A Stroll in Nature Improves Mental Health
A Stroll in Nature Improves Mental Health Before I earned my graduate degrees and changed my career to focus on addiction treatment and recovery, I worked for the Girl Scouts. I absolutely loved my work, especially in my last years with the organization, during which among other things, I oversaw Girl Scout camp. As a […]
“Be Courteous with Fireworks” Signs for Combat Vets: Do They Help?
“Be Courteous with Fireworks” Signs for Combat Vets: Do They Help? We’re coming up on the Fourth of July, the day on which we celebrate our nation’s independence from England. Fireworks, both at community shows and outside private homes, are a long-standing traditional way of marking this important day in our nation’s history. However, not […]
Managing Student Expectations in the Transition from High School to College
Managing Student Expectations in the Transition from High School to College High school seniors have a lot of expectations about what life will be like once they move on from their parents’ homes. When I prepared to leave for college, I hunkered down in my room to make a list of all the things I’d […]
Repairing Broken Women and Men
Repairing Broken Women and Men Frederick Douglass is reported to have said, “It is easier to build strong children than to fix broken men.” It is something I think about often in my work as a person with substance use disorderion researcher. When I hear the life stories of those who seek treatment for their […]
Alcohol Abuse may be Related to Personal Activity Levels
Alcohol Abuse may be Related to Personal Activity Levels There is some evidence that physical activity may benefit individuals who are attempting to reduce their alcohol consumption. A study published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism found an association between physical activity and a lower risk of alcohol problems. Sedentary people had a higher risk […]
Alcohol Benefits to Health Not Accurate, Especially for the Elderly
Alcohol Benefits to Health Not Accurate, Especially for the Elderly For years, many people have argued about the benefits of drinking small amounts of alcohol for health, arguing that moderate consumption may protect against cardiovascular disease. The association has been a contentious one, since study results may have been exaggerated or possibly skewed due to […]
Can a Psychedelic Trip Improve Your Mental Health?
Can a Psychedelic Trip Improve Your Mental Health? For thousands of years, shamans have used hallucinogenic plants to help individuals overcome trauma and other difficulties. In the West, research into the potential healing power of entheogens, substances believed to elicit mystical experience, were halted in the middle of the last century. Now, the government is […]
Stress Intensifies Pain Response
Stress Intensifies Pain Response A new study confirms that acute psychosocial stress has a dramatically negative effect on the body’s ability to modulate pain. Researchers found that although pain thresholds and pain tolerance seemed unaffected by stress, there was a significant increase in pain intensification and a decrease in pain inhibition capabilities in stressed individuals. […]
Could Drug Abuse be Influencing the War(s) in the Middle East?
Could Drug Abuse be Influencing the War(s) in the Middle East? The Middle East is dealing with an epidemic of methamphetamine use. Could this be a factor in the growing tension in the region and offer at least a partial explanation for the lack of willingness to attempt negotiated resolutions? Consider a few facts: Meth […]
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Motor Vehicle Accidents: A Lethal Combination for Young People
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Motor Vehicle Accidents: A Lethal Combination for Young People Alcohol and marijuana are among the drugs most commonly used by adolescents and young adults. Use is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality for young people, especially motor vehicle crash fatality, which is a leading cause of death among those 18 to 25 […]