Medically-Assisted Detox with an Onsite Addictionologist
Medically-Assisted Detox with an Onsite Addictionologist What Is Medicated-Assisted Detox? Medicated-Assisted Detox is the use of medications—under the supervision of a licensed addiction specialist—to treat the symptoms of detoxification from substance use disorders, including opioids, alcohol, and more. Detox is often the most uncomfortable and feared part of recovery. At Cliffside Malibu, we prioritize making […]
The Gift of Desperation
I woke alone in a dimly lit bathroom surprised to be alive. As I stood and gazed into the mirror I saw a shadow of myself. Who was this stranger looking back? A criminal. An addict. An addiction. A Junkie. I had even failed to kill myself the night before in this very room – […]
Stages of Change
What are the Stages of Change? At the University of Rhode Island, two researchers named Prochaska and DiClemente deciphered that there are 6 stages individuals go through and experience while seeking addiction, going through recovery and ultimately maintaining sobriety. These stages became a model known as “The Stages of Change”, which we base our individualized […]
Pre-Existing Conditions: How the New Proposed Healthcare Plan Could Deny You Coverage
Pre-Existing Conditions: How the New Proposed Healthcare Plan Could Deny You Coverage Congressional Republicans are dead-set on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, seemingly without regard for making improvements to the system. The President’s promise was more people covered with better care at less cost. That is not what the new GOP proposal would […]
To Overcome Addiction, You Must Address Underlying Trauma
To Overcome Addiction, You Must Address Underlying Trauma One of the most widely known addiction treatment groups, Alcoholics Anonymous, famously lists twelve steps the addict must take to overcome their addiction. While these steps include everything from admitting you’re powerlessness over the substances you abuse to seeking out people you’ve wronged in the past to […]
State Autonomy or Federal Negligence? Medicaid Cuts in the Fight Against Opioid Addiction
State Autonomy or Federal Negligence? Medicaid Cuts in the Fight Against Opioid Addiction State and federal governments pay deeply for addiction. One study conducted by researchers at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control estimates that the opioid addiction crisis has cost the United States more than $78 billion. The cost is staggering. As […]
The United States’ Greatest Barriers to Improved Mental Health Care Services and What Advocates Can Do to Enhance Care
The United States’ Greatest Barriers to Improved Mental Health Care Services and What Advocates Can Do to Enhance Care What stops people who need mental health treatment from getting the support they need? While on average one in five American adults experiences some form of mental illness every year, just over 40% of people living […]
How Medicaid’s Addiction Treatment Services Will Change as a Block-Grant Program
How Medicaid’s Addiction Treatment Services Will Change as a Block-Grant Program Last weekend Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway, said in an interview that replacing the Affordable Care Act could include a shift in Medicaid’s financing to block grants. Since it was created in 1965, Medicaid has been a open-ended federal entitlement program, meaning that […]
Opioid Addiction is Predictable and Potentially Avoidable if Physicians Change Screening Habits
Opioid Addiction is Predictable and Potentially Avoidable if Physicians Change Screening Habits Most people only use prescription opioids for a short period of time. According to a new study published in PAIN, The Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain, less than two percent of people prescribed opioid-based pain killers are still […]
More than an Rx: How Can Doctors End the Opioid Epidemic?
More than an Rx: How Can Doctors End the Opioid Epidemic? How can we combat addiction? While nearly 20,000 people died from a prescription opioid-related overdose in 2014, community leaders and elected officials are still scrambling to answer this question. Some advocates point to physicians in their role as key suppliers of prescription opioids as the group […]