David W. Newton

Perhaps the most well-known piece of mental health legislation has been the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). This law made insurers offer no fewer benefits to an individual for mental health treatment than for physical health treatment. It did not require insurers to offer mental health coverage but it did … Read more

Individuals who have both a mental illness and an addiction to drugs or alcohol present a challenge for medical professionals. Treatment is complicated by the overlapping symptoms of the addiction and the mental illness. Complete recovery takes time and great care due to the delicate nature of the individual. Because these patients have a mental illness, … Read more

Tramadol, also known as Ultram or Ultracet, is a highly potent prescription painkiller prescribed to patients who struggle with ongoing pain. Unfortunately, even if the medication is taken exactly as prescribed, the patient can develop a physical dependence upon the drug. This is not the same thing as addiction, but it can cause withdrawal symptoms if the … Read more

Panic attacks are characterized by a fear of disaster or of losing control even if no danger is currently present. They can affect anyone at any age and at any time. Generally harmless, a person may experience a fight-or-flight response when confronted with a panic attack. But what happens when that instinctive response goes out … Read more

In a commentary published July 21 in the journal Addiction, a leading addiction researcher in New Zealand drives home a simple message: Make no mistake, there is plenty of solid research that shows alcohol causes several types of cancer, including cancers of the oropharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum and breast.1 In the commentary, she says … Read more

New Ideas Since the creation of the all-volunteer military in the 1970s, military support programs have grown and continue to grow. A 1988 Department of Defense (DoD) directive requires that these programs meet the needs of service members and their families. Unfortunately, DoD does not have a systematic method for determining these needs. Traditional program … Read more

Sleepwalking is not just a random or harmless habit to be ignored. Rather, when it is a chronic behavior and results in actions that are potentially harmful to the patient, it is an issue that should be addressed through mental health treatment. How can you identify a sleepwalking disorder in someone you love? There are … Read more

Drug abuse is itself a clear signal that a loved one needs help. Drug abuse never has a positive association, and with continued use, it is always only a matter time before the signs and symptoms of abuse grow more severe. The signs of substance abuse can vary, depending on the drug abused, but changes … Read more

OxyContin is a long-acting pain reliever prescribed to patients who deal with chronic and severe pain. When taken as prescribed, it can help to mitigate the experience of pain in patients who would otherwise be immobilized. When abused, however, it can lead to a range of health problems, including addiction, overdose and death. OxyContin is an opiate, … Read more

Mental health disorders are often understood. A person who has never struggled with bipolar disorder may see the symptoms of manic and depressive episodes as signs of the following: Self-absorption Selfishness Manipulation Demanding behavior A person with bipolar is none of these things, but their symptoms can be misunderstood. They struggle during manic and depressive … Read more

Medicare, just like all health insurance policies offered on the open exchanges since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, does cover the cost of drug rehab. Distinct from treatment services covered for the treatment of alcohol abuse or alcoholism, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services acknowledge that different services may be necessary to treat patients … Read more

In 2013, almost one in five American adults, or 18.5 percent of the population over the age of 18, had a mental illness in the past year, and 4.2 percent had a serious mental illness, according to the most current National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Mental illness affects a person’s mood, thinking, feelings, and … Read more

The Health Behavior and Behavior Survey (HRBS) is the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) primary survey of the health, health behaviors and well-being of military personnel. The HRBS, which has been conducted regularly for more than 30 years, covers areas that may affect military readiness or the ability to meet the demands of military life. … Read more

Psychosocial treatments are arguably the most important aspect of treatment for all depression diagnoses. Though medication can play a part in the initial stabilization of the patient as well as ongoing management of symptoms, it is the work done through psychosocial treatments that can have the longest lasting impact and, in some cases, may render … Read more

Mental health disorders and addiction very often go hand in hand, and heroin addiction is commonly diagnosed as co-occurring with an anxiety disorder. Whether panic disorder, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or another type of anxiety disorder, many patients find solace in the use of illicit substances that are sedative in their effect, like heroin. Unfortunately, the existence of … Read more

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 4 percent of all adults in America experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives.1 While all of these people might share the same diagnosis, their symptoms might be radically different. For example, some people with bipolar disorder feel depressed much of the time. Others have episodes … Read more

Humans are, at a cellular level, born to dance. In a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that even tiny infants had the ability to respond to the beat in a piece of music, and the better they could match the movements of their wee bodies to the sounds … Read more

