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New Guide Helps Identify at-risk Kids, 9-18.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has just released a guide for health care professionals to help identify children and teenagers age 9 to 18 who are at risk for alcohol-related problems, provide brief counseling, and refer them to treatment resources if that is indicated. While aimed at professionals, the guide contains…
Drug Shows Promise for Help in Preventing Relapse
A new study — on mice, not people — shows promising results with the use of a drug called Mifepristone to reduce relapse stemming from high stress levels. The drug was initially commercialized by the name RU-486, a drug that is widely used for inducing terminations of pregnancy. “It seems to impede the activity of…
“Addiction and Alcoholism: Beyond 12 Steps”
The MSN website carried an article by Maia Szalavitz recently that should be of great interest to those seeking an overview of addiction that looks deeper than “spiritual weakness.” It’s a bit long, but worth the effort. Here it is: Although addiction and alcoholism treatment research has advanced tremendously since Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in…
Nicotine really is a “Gateway Drug” Says New Study
The idea of “gateway drugs” has been a subject of controversy and ridicule for decades. It’s an argument aimed often at people who use marijuana and are told that pot leads to the use of “harder” drugs. It has also been a handy weapon to aim at teenagers who smoke tobacco. A new study suggests…
“Why I Can’t Drink”
One of the hardest things in recovery is simply to remember how bad life was when drinking. Time passes and the painful memories become blurred and they disconnect themselves from the act that brought them about. In a recent note, an e-mail pal sent me a list she had made of why she can’t drink.…
New Study: “Moderate” Drinking Causes Cancer
An article in the Wall Street Journal provides a good response to those who insist that “moderate” alcohol consumption is good for you. See the article here . While the article acknowledge some health benefits, a new study points out that there are also negative effects, including an increased chance of cancer of the breast,…
Alcohol Marketers Target Youth
Here’s part of a piece from an HIV/AIDS blog with information that we’re all probably vaguely aware of, but which bears repeating: While the popularity of various illegal substances rises and falls, alcohol consistently remains the granddaddy of recreational drugs. New forms of alcoholic drinks began appearing in the 1980s, first with wine coolers and…
A LifeRing Keeper: When Relapses Keep Happening
Here’s a recent posting from LSRmail, the first and largest email group in LifeRing. It’s a response to a member who wrote in after experiencing another in a series of brief relapses. It’s a fine example of the type of response that comes from our online venues. Hi xxxxx, It’s good to ‘see’ you again,…
Medicare, Medicaid to Cover Screening for Alcoholism, Depression
Here is news that may be of interest both to older readers and ones with older relatives and friends. It’s from the medpagetoday.com website. The article does assume that alcohol abuse is a “disease,” which some may find off-putting. WASHINGTON — Medicare will pay for annual screenings for alcohol misuse and depression, the Centers for…