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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…
Past studies have continually shown the women react to alcohol differently than men. They tend to metabolize alcohol more quickly and are subject to greater health effects as a result of regular drinking. A study out of Idaho State University is taking a look at gender-specific differences in the way the brain reacts to alcohol.…
A recent study coming out of Canada showed that 1 in 25 deaths worldwide are attributed to alcohol. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) researchers concluded that a rise since 2000 was due to more women in the world drinking alcohol. Most of the deaths caused by alcohol were through injuries, cancer, cardiovascular…
Crossroads Maine often talks about using a relational model when treating clients for mental health and substance abuse issues. This model is different from a traditional substance abuse model that is more confrontational (think intervention) and largely designed for and by men. Being women-focused for almost 35 years, we’ve found (and other studies back this…
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) released a 287-page report yesterday that outlined just how much addiction and substance abuse costs local, state and national government. Looking at government spending data from 2005 (the latest available), they found 96% ($357.4 billion) went to “shovel up the consequences and human…
A study coming out of England shows that both men and women underestimate the amount of calories an alcoholic drink contains. According to the study, which was part of the government’s Know Your Limits campaign, the average wine drinker in England now consumes around 2,000 calories monthly from alcohol alone. That’s about the same as consuming…
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…
A recent study from the University of Illinois took a look at how the use of a recovery coach may benefit pregnant women struggling with substance abuse problems. In the study, recovery coaches – case workers with special training in addiction, relapse prevention, case management and counseling – were shown to reduce the number of…
A recent report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University shows that a new intensive case management approach to help drug-addicted women on poverty provides better outcomes for sobriety and employment than the current employment-first approach. The new approach views addiction as a chronic disease vs. a temporary problem.…
A recent study showed that brief interventions in the doctor’s office can reduce alcohol use in postpartum women. In the study, 8,706 women were screened at their 6-week postpartum doctor visit. The women were given either “usual care,” defined as “receipt of a booklet on general health issues but no specific counseling,” or brief intervention.…