No one starts using painkillers with the intention of becoming addicted. Yet many people find themselves struggling with abuse and addiction. The American Society of Addiction Medicine explains, “Of the 20.5 million Americans 12 or older that had a substance use disorder in 2015, 2 million had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers.”1 … Read more

Measuring the impact of a drug-use habit can seem like a relatively easy task. To do it, medical researchers would just need to determine how long drugs stay active within the human body, and they’d then calculate how often a specific person uses drugs. By matching the active time with the number of hits taken, … Read more

What Is Drug Detoxification? Drug addiction is a multilayered psychosocial phenomenon, and for this reason, there should be little surprise to learn that the drug detoxification process can be equally complex. Detoxification, most simply, involves the elimination of drug or alcohol substances from the body. While there is no single crowning definition that encompasses every … Read more

Substance abuse is perpetuated in many ways. Drugs are ingested, snorted, smoked, or injected. Injected drugs are liquids put into the body with a needle and syringe. The drugs are either injected into a vein (intravenous or IV), the muscle (intramuscular) or just under the skin (subcutaneous). The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that as many as … Read more

Lortab is a Schedule II prescription opioid analgesic used to treat patients suffering from moderate to severe surgical or chronic pain. A combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone, the drug is highly addictive and doesn’t take long to inflict dependency. Most people would naturally assume that the opioid in this drug cocktail carries all the risk; … Read more

Last night, President Donald Trump delivered the final State of the Union address of his four years in office. The speech came between Monday’s first race in Iowa to nominate his general election opponent and this afternoon’s expected Senate vote on whether to impeach the president. These unprecedented circumstances are likely to form the lens … Read more

When you suffer from a severe mental illness, everything in your daily life can be affected, from daily functions like sleeping and eating to more distressing symptoms of impaired cognition, erratic mood swings, and relationships with those you love. In essence, suffering from a mental illness decreases your ability to manage and cope with life. … Read more

D.A.R.E. is an acronym that stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Developed by both law enforcement and school officials in 1983, the program was provided to youths as a formal way of introducing drug use information to young people in attempts to lower the rate of substance abuse down the road. Whether or not the … Read more

For most adults, a normal night’s sleep lasts around eight hours and is composed of between four and six sleep cycles. Characterized by NREM (non rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye movement) periods, it takes the average person about 80 to 100 minutes to begin the REM, or deep sleep, portion of the cycle. … Read more

Heroin overdose is becoming a larger and larger problem in the United States every year. Since the year 2000, the rate of heroin overdose has quadrupled. Specifically, 0.7 of 100,000 deaths were caused by heroin overdose in 2000, but in 2013, 2.7 of every 100,000 deaths were caused by overdose on the drug. No longer a … Read more

Recent epidemiologic surveys show that more than 10 million Americans have co-existing substance-related and mental health disorders (SAMHSA Report, 1996). Several researchers pointed out that patients with comorbidity have poorer outcomes than those with single diagnoses, such as increasing psychiatric symptoms, homelessness, higher risk for relapse, institutionalization, worse compliance, difficulties in managing their lives (Drake … Read more

When U.S. soldiers, sailors and Marines are wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they receive the best medical care in the world. When these wounded soldiers recover and eventually leave the hospital, the responsibility for their care and support shifts to their spouses, parents, children and loved ones. Little is known about the … Read more

Binge drinking and depression often go hand in hand, one disorder continually worsening the symptoms of the other as the negative consequences begin to pile up. Either one can cause significant issues in the person’s life, making it more difficult for him to function at work or in relationships with others. But when both disorders are … Read more

Succeeding in the modern world often means putting the needs of others ahead of the needs of the self. Those who are considered good might hold open doors for the elderly, listen to others without interrupting, give generously to charitable organizations, and otherwise behave as if serving others is the primary measure of a life … Read more

For years, researchers have known that people who have schizophrenia tend to develop an addiction to nicotine products. Smoking tends to provide these people with a calming, soothing sensation that can allow them to handle the unusual thoughts and feelings that tend to accompany schizophrenia, and the opportunity to breathe deeply while smoking also seems … Read more

Meeting new people or stepping into new situations can be stressful. Our apprehension at saying or doing the wrong thing can be overwhelming, and often we’re quick to reach for the quickest solution to ease our tension. Often called a “social lubricant,” many people use alcohol to take the edge off anxious situations and make … Read more

