The following article is a guest post by Alison Broderick. The basics of gender-separate addiction programs and why they work It’s no surprise that men and women differ in many ways. Until recent years, however, they have been grouped together in addiction research and treatment. Consider the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. A majority of…
Though Maine is one of the safest places to live in the US, its crime rate rose by more than 5% in 2011, the largest increase in 36 years. This jump, which also occurred the year before, is in contrast to the rest of the nation. According to the FBI, violent crime dropped 4% and…
Last December, SAMHSA announced it’s working definition of recovery, along with a set of guiding principles. The definition was the result of a lengthy process that involved service providers, recovery advocates, and other stakeholders. For reference, the original definition looked like this: Recovery from Mental Disorders and Substance Use Disorders: A process of change through…
Crossroads for Women’ first Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for men will begin this month at its Greater Portland Counseling Center in Scarborough, ME. The IOP will start on January 23rd and will be offered Monday through Thursday from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Since expanding outpatient services to men at the end of 2011, Crossroads for Women’…
SAMHSA recently announced a new “working definition” of recovery from mental disorders and substance use disorders. The definition comes from a year-long effort that involved SAMHSA and several members of the behavioral health care community and beyond. The definition reads as follows: A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live…
Mainers turned in more than 7 tons of unwanted prescriptions drugs during National Drug Take Back Day on October 29th. 14,140 pounds to be exact. According to the Bangor Police Department, that is more unwanted drugs per capita than any other state during the Drug Enforcement Administration-sponsored national event. Good news considering all the talk…
Painkiller addiction has hit the state of Maine hard. Ten years ago, the issue was deemed “the greatest criminal problem and possibly the greatest social problem facing Maine.” Today, Maine doesn’t seem to be in any better place when it comes to the addiction and abuse of prescription painkiller medication. The cost of this addiction…
Dr. Stephanie Covington, a nationally recognized clinician, author, organizational consultant and lecturer, visited Maine on Tuesday, September 13. She spent the day at the Black Point Inn in Scarborough as a guest of Crossroads for Women for Women. In the morning, Dr. Covington gave the keynote talk “Why Gender Matters: Creating Services for Women and…
September is National Recovery Month. There are lots of events going on, in Maine and beyond, to celebrate those in recovery from alcohol and/or drug addiction as well as mental disorders. The month reminds us that prevention works, treatment is effective and people do recover. To kick the month off, here’s a video from the…
On Monday, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) announced its official “long definition” of addiction. This new definition is notable because addiction is now defined as a chronic brain disorder and not simply a behavioral issue. In fact, the new definition doesn’t have anything to do with the substance being used or the frequency…
