Addiction and Recovery

"Thomistic Hylomorphism, Self-Determination, Neuroplasticity, and Grace: The Case of Addiction"

by Daniel D. De Haan

A version of this paper was presented at the 85th Annual Meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, October 28-30, 2011. For a citable version see the forthcoming, “Thomistic Hylomorphism, Self-Determination, Neuroplasticity, and Grace: The Case of Addiction” in the Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association: Science, Reason, and Religion, Vol. 85,
(2012).

This paper presents a Thomistic analysis of addiction that incorporates scientific, philosophical and theological... more This paper presents a Thomistic analysis of addiction that incorporates scientific, philosophical and theological features of addiction. I will argue first, that a Thomistic hylomorphic anthropology provides a cogent explanation of the causal interactions between human action and neuroplasticity. I employ Karol Wojtyła’s account of self-determination to further clarify the kind of neuroplasticity involved in addiction. Next, I will elucidate how a Thomistic anthropology can accommodate, without reductionism, both the neurophysiological and psychological elements of addiction, and finally, I will make clear how Thomism can provide an ethics and theology of grace that can be integrated with these ontological and scientific considerations into a holistic theory of addiction.

To Hell and Back: Excessive Drug Use, Addiction, and the Process of Recovery in Mainstream Rock Autobiographies

by Atte Oksanen

Oksanen, Atte (2012): To Hell and Back: Excessive Drug Use, Addiction, and the Process of Recovery in Mainstream Rock Autobiographies. Substance Use & Misuse, 47: 2, 143–154.

Rock autobiographies have become increasingly popular since the 1990s. This article analyzes 31 mainstream rock... more Rock autobiographies have become increasingly popular since the 1990s. This article analyzes 31 mainstream rock autobiographies describing a wide variety of legal and illegal substances used and reckless behavior. Narrative analysis shows that books concentrate on recovering from addiction. The majority of writers have participated in some kind of treatment. Rock autobiographies use therapeutic vocabulary and borrow discursive elements from culturally familiar Alcoholics Anonymous texts recounting recovery stories. The analysis shows that drugs and alcohol are not associated with rebellion and authenticity as they once were in rock music. Surviving addiction has become a key theme of rock culture.

Keywords: addiction, recovery, narratives, rock music, popular culture, narrative theory, excessive appetites

Anesthesia and Addiction, International Anesthesiology Clinics 49 (1), Winter 2011

by Ethan Bryson

By Ethan O. Bryson, M.D., and Elizabeth A. M. Frost, M.D.
Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011.
Pages: 176. Price: $176.00.

This is a review of the special issue of the International Anesthesiology Clinics book on Anesthesia and Addiction... more This is a review of the special issue of the International Anesthesiology Clinics book on Anesthesia and Addiction that Dr. Frost and I put together that was published in the January 2012 issue of Anesthesiology.

Self-medication with alcohol appears not to be an effective treatment for the control of depression

by Colin Hendrie

Exposure of anesthesia providers in recovery from substance abuse to potential triggering agents

by Ethan Bryson

Hamza H, Bryson EO. Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, November 2011

Study Objective: To determine the experience, attitudes, and opinions of anesthesia providers in recovery from... more Study Objective: To determine the experience, attitudes, and opinions of anesthesia providers in recovery from addiction to anesthetic agents, who subsequently undergo surgery or who require opioid analgesics for injuries or other conditions.

Design: Survey instrument.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Subjects: Physicians and nurse-anesthetists in recovery in the United States.

Measurements: A link to a survey was posted on the Anesthetists in Recovery website on January 17, 2010 and allowed to remain active for a period of one week. The survey also was distributed via email to recovering anesthesiologists in a “snowball sampling” method. Completed surveys were reviewed, and data were compiled using Survey Monkey, with categorical variables described as frequencies and percentages.

Main Results: A total of 30 surveys were returned, with 27 (90%) reporting a history of abusing anesthetics or drugs commonly found in the work environment, and 19 (65.5%) reporting abuse of recreational drugs and drugs used during the administration of anesthesia. Twenty-eight (93%) respondents reported finding themselves in a situation that necessitated they receive their former drug of choice for legitimate medical reasons while in recovery.

Conclusions: Anesthesia care providers in recovery from addiction to anesthetic agents may undergo subsequent exposure to these agents due to medical necessity. Participation in a program of recovery with support from family members may decrease the risk of relapse but does not eliminate it.

Griffiths, M.D. (2011). Student activities: The preventing and treating addictive behaviour. Psychology Review, 17(2), 22-23.

by Mark Griffiths

Tutors, examiners, researchers and textbook writers all tell us how important it is to be active in our learning. Mark... more Tutors, examiners, researchers and textbook writers all tell us how important it is to be active in our learning. Mark Griffiths gives some useful activities that will consolidate and enhance your understanding of the article on preventing and treating addiction you have just read.