Buprenorphine is an opioid narcotic that acts as an analgesic, or painkiller. The drug binds to opiate receptors in the brain, and often decreases physical feelings of pain while producing feelings of euphoria and relaxation. Buprenorphine is also used in addiction treatment programs for more powerful opiates such as heroin, oxycodone, Percocet, Demerol, Fentanyl, or … Read more

The Health-Related Behavior Survey (HRBS) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) primary survey designed to gain insight into the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of military personnel. The HRBS has been conducted regularly for more than 30 years and covers areas that may affect military readiness or the ability to meet the demands of … Read more

According to the Mayo Clinic, a phobia is defined as an “overwhelming and unreasonable fear” of something that doesn’t actually pose a legitimate danger. A person can be fearful of spiders for instance and suffer from a condition known as arachnophobia. The fear of clowns, common among both adults and children, is known as coulrophobia. Generally … Read more

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that makes it difficult to tell what is real from what is not real. This leads to poor judgment and, at times, bizarre behavior. Delusions, hallucinations, paranoia and incomprehensible communication are the primary symptoms of schizophrenia.1 Individuals who live with schizophrenia are often reluctant to undergo treatment. This is … Read more

In 2013, the prescription drug tramadol was all over the news. Articles like this one in Chemistry World suggested that tramadol wasn’t a man-made substance, as experts had believed for quite some time. Instead, these articles suggested, tramadol was produced naturally, inside the roots of a very common plant. The research world got very excited at this … Read more

Marijuana comes from the plant cannabis sativa. For most of human history, cannabis was cultivated as a rich source of plant fiber called hemp, which is used to make products like rope, cloth and paper.[1] It began its relationship with humans as a camp follower. Humans would gather the plants to use and throw away … Read more

Appendix B — Treatment of Patients With Dual Disorders: Sample Cost Data To provide readers with illustrative data on the costs of running programs for patients with dual disorders, the consensus panel Chair obtained data on actual costs during fiscal year 1991-1992 from three programs in urban areas. One program, on the West Coast, provided … Read more

Hoarding and substance abuse may seem unrelated. However the two often accompany each other, reinforce each other and reduce overall quality of life. When you learn more about hoarding and treatment options, you give yourself and your loved ones the chance to heal. What Is Hoarding, and How Does It Affect Daily Life? Some people … Read more

Each patient has different needs in recovery. Each patient experiences different things prior to addiction, uses drugs or alcohol for different reasons, struggles with different underlying disorders or problems that exacerbate their addiction issues, and will require a different combination of therapies and treatments during rehab in order to effectively address these issues. In general, … Read more

Mental illnesses are often implicated in cases of Dual Diagnosis, and it’s certainly true that schizophrenia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders can contribute to both the acquisition and the maintenance of an addiction issue. However, some physical conditions can also impact the way a person heals in an addiction treatment program. These are just … Read more

Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused substances in America today. It is legal for adults over age 21, easy to obtain and fairly inexpensive. Alcohol consumption is socially accepted and even promoted widely by the media. In 2012, as many as 87.6 percent of American adults over age 18 were reported in a SAHMSA study … Read more

Dealing with the symptoms of an anxiety disorder effectively often requires a multi-pronged, multi-phase approach to treatment. A personalized combination of treatment services may provide different types of support including medication, psychotherapy, and holistic services. There are a number of different types of anxiety disorders, including: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Obsessive disorders, especially characterized by compulsive … Read more

When you enroll in an addiction treatment program, you’ll tap into a team of professionals who want you to get better. Rather than working through the issues alone, you’ll have a whole group of people who are rooting for you, working with you, and showing you the steps you can take to leave drugs behind … Read more

Research suggests that the most effective forms of addiction care tend to be the most customized. When the approaches used and the techniques incorporated tend to be sensitive to a patient’s specific attributes, patients tend to stay enrolled for longer periods of time, and they tend to stay sober as a result. Often, when discussing … Read more

Having a substance abuse problem or a mental health disorder can be frustrating. The symptoms of dealing with one or the other can cause physical, psychological, and emotional problems. Unfortunately, the presence of one can proliferate the other or the two can exist simultaneously. The case of co-occurring disorders (COD) is called comorbidity, or Dual … Read more

