David W. Newton

Results of the first year of the TRICARE Senior Prime demonstration grant The Department of Defense is committed to providing comprehensive health care to the men and women who serve our country. However, its health care system, one of the largest in the country, falls short of this goal for military retirees when they reach … Read more

Introduced in the 1980s, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an approach designed to help a person overcome perceived negative thoughts and feelings in order to accept a greater sense of wellbeing and purpose. The Association for Contextual Behavioral Science further defines this practice as using acceptance and mindfulness strategies paired with commitment and behavioral approaches. The … Read more

Medical Leadership in the Military The military healthcare system faces several challenges: exploding healthcare costs, the increasing importance of performance management, combat operations that have placed unprecedented pressure on the healthcare system both at home and abroad, and the need to integrate medical forces into joint operations. Leadership has a key role to play in … Read more

Some people stop drinking because they’re forced to do so. They’re arrested, they are forced to submit to breath tests, or they move to a place in which they can’t get alcohol. People like this may be sober, but they didn’t get there due to an overwhelming desire for a healthy life. Sobriety was thrust … Read more

Getting help for mental health care can be tough for some people, especially without insurance. Of the 57.7 million people who suffer from mental health disorders or addiction, only 26 percent receive the vital care they need. Luckily, federal laws are making it easier for Americans to obtain mental health care. Background on Mental Health Treatment in America As … Read more

In the United States, 5.5 million men and women care for a current or former soldier with a disability or illness. We call these people military caregivers. Of these, 4.4 million care for veterans who served before September 11, 2001 (pre-9/11 caregivers) and 1.1 million care for veterans who served after September 11, 2001 (post-9/11 … Read more

How the “Welcome Back Veterans” campaign makes a difference Welcome Back Veterans (WBV) is a unique program created in 2008 with funding from Major League Baseball Charities and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. WBV has awarded grants to medical schools across the United States to implement programs that address the mental health needs of soldiers, … Read more

Taking drugs involves a great deal of ritual. If you drink alcohol, you’re required to pull down a glass, fill the glass with ice and pour or mix yourself something liquid. If you take injected drugs, you’re required to prepare the drug, prep your arm, inject your skin and then stash all of the tools … Read more

Each year millions of people who need treatment for an alcohol or drug abuse or dependency do not receive it. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), published in 2013, approximated that 22.7 million Americans aged 12 and older needed specialized treatment for an alcohol or illicit drug abuse issue. Only 10.9 percent, or 2.5 … Read more

The power of the human mind is pretty amazing, when you think about it. This one part of our bodies controls everything in our bodies, from the breaths we take to the conscious movement of our muscles. Our heart beats because of our brain. We feel emotions because of our brain. We have the ability … Read more

Few, if any, mental health disorders leave a person feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. In fact, more often than not, mental health problems do just the opposite. Exhausted by the constant up and downs of mood swings, persistent low feelings, and general psychological anguish, people diagnosed with mental health disorders frequently can feel subjected to the … Read more

Opiates are drugs derived from the opium poppy plant. They are very effective at treating pain and are found in many different types of painkillers, including: Morphine Thebaine Codeine Opiates help alleviate aches and discomfort by inhibiting pain receptors in the brain. They can also give the body a feeling of euphoria and relaxation. Although … Read more

A pervasive disease that is believed to affect as many as 18 million Americans, alcohol use disorders are the subject of thousands of studies every year. The primary goal of many of these studies is one thing: finding a cure for alcoholism. Unfortunately, as of yet, there is no cure for any substance abuse disorder. However, … Read more

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) provides a range of support services to military personnel and their families. While some of these services are funded by congressional appropriations, many others are covered by non-appropriated funds. However, as current defense planning calls for both troop and budget reductions, DoD is seeking synergies to improve support services … Read more

In the mind of a heroin abuser, depression and addiction are often deeply intertwined. Heroin is a powerful opiate that alters the user’s brain chemistry, causing mood changes, suicidal behavior, psychological dependence and addiction. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment estimates that close to half (48 percent) of opiate users have experienced depression at some point in their lives. … Read more

A blow to the head can cause serious and persistent injuries to the brain. Cells can be damaged if the blow causes the brain to rattle about inside the skull, and sometimes, head injuries are so severe that brain cells die due to blunt trauma or a lack of oxygen. According to the U.S. Centers … Read more

Schizophrenia is not a singular diagnosis but a disorder that is characterized by a number of different types. Paranoid type schizophrenia is defined by the patient’s unwavering belief that someone or something is conspiring to harm him. This is usually the primary obsession of the person and even with evidence to the contrary, he will tend … Read more

