For those of you who are not yet familiar with it, I would like to introduce the Columbia Suicide Severity Risk Scale (C-SSRS). The C-SSRS is comprised of a series of simple questions used to assess the severity and immediacy of a suicide risk. One of the many benefits of the scale are that the…
It can be difficult to ask hard questions like, am I an alcoholic? But until one asks oneself direct questions about substance use, they will not be ready for help. Honestly answered, though, opens the door to recovery. Moving down a recovery path does not have to be hard when working with us at New…
Choosing the right drug and alcohol treatment center can be one of the most important decisions you will make in regards to you or your loved one’s health. While it is true, that not all doctors have the same level of expertise and competency, the same can be said for treatment facilities. Treatment centers can…
More and more people are discovering the benefits of yoga for those individuals who are seeking recovery from addiction. Roy King, PhD, MD from Stanford University has studied the biological impact of yoga on drug abuse. What he found is that by inhibiting the dopamine impulse, which addicts get from using, yoga helps to inhibit…
September 5–September 11 is suicide prevention week. September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. Many of you, may not know that suicide is the leading cause of death among people who abuse alcohol and drugs. Suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States in 2013 and ranked higher with individuals between…
A first of a kind study, by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) conducted in August 2015, shed insight on substance use patterns among one in five full-time college students (18-22) who were using illicit or potentially harmful substances. The study which tracks initiation of use by month shows that the initiation for…
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) the rate of Substance Abuse Disorder among the LGBT community isn’t well known but studies indicate that it is somewhere between 20%—30% which is significantly higher than the general population which stands at 9%. Additionally, men who have sex with men are 3.5 times…
“So, how long should my son stay in treatment?” a worried mother asked me yesterday. For those of us who work in drug and alcohol treatment, this is probably the question we hear the most from anxious husbands, wives, parents, siblings and friends. How long should your loved one stay at alcohol or drug rehab? Despite all…
Clients at drug and alcohol treatment centers often have more than one issue when they come into rehab including problems with depression, anxiety and food. A lesser known and discussed issue is that of sexual addiction. Although sex addiction isn’t listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V (DSM-5) it is still a…
According to the World Health Organization (WHO): “Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, there is no health without mental health.” From many studies they’ve conducted, as well as other studies from around the world, we now know that poor mental health is linked to increased risk of death from heart disease, stroke…