It sounds like a cruel joke. People who have phobias can benefit from therapy, but some people have phobias involving doctors and medical care. These people need help, but the help they need comes from the very thing that fills them with anxiety. While treating people like this can certainly be challenging, there are some … Read more

Antidepressant medications are not just the most commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of depression, but among certain groups in the United States, antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed class of drugs on the market. Though antidepressant medications can be extremely effective in helping patients to manage the symptoms of depression, it is important to … Read more

Heroin withdrawal symptoms caused by the detoxification that occurs when a heroin addict is without opiates to maintain their addiction can be intense. Whether or not there is a psychological dependence upon the drug, the physical dependence is very difficult to break. Depending upon the addictive dose of heroin, other drugs of abuse regularly used, … Read more

It’s become something of a cliché to say that a substance abuse problem poisons everything in an addict’s life, but that simply means that the truth cannot be underscored enough: a drug, alcohol or compulsive behavior problem really does corrode everything an addict holds dear, including – and especially – romantic and sexual partnerships. Like … Read more

Family members talk to one another all the time, about things large and small, and some families find that they don’t need the help of outsiders in order to talk about addiction. They can do their own research, plan what they’d like to say and see an intervention through to completion without ever stepping outside … Read more

Share An anger flare-up is a natural response to an outside threat. That little puff of power allows a person to fend off an attack and get out of the situation without harm. When a crisis takes place, such as a car accident or a verbal threat from an outsider, anger can help people to … Read more

Etizolam is a benzodiazepine analogue similar to diazepam or Valium. It works like other benzodiazepines, although it has a slightly different chemical makeup. Where benzos have a benzene ring, etizolam has a thiophene ring. Etizolam depresses the central nervous system and animal testing seems to point toward its effectiveness as a muscle relaxer, anti-convulsion medication, … Read more

Drug addiction affects your body, causing serious and long-lasting health problems. The condition of your skin and the health of your complexion may be an indicator of more serious problems. Your Skin Affects Your Self Confidence When your health is poor, it shows. Drug use may not make much difference in your appearance in the early … Read more

Stemming from Hindu practices, yoga is considered a holistic exercise that involves controlling one’s breathing and meditating while maintaining specific positions that challenge a variety of muscles in the body. The Huffington Post reports 8.7 percent of the American population practices yoga, a statistic that seems to only be on the rise having jumped from 15.8 million … Read more

The terms “inpatient” and “outpatient” aren’t unique to the field of addiction. In fact, these are terms that could be applied to almost every single type of medical or mental health intervention a person could get, and they have a deep impact on the overall cost and treatment outcome of someone who needs care. Experts … Read more

Alcohol may be the most popular drug in the world, but the misery and anguish of an alcohol problem can be as devastating as that of hard narcotics. The signs of alcoholism are sometimes easily missed or not taken seriously because of the popularity of alcohol and drinking culture. Nonetheless, spotting the signs of alcohol … Read more

The National Institute on Drug Abuse[1] defines addiction as a “chronic, relapsing brain disease.” There is no suggestion of moral weakness or failure here. Instead, this definition seems to suggest that people who have addictions struggle with a deficiency that’s outside of their control, and that must be treated in order for healing to take place. … Read more

scaWhen asked why they won’t accept help for an addiction, some patients might mention stigmatization or childcare concerns, while others might claim that their addictions simply aren’t serious enough to merit formal treatment. Among all of the reasons patients might cite, however, issues of cost can be paramount. While referring professionals might not be asked to … Read more

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe illness that affects nearly 2.4 million people over the age of 18. You might know the movie versions (John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Donnie of Donnie Darko, or Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Edward Daniels in Shutter Island) but in real life, the illness isn’t masked as a suspense, thriller or dramatic film. Schizophrenia … Read more

Improving the quality of care for service personnel with PTSD and depression Healthy and fit troops depend on the physical and mental readiness of each service member. Untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression can have a significant impact on troop readiness. The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, part … Read more

Dysphoric mania refers to a group of symptoms that fall under the umbrella of bipolar disorder. Individuals with these symptoms usually experience depression and mania at the same time, which can trouble patients greatly. The combination of depression and the agitated state of mania can lead to extreme behaviors, such as attempted suicide or violence. Also … Read more

The addiction recovery process is sometimes described in mystical terms. People who get sober often say that they “hit bottom,” “change their lives” and make connections with “something bigger.” They do more than simply put down the bottle or throw away the pills. They come to a new understanding about how life should be lived, … Read more

Illicit drug use is a common issue in this country. The CDC estimated that in 2012, 9.2 percent of people over age 12 abused drugs in the previous month. There is also a massive treatment gap with only 2.3 million of the 21.6 million people over age 12 in 2011 needing treatment for substance abuse actually receiving … Read more

The idea that people suffering from mental disorders are automatically more violent than the general population has been established as a myth, a stereotype that, thankfully, is being shattered. And yet, there are several aspects of untreated bipolar disorder than can lead to an increased risk of domestic violence. This is a confusing and frightening … Read more

The debate about the efficacy of drug courts has been waged for the past decade, and now one more study has landed solidly in the “pro” column. Research has found that sending offenders with a history of drug and alcohol abuse to addiction treatment programs rather than institutionalizing them in jail or prison is not only the … Read more

According to Psychiatric Times, military members who return home from combat demonstrate high rates of substance abuse. Often, drug abuse co-occurs with other conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and pain related to injuries. Research surveys demonstrate the unfortunate frequency of alcohol abuse among military personnel. Findings from different surveys regarding … Read more

There are a number of reasons why writing out your thoughts and feelings in the form of a letter prior to an intervention may be effective in helping your addicted loved one to really hear what you are trying to share with her. It can help you to organize your thoughts, and stop you from … Read more

A controversial issue in healthcare is the question of involuntary hospitalization. If an individual’s family has confronted him or her repeatedly about the damage that addiction and a struggle with bipolar disorder is causing, and loved ones have joined together to stage an intervention to let him know how bad things really are, and he still refuses to seek recovery help, … Read more

The Health and Behavior Survey (HRBS) is the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) primary survey of the health, health behaviors and well-being of military personnel. The HRBS, which has been conducted regularly for more than 30 years, covers areas that may affect military readiness or the ability to meet the demands of military life. The … Read more

Drug abuse has been called the single biggest public health issue in America. However, to solve the problem of addiction requires a closer look at the communities where substance abuse reigns supreme. Whether due to a thriving prescription painkiller black market or abject poverty, getting to the heart of the problem in cities and towns across America … Read more

Between 2008 and 2011, the number of Caucasian people admitting to a heroin habit rose 75 percent, according to researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. This jump is due, in part, to the rise of prescription painkiller abuse. If you’re taking a drug like Vicodin regularly, you’re priming your brain cells to respond … Read more

Share “We all have doubts about ourselves, sometimes. It’s part of what makes us sentient beings. Doubt makes us examine ourselves and all that we do. And without the ability to do that, we become nothing short of monsters.” – Princess Leia Organa On December 23, 2016, actress Carrie Fisher — most recognized for playing … Read more

Mental health disorders can be just as devastating to your overall well-being as any physical condition. According to the World Health Organization, the following psychiatric disorders are among the leading causes of disability and death around the globe: Depression Alcoholism Schizophrenia Bipolar disorder In spite of the harmful consequences of mental illness — including social … Read more

Ongoing depression that is defined by low mood for a long period of time may be diagnosed as dysthymia or chronic depression, a moderate form of depression. Often, the disorder coexists with other mental health or medical conditions, including: Anxiety Chronic pain Alcoholism Drug abuse or addiction According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about … Read more

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, affects more children than any other behavioral disorder. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, up to 5 percent of kids meet the criteria for ADHD, yet many go undiagnosed until they are teens or adults. Impulsive behavior, inability to pay attention and excessive physical activity are the hallmark … Read more

Elderly is defined as being past middle age, and it is generally accepted to mean at or over the age of 65. Substance abuse and dependency rates among the elderly population may be higher than statistics show, as it can be sometimes difficult to diagnose or recognize in this population. An article in Today’s Geriatric Medicine estimates … Read more

Living with obsessive compulsive disorder can create situations that range from mildly annoying to seriously debilitating. Patients may find themselves somewhere on the spectrum between washing their hands constantly to obsessively repeating behaviors that interfere with their daily lives and even their ability to go to a job. There are a handful of different medications … Read more

Diagnosing a mental illness isn’t always easy. In fact, it can be a subjective process that allows one clinician to see one disease, while another sees a different disease and a third sees nothing at all, even when all three medical practitioners are looking at the same patient. This kind of uncertainty can be annoying, … Read more