Not all drugs are created equal. Some nudge open the door to addiction, and others break that door down. Some have innocuous origins, and others were crafted for no other reason than to poison and corrupt. Similarly, the attitudes and stereotypes towards different types of drugs are not all equal. Some drugs are welcomed and celebrated; … Read more

More than 16 million American adults over the age of 17 were classified with an alcohol use disorder in 2013, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports. When you think of an alcoholic, or someone who regularly engages in unhealthy and heavy drinking episodes, you might picture someone with broken relationships, financial trouble, difficulties … Read more

Getting to the bottom of what Blue Cross Blue Shield will cover when it comes to substance abuse treatment can be tricky. Different states have different parameters for what must be covered by insurance and in what amount, plus they offer a range of policies that vary from state to state as well. Consider, for example, Blue Shield … Read more

Anorexia is a challenging and debilitating eating disorder that is fueled by an often incorrect self-perception, a negative body image, and a desire to achieve perfection. Anorexia often causes people to lose more weight than they should in order to stay healthy. Anorexia can impact long-term health and can even lead to early heart failure … Read more

Anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs are becoming increasingly common in the world of athletics. Their use has become so commonplace that some athletes may fear that they won’t be competitive without using them. However, use of steroids poses serious health risks, including the risk of contracting a chronic and potentially fatal case of hepatitis. … Read more

While about 10-18 percent of the overall American population deals with sleep disorders, 50-80 percent of those with psychiatric disorders struggle with sleep each night, according to Harvard Medical School. While those with sleep disorders might feel physically exhausted, they might be unable to drift off to dreamland when their heads hit their pillows. They might … Read more

Constant deployments have strained military personnel and families, who are already burdened by frequent moves and parental absences. These stressors include children’s social or behavioral problems at home and at school. By better understanding the issues children face when parents or guardians are deployed, the Army can more effectively target services to military families and … Read more

Rehab gives people a break from pressures and responsibilities so they can focus solely on sobriety. The next step in recovery is leaving treatment and learning to live in the real world. For some people making that leap feels too daunting. Recovery experts recommend that those individuals consider transitional living environments also called halfway houses or … Read more

When Philip Seymour Hoffman died of a heroin overdose in 2014, the president of Drugfree.org took the opportunity to remind everyone that while Hoffman obviously knew that taking heroin was a bad idea, “his brain was constantly telling him that taking some heroin would be a very good idea.” Many people use heroin – in … Read more

Non-FDA-Approved Drugs in Military Combats The 1991 Gulf War raised many ethical and political questions about the use of research medicines to combat chemical and biological warfare: what is the difference between “research” and “treatment”? Can informed consent be waived? If yes, under what conditions and who is entitled to grant a waiver? Richard Rettig … Read more

When done properly, an intervention is an expression of love and support for someone who is going through a challenging time. Unfortunately, for someone with narcissistic personality disorder, an intervention can have an entirely different interpretation of the purpose of the process. To them, it’s an expression of the family’s weakness or inability to see … 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

Anger management, or the treatment of angry outbursts or issues of temper, is something that is becoming much more common today, as more and more people successfully seek out treatment to learn how to control their anger. Thanks to the existence of many different types of anger management treatment programs and options, a person has … Read more

It’s often easy to look at life as though it has always been the way it is now, but addiction wasn’t as well-understood as it is today. Over the years, overdose-related deaths and the negative effect addiction has had on society have brought awareness to an otherwise shrouded issue. Today, the number of people abusing drugs and … Read more

There are many schools of thought when it comes to combating addiction. Some of them have arisen from recent developments in the fields of psychiatry and medicine, and others have been around for much, much longer. As we understand more about the human condition and the things that drive some people to dangerous behavior, we … Read more

Alcohol is readily available, as well as legal and socially acceptable. The 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NDUH) reported that 87.6 percent of adults had consumed alcohol at some point in their lives. Drinking alcohol in moderation does not generally constitute a problem. The issue occurs, however, when someone’s drinking leads to a physical … Read more

Clubs are hot, sweaty, crowded places full of loud music and flashing lights. They can be wonderfully exciting for young people, who might find the idea of dancing all night with complete strangers to be incredibly liberating. But some teens might be intimidated by the idea of cutting loose in a club, and they might … Read more

Dual Diagnoses — the coexisting problems of addiction and mental illness — are often hard to treat because of the unstable nature of the individuals involved. Couple that with the fact that drugs and alcohol only make a mental condition worse, and you’ve got a high-risk patient who could easily spiral out of control. This … Read more

Although you might not be aware of what research chemicals are, we are currently experiencing a rising risk of abuse of these chemicals in the US. Research chemicals are psychoactive drugs that are discovered through the research of and experimentation on existing drugs. Existing drugs are researched and experimented with so scientists can better understand … Read more

The HRBS is the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) flagship study of 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 military life. The Department of Defense Office … Read more

When a person shows up at the emergency room with symptoms that show their blood sugar is through the roof, the doctor gets them going on insulin immediately after making a diagnosis of diabetes. It’s a no brainer, right? Yet, why aren’t people who show up at the ER with an opioid use disorder – … Read more

We all have times when we worry: about our personal relationships, our families, our jobs, our finances or our futures. But if you live in a constant state of worry that manifests itself in physical and psychological ways, you may be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD. Some people who live with this psychiatric … Read more

Ambien, also known as zolpidem, entered the drug market in 1992 as a sleep aid with promising results. NPR states around 60 million Americans struggle with sleep disorders. For many of these people, Ambien came as a lifesaver and finally provided relief from sleepless nights. When used as prescribed, the traditional form of the drug is taken at bedtime … 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

Dual diagnosis can be defined simply as the coexistence of both a mental illness and an addiction in the same individual. After that, things aren’t so simple. Treating a dual diagnosis patient is complicated because the different conditions tend to aggravate each other – making them worse if untreated. What’s more, the symptoms for certain … Read more

Two weeks ago, we released the most comprehensive survey to date of caregivers of U.S. military members. An estimated 5.5 million family members, friends and acquaintances provide a range of services to current and former military members with physical or mental disabilities or illnesses, saving the country billions of dollars each year. However, caregiving can … Read more

“Wet brain” is a term used to describe Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome – a type of brain damage that is caused by alcohol abuse. Wet brain is linked to excessive alcohol abuse and an incredibly serious condition. Alcohol Abuse and Its Connection to Wet Brain The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) published in 2013 that 86.8 … Read more

Seroquel is a prescription atypical antipsychotic medication used in the treatment of disorders like depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Over a one-year period of time, American doctors wrote more than 54 million prescriptions for antipsychotics like Seroquel, IMS Health states. The base chemical in this drug is fumaric acid salt. It is intended to treat these disorders … Read more

Your loved one is in crisis and, right now – perhaps for the first time – he is ready to enter a drug treatment program and begin the process of recovery. His agreement may be fleeting – tomorrow, he may feel differently – and you want to get him into treatment today in order to … Read more

Improving access to behavioral health care for migrants and their families Perhaps more than ever, military personnel and their families need access to mental health services. But research shows that the longer people have to travel for care, the less likely they are to seek it. How many service members and their families are denied … Read more

When it comes to our country’s opioid epidemic, much is resting in the hands of the nation’s family doctors. And at the American College of Physicians’ Annual Internal Medicine Meeting in April 2017 in San Diego, the painkiller addiction issue indeed took center stage. A freelance journalist for Foundations Recovery Network attended the conference this … Read more

Policies, programs, obstacles to implementation and recommendations for the future Sleep problems are a major complaint of military personnel returning from deployment. Sleep disorders, such as insufficient sleep time, poor sleep quality, nightmares, and daytime sleepiness, may be caused by physical (e.g., pain, brain injury), behavioral (use of stimulants or electronic devices before bedtime), or … Read more

This publication is part of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant technical assistance program. All material appearing in this volume except quoted passages from copyrighted sources is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) or the authors. Citation of the … Read more

Eating well and choosing nutrient-rich foods can a play a big role in efficient recovery. Choosing healthy foods over processed foods and junk food can aid in: Replacing nutrients lost during active addiction Continuing the detox process after addiction Improving the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep Improving mood Increasing immune system and the ability … Read more

When someone we love is affected by drug addiction and substance abuse, our entire world can seem to shift out of balance. We can become caught up in learning about treatment options in a desperate attempt to help our family member or friends stop harming themselves through the abuse of dangerous drugs. If we have … Read more

October 31, 1922 – July 7, 1988 From a contemporary news report: “David Atlee Phillips, who spent 25 years undercover for the CIA and resigned as Chief of Latin American and Caribban Operations to plead the Agency’s case in print and on the lecture circuit, died at his home in Bethesda, Maryland. He had been … Read more

An estimated 34,000 Americans die each year due to suicide, making it the 11th leading cause of death in the US, according to Psychiatric Times. Some of the most prominent risk factors for suicide attempts and suicidal ideation are mental health problems – and bipolar disorder and drug and alcohol use disorders are the most commonly diagnosed … Read more

The Commission on Base Realignment and Closure recommended the creation of a joint medical training and education center to promote the exchange of medical personnel and units, interoperability among the different services, and cost and efficiency gains. In accordance with this recommendation, such a campus has been established at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. RAND Health … Read more

In the early part of the 20th century, modern-day illicit drugs were once used to treat a variety of mental illnesses and ailments. Famous writers, doctors and notable figures took drugs to supposedly heighten their understanding of the world and everything in it. Further research in the decades that followed showed that many of these … Read more

Addictions are often equated with unemployment and low economic status. While it’s true that some people do lose everything to their addictions, including their jobs and their savings, it’s also true that some people continue to work and achieve the outer trappings of success, all while dealing with very serious cases of addiction that threaten both … Read more

Women abused as children are at increased risk of dying young, a new study in JAMA Psychiatry shows, and part of the reason may be trauma-induced drug and alcohol use.1 Edith Chen of Northwestern University in Chicago and colleagues analyzed data from 6,285 adults who participated in the national survey of Midlife Development in the United States … Read more

Have you always struggled with tasks that required reading? Do you have trouble pronouncing written words or interpreting numbers? Did you grow up hating school because your teachers criticized the quality of your handwriting? Did you excel in certain classes, but consistently do poorly in subjects like spelling or grammar? If you meet these criteria, … Read more

Analizing & Influencing The Veterans Health Administration is an organization within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that provides health care services to veterans. In 1997, the Veterans Health Administration established the Veterans’ Equitable Allocation of Resources (VERA) System to improve the distribution of congressionally appropriated medical resources among the 21 Veterans Integrated Service Regional … Read more

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, roughly 16.1 million adults in the US  experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2014. Depression is also the leading cause of disability in the US among people between the ages of 15 and 44.1 While we know  it can have many causes, there’s one … Read more

There are numerous different physical and psychiatric signs that can indicate the use of cocaine in someone you love. Because the drug is deadly and its use can contribute to the development of a number of acute medical emergencies and chronic deadly illnesses, it is recommended that no amount of cocaine abuse be ignored. Early intervention and … Read more

The amount of time you should stay in a sober living home – like the amount of time you should stay in treatment – should be determined based on your individual needs. As a general rule, as long as you are benefitting from the support provided by sober living and can afford to stay, then it’s a … Read more

Prescription drugs were designed to help people get well, but unfortunately they have become a tool that millions of Americans use to abuse their bodies and destroy their lives. Prescription drug addiction is a growing problem, especially among the young, who have access to these medications online and in their parents’ medicine cabinets. With prescription drug abuse … Read more

Many parents recognize the need to children to have a stable environment to grow up in and know that their parents are safe and secure people to be with. However, sometimes these important aspects of a children’s life can be altered or threatened when mental illness is part of the family. When a parent suffers … Read more

Thanks to some of the legislative changes regarding health insurance in the United States in the past few years, more and more people are now eligible to receive health insurance coverage for heroin detox and related services. In some cases, that coverage is as readily available as coverage for routine medical issues. In other cases, … Read more

A formal diagnosis is often the first step on the road to healing from a physical or a mental illness. A diagnosis provides a faint feeling of illness with a name, and the right diagnosis can provide someone with a clear roadmap to wellness. Often, people visit their doctors in order to get this kind of … Read more

While some sober living communities provide private apartments, most use a communal system in which residents share both bedrooms and living spaces. Recreational areas might be shared, as might kitchens and even bathrooms. As a result, it’s not surprising that most sober living communities offer services to the members of just one gender. Mixing and matching the genders within … Read more

Depression is one of the most frequently detected mental health issues in the United States, and antidepressants are one of the most common prescriptions. There are a few different types of antidepressant medications, each one designed to improve the function of neurotransmitters in the brain and increase the accessibility of feel good chemicals. However, despite the fact … Read more

Opana is the brand name for oxymorphone, a highly potent and addictive opioid painkiller. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006, Opana slowly grew in popularity among drug abusers as a sufficient replacement for OxyContin. This was after OxyContin’s manufacturer announced plans to formulate a new and more tamper-resistant version of the drug. Soaring … Read more

WHEN THE STATES OF WASHINGTON AND COLORADO DECRIMINALIZED THE SALE AND USE OF MARIJUANA, IT THRUST THE DRUG INTO THE FOREFRONT OF PUBLIC DEