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There has been a lot of media coverage lately around the tragic deaths of Long Island mom Diane Schuler, pop star Michael Jackson and pitchman Billy Mays. All of the stories include allegations of alcohol and / or drug abuse or misuse. All include real people whose lives were taken too soon. And all of…
While it is known that people with a close family member addicted to drugs or alcohol can experience multiple symptoms of physical and psychological stress, these family members are not often intervened with in a medical setting. A recent study coming out of England shows that brief and/or full interventions for family members dealing with…
Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs (MASAP), Maine Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse (MAPSA), Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery (MAAR) and AdCare Educational Institute of Maine are co-sponsoring some free trainings for people that are concerned about alcohol and drug related problems in Maine and would like to make a difference by advocating for prevention,…
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) just launched an outreach program that includes an online screening tool and other resources for physicians. Called NIDAMED, the program aims to educate doctors around screening patients for drug use in order to identify problems before they turn into full-blown addiction. Doctors often cite lack of time with…
To the strongest, most able women ever: When I first came to (Back Cove) Crossroads halfway house for women, I was transferred from the 28 day program in Windham. I arrived here after a long term of jail time for a probation violation and new criminal felony drug charges. Drugs had completely taken over my…
Last week, Anna Nicole Smith’s partner / lawyer, Howard K. Stern, and two doctors were charged with multiple felonies for illegally supplying the drugs that ultimately led to her accidental fatal overdose in February of 2007. Several prescription drugs were found in the room in which she died. It was reported that all three men…
There have been some interesting studies recently published regarding women and drinking. It’s always interesting to find studies with female participants since so few in the past have looked at gender differences in relation to substance abuse. Here are some highlights and links: CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) reported that more than 20% of sexual…
Almost 10 years ago, the citizens of Maine approved 61% to 39% a statute to make marijuana legal for people with cancer, HIV/AIDs and other medical problems, provided they have a letter from their doctor indicating the treatment is legitimate. The Catch-22 here is that there is no legal way for those who are eligible…
As 2008 comes to an end, we thought it would be interesting to see what people were reading about on this blog throughout the year. This blog continues to be a resource for women, the recovery community, and family and friends of those with substance abuse or mental health issues. Following are the top 10…
With Thanksgiving next week, many of us are feeling the pressure and excitement of the upcoming holiday season. There’s shopping to get done, family and friends to visit and all those parties that seem to pop up from now until the new year. All the festivities tend to bring lots of highs and lows. And…