Counseling Supervision Review

by Daniel Keeran MSW

by Daniel Keeran, MSW

This form is used by Counseling Supervisors at the 6 month and year-end point of the one-year period of supervision... more This form is used by Counseling Supervisors at the 6 month and year-end point of the one-year period of supervision for Intern Counselor members of the College of Mental Health Counseling http://www,collegemhc.com

Supervisors should be familiar with the College training manual to understand the content acquired by the Intern Counselor. The manual can be reviewed here http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Counseling-Skills-therapeutic-statements/dp/1442177993

Trends in Primary Methamphetamine-Related Admissions to Youth Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities in Canada, 2005–2006 and 2009–2010

by Marina Verdichevski

Published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

Authors:
Verdichevski M, Burns R, Cunningham JK, Tavares J, Callaghan RC.

Objective: During the last decade, methamphetamine use and issues surrounding its toxicity have triggered major... more Objective: During the last decade, methamphetamine use and issues surrounding its toxicity have triggered major concern in the Canadian government, leading to significant changes in drug policy and funding strategies to limit the societal impact of methamphetamine-related harms. This concern appears justified by research which found in 2005–2006 that 21% of all youth admissions to inpatient substance abuse treatment centres in Canada were due primarily to methamphetamine abuse. Given these patterns of treatment use and targeted governmental initiatives, an open question is whether the demand for methamphetamine treatment found in 2005–2006 has decreased. Our study aims to provide follow-up estimates of admissions for 2009–2010, as well as important trend information for these periods.
Method: We developed a comprehensive list of all Canadian residential youth substance abuse treatment facilities. The executive director of each facility was asked about the site’s annual caseload, and the proportion of cases primarily due to methamphetamine abuse within the past 12 months.
Results: Our survey data for the periods of 2005–2006 and 2009–2010 show marked reductions in admissions. In 2009–2010, we found that about 6% of all admissions were due primarily to methamphetamine abuse, a substantial drop from the 21% reported in our 2005–2006 study.
Conclusions: Our data show a significant national reduction in methamphetamine-related admissions. Other reports show that methamphetamine-related treatment admissions in the United States and Mexico declined sharply during 2005–2008, reportedly in association with Mexico’s methamphetamine precursor chemical controls, raising the possibility that the controls may also be associated with the declines reported here.

Bound to Drink: The Heavy Drinker & their Boundaries in Spiritual Approaches to Alcohol Abuse & Dependence

by Dena Sharrock

Alcohol abuse and dependence are major problems in Australia. Current approaches to understanding and managing these... more Alcohol abuse and dependence are major problems in Australia. Current approaches to understanding and managing these issues are not curbing increasing costs and harms to society; while research across multiple disciplines shows that the predominant biomedical model of treatment is outdated and reflects limited understandings. Research postulates that the incorporation of spiritual practice into treatment significantly improves outcomes for the heavy drinker. The ‘disease model of addiction’, however, continues to predominate as a treatment model. The twelve step programme developed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) incorporates spiritual practice, is widely acclaimed as the most successful treatment programme for alcoholism in the world and is often utilised in support of biomedical treatment. Critiques of AA, however, indicate that the Judeo-Christian foundations of the programme may limit its appeal, and gaps have been identified in addiction literature exploring alternative spiritual and religious approaches. In this research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with spiritual leaders from the Catholic, Jewish, Islamic, Pentecostal, Krishna Consciousness and Buddhist faiths. Generally, the heavy drinker was represented in terms of constriction and isolation, tightly bounded and separated from both their communities and their spirituality. Treatment and support options were presented with a focus on ‘softening’ the boundaries of the heavy drinker, encouraging them to reconnect with their community and with God or their Higher Understanding. The Catholic and Jewish interviewees represented alcohol dependence in terms akin to the disease model, requiring ongoing support from the spiritual and secular communities. The Islamic representation incorporated anomie, reflecting the belief that appropriate cultural and communal support would allow the heavy drinker to reintegrate the practice of abstinence which is integral to their faith.  The remaining three prioritised a lived, embodied experience of God or Higher Understanding by the heavy drinker, positing that the eradication of boundaries between them can lead to cure for alcohol dependence. A focus on boundaries opens possibilities for future research on tailored individual programmes which may include induced spiritual experiences and incorporation of secular activities which encourage the experience of ‘flow’.

Addiction, Narrative and Spirituality: Theoretical-Methodological Approaches and Overview

by Srdjan Sremac

Religija i tolerancija Vol.8/14, 2010, 255-273.

In the article the author presents different theoretical and methodological approaches to substance addiction:... more In the article the author presents different theoretical and methodological approaches to substance addiction: biological, socio-cultural, psychological, and narrative theories. The author argues that we have to develop a comprehensive theory of addiction that should include not only biomedical, psychological and socio-cultural factors but spiritual aspects of the individual as well. A more holistic and yet fully empirical model of research in addictiology as a human science must indeed include the spiritual dimension. Therefore, a comprehensive theory of addiction has to address all aspects: physical, psychological, social, and spiritual for effective treatment and recovery.

Key words: Addiction, spirituality, religiousness, narrative.

Potenza, M. & Griffiths, M.D. (2004). Prevention efforts and the role of the clinician. In J.E. Grant & M. N. Potenza (Eds.), Pathological Gambling: A Clinical Guide To Treatment. pp. 145-157. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc.

by Mark Griffiths

Hayer, T., Griffiths, M.D. & Meyer, G. (2005). The prevention and treatment of problem gambling in adolescence. In T.P. Gullotta & G. Adams (Eds). Handbook of adolescent behavioral problems: Evidence-based approaches to prevention and treatment. pp. 467-486. New York: Springer.

by Mark Griffiths

Griffiths, M.D. (2001). Why don’t adolescent gamblers seek treatment? Journal of Gambling Issues, 5.

by Mark Griffiths

Surveys have consistently shown that the prevalence rates for problematic gambling are higher in adolescents than for... more Surveys have consistently shown that the prevalence rates for problematic gambling are higher in adolescents than for adults. Given this finding, why is it that so few adolescents, compared to adults, enrol in treatment programs? This paper outlines ten speculative reasons why this situation exists.

What is Recovery? Functioning and Recovery Stories of Self-Identified People in Recovery in a Services User Group and Their Peer Networks in Birmingham England

by Teodora Groshkova

Comparing the Addiction Careers of Heroin and Alcohol Users and Their Self-Reported Reasons for Achieving Abstinence

by Teodora Groshkova

Recovery and Straw Men: An Analysis of the Objections Raised to the Transition to a Recovery Model In UK Addiction Services

by Teodora Groshkova

Mapping the recovery stories of drinkers and drug users in Glasgow: Quality of life and its associations with measures of recovery capital

by Teodora Groshkova

Griffiths, M.D. & Cooper, G. (2003). Online therapy: Implications for problem gamblers and clinicians, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 13, 113-135.

by Mark Griffiths

It is clear that clinicians working in the field of problem gambling cannot afford to ignore the Internet.... more It is clear that clinicians working in the field of problem gambling cannot afford to ignore the Internet. Psychological advice, help and treatment for gamblers are no exceptions with both counselling and psychotherapy entering the computer age. Such help comes under a variety of guises including Inter net counselling, online therapy, webcounselling, cybertherapy, E-therapy, and cybercounselling (all on this partial list tend to get used interchangeably). Although there is no official description of how to define this activity, a common component of all these methods is that people logging into these Internet services are receiving psychological advice and/or ‘treatment’ at hundreds of websites. Predictably, the subject of Internet counselling is causing wide debate (especially on the Internet itself!). This paper overviews the main issues in the area and briefly examines ‘telehealth’, online therapy (and the various types currently available), the relative advantages and disadvantages of online therapy, and the implications for the treatment of problem gamblers. The authors approach this discussion acknowledging that online therapy has to be incorporated within the overall framework of the need for clinical assistance.

Griffiths, M.D. (2001). Online therapy: A cause for concern? The Psychologist: Bulletin of the British Psychological Society, 14, 244-248.

by Mark Griffiths

Predictably, the subject of internet counselling is causing wide debate (particularly on the internet itself). This... more Predictably, the subject of internet counselling is causing wide debate (particularly on the internet itself). This article briefly overviews the main issues in the area and examines the types of online therapy currently available, the advantages and disadvantages, the monitoring of online therapeutic services, and suggestions for future evaluative research.

Griffiths, M.D. & Delfabbro, P. (2001). The biopsychosocial approach to gambling: Contextual factors in research and clinical interventions. Journal of Gambling Issues, 5, 1-33.

by Mark Griffiths

This paper argues that adherence to a single, specialised theory of gambling is largely untenable. It highlights... more This paper argues that adherence to a single, specialised theory of gambling is largely untenable. It highlights limitations of existing theories of gambling at three increasingly specific levels of analysis; namely, the social, psychological and biological. An overview of each level of analysis (social, psychological and biological) is provided by critically evaluating the contemporary literature on gambling. This is followed by discussions of the limitations and interdependence of each theoretical approach and the implications for research and clinical interventions. While several recent critiques of gambling research have provided considerable insight into the methodological limitations of many gambling studies, another problem is seldom acknowledged — the inadequacy and insular nature of many research paradigms. It is argued that gambling is a multifaceted behaviour, strongly influenced by contextual factors that cannot be encompassed by any single theoretical perspective. Such contextual factors include variations in gambling involvement and motivation across different demographic groups, the structural characteristics of activities and the developmental or temporal nature of gambling behaviour. This paper suggests that research and clinical interventions are best served by a biopsychosocial approach that incorporates the best strands of contemporary psychology, biology and sociology.