol use disorder to do is recognize the problem. You may compare your level of drinking to others at a social event and tell yourself you are “ok” if you feel you do not exceed that level. However, those with an alcohol problem tend not to…
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Addiction is a complicated disease. It has genetic components, but having a gene or a set of genes for addiction does not mean you will become an addict. It isn’t a death sentence or even a life sentence for that matter. But it is scary. Whether you just found out the truth about those skeletons…
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For many alcoholics and addicts in recovery, a sponsor is a lifeline to sanity and sobriety. Whether you are feeling sad, angry, elated or on edge, the first person you typically call is your sponsor. A sponsor is probably your most trusted friend in sobriety. The relationship between you and your sponsor can be a…
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There has always been a stigma attached to the need to see a therapist. Whether the reason is a little anxiety, a deeper mental illness, an addictive disorder or anything else, needing psychological help has long been seen as a weakness. The tides are turning and more people are accepting mental illness and addiction as…
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