Topics

Addiction

The Best Addiction Treatment Option

By Adi Jaffe, Ph.D. on May 16, 2012 in All About Addiction

Which addiction treatment option is best? To me that's a bit like asking whether the sky is better at the ocean or the mountains. Read More

Strange Sex Habits of Silicon Valley

By Nir Eyal on May 15, 2012 in Automatic You

My wife put our daughter to bed, brushed her teeth, and freshened up before bed. Slipping under the covers, we exchanged glances and knew it was time to do what comes naturally for a couple on a warm night in Silicon Valley. Read More

Addiction and the Environment

By Sandy Olliges, M.A. on May 15, 2012 in EcoMind

Recently, James Hansen, noted scientist with the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies wrote in an op-ed for the New York Times that development of tar sands as proposed in Canada would propel us onto an inexorable course of global warming that would be disastrous both ecologically and financially. Read More

Addiction’s Blind Spot

By Michael J. Formica, MS, MA, EdM on May 15, 2012 in Enlightened Living

When talking about systems of addiction or compulsive dependence, one of the greatest obstacles to recovery is overconfidence. Read More

Why Do Munchies Taste so Good When You’re High?

By Professor Gary L. Wenk, Ph. D. on May 15, 2012 in Your Brain on Food

If you hate eating peas or broccoli or whatever, smoking marijuana will not induce you to like eating them. Read More

Boredom: The Devil and Divine Discontent

By Renee Garfinkel, Ph.D. on May 14, 2012 in Time Out

Most of us know what it feels like to be bedeviled by boredom.  Read More

The Workaholic Breakdown Syndrome: Chronic Fatigue

By Barbara Killinger, Ph.D. on May 11, 2012 in The Workaholics

Dependent on others to affirm their self worth, workaholics suffer a crisis of confidence as the six escalating fears discussed in the previous blog, especially the fear of failure and increasing paranoia, cause anxiety levels to climb and eventually destabilize functioning. Read More

Can Drinking Make Men Smarter?

By Joseph Nowinski, Ph.D. on May 10, 2012 in The Almost Effect

On April 11, 2012, the New York Daily News published an article titled Beer Makes Men Smarter, which got a lot of attention. Is that really true? Read More

The Challenges and Blessings of Being a Sober Mother

By Sarah Allen Benton, M.S., L.M.H.C. on May 8, 2012 in The High-Functioning Alcoholic

As a new mother who is in recovery from alcoholism, I have gained an enormous amount of first-hand experience into the unique challenges that motherhood brings for those either trying to get sober or intending to sustain their recovery. Read More

Restricting Pain Control Versus Preventing Addiction

By Dennis Rosen, M.D. on May 7, 2012 in Sleeping Angels

Some 2-3 percent of teens abusing prescription pain killers is a big problem. So is making it more difficult for people with chronic pain to get the care they need. Read More

Does Gender Matter in the Addicted Brain’s Response to Stress?

By Eugene Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. on May 7, 2012 in Demystifying Psychiatry

Current research indicates that a person goes through three phases when developing a drug addiction and that particular brain regions are associated with each phase. Read More

Science, Schmience—This Means YOU, PT Reader

By Stanton Peele on May 7, 2012 in Addiction in Society

America prides itself on its commitment to scientifically based thinking. But we really cloak in science our actually increasing tendency to see the world in mythical terms. Read More

Addiction: Disease or Not?

By Marc Lewis, Ph.D. on May 7, 2012 in Addicted Brains

I've been pretty convinced that the disease metaphor does nothing for our understanding of addiction. But now I'm not so sure. Read More

A Word, a Song, a Smell

By Kristi Pikiewicz on May 6, 2012 in Meaningful You

His daughter’s death had not been unexpected. She had had advanced liver disease, the consequence, Willy had acknowledged ruefully many times, of a life of promiscuity and drug-abuse. Of her death and his inability to mourn her, Willy said with a kind of shrug, “I lost my daughter many years ago.” Read More

The Good, the Bad and the Addicted: Addiction and Normality

By McWelling Todman, Ph.D. on May 6, 2012 in Seeking Equilibrium

Addictive behavior is a pretty good social adhesive until it is not. Can't live with it and can't live without it. Read More

Why It’s so Hard to Unplug From the Digital World

By Ray Williams on May 6, 2012 in Wired for Success

You may be dependent or even addicted to the digital virtual world. What’s more, digital world dependence may be physically disconnecting you from others and your inner self. Read More

Is Marijuana Addictive?

By Dale Archer, M.D. on May 5, 2012 in Reading Between The (Head)Lines

Marijuana remains a political hot button as society, legislatures and scientists still ponder, "Is marijuana addictive or not?" Read More

Motivating Loved Ones to Seek Recovery

By Judy Scheel, Ph.D., L.C.S.W. on May 4, 2012 in When Food Is Family

People suffering from eating disorders are often ambivalent about recovering, which makes these types of illnesses harder to treat. Helping those with eating disorders discover their own reasons to begin the recovery process can contribute to creating and sustaining their motivation. Read More

Being Open

By Ingrid Mathieu, Ph.D. on May 4, 2012 in Emotional Sobriety

Opening up to life and all it has to offer, without opportunities and adventures getting trampled on by fears of the unknown or what we think we know. Read More

Wonderful News: DSM 5 Finally Begins Its Belated and Necessary Retreat

By Allen J. Frances, M.D. on May 2, 2012 in DSM5 in Distress

Sigh of relief. The DSM 5 website announced this morning that two of its most controversial proposals have finally been dropped. We have dodged bullets on Psychosis Risk and Mixed Anxiety Depression. Both are now definitively rejected as official DSM 5 diagnoses and instead are being exiled to the appendix. Read More

Essential Reads: Editor's Picks

Current Issue

The High Art of Handling Problem People

How to handle difficult people.

Addiction Blogs