What’s the best way to treat addicitons?

With the start of a new year, comes the tradition of setting new goals for oneself. The tradition of New Year’s Resolutions started with the Ancient Babylonia’s some 4,000 years ago. While most of us don’t set goals to align with crop planting like the Babylonians did, we still celebrate the start of setting new goals, such as fitness, beauty, and other health & wellness ideas. With health & wellness in mind, Dry January is a common tradition that a lot of individuals find themselves participating in.

What’s the best way to treat addicitons?

When it comes to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) recovery, the journey and process will be unique to the individual. A SUD is a medical condition that can be treated successfully, and recovery can be supported through proper education, tools, and other support services. Dr. Michael Hamrock, Power Forward Massachusetts resident addiction specialist,, discusses that the treatment plan is “a multifaceted approach, there is not just one approach that treats addiction.” According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “even people with severe and chronic substance use disorders can, with help, overcome their illness and regain health and social function.” There is no one size fits all path to living in recovery. There are several factors that determine if a person is going to be successful after the first, fifth, or tenth time. Regardless of where you are at in the process, here are some tips that have been proven to help with day-to-day success. 

We ask Dr. Mike, how do addiction treatment medications work?

Athletes, Injuries, and Substance Use Disorders

The reasons why people develop Substance Use Disorders (SUD) are commonly overlooked, especially due to the fact that our society tends to lack empathy towards those who turn to substance use. It is important to understand that SUDs are not always a result of being involved in “risky behavior”; they are very common as the result of things like an over-prescription of medication, easy access, mental health conditions, hardships within the home, and more.

We ask Dr. Mike, is Addiction Caused by a lack of Willpower?

INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS: THE CYCLE OF BRAIN INJURY, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, AND INCARCERATION

Not only can substance use be a negative consequence of a brain injury, there is also a strong correlation between Traumatic Brain Injuries and substance use for incarcerated individuals. It is estimated that, “as many as 87% of incarcerated individuals have experienced a traumatic brain injury,” (Horn, M. L., & Lutz, D. J., 2016). Furthermore, research has shown that more than half of individuals with brain injuries will be re-arrested, compared to only 33% of individuals without brain injuries. 

We ask Dr. Mike, are some people more likely to become addicted than others?

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

74 years later, and many people don’t even know when Mental Health Awareness month is. This movement was established in 1949, designating May as the official month to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness of Americans, and to celebrate recovery from mental health conditions. Millions of people are affected by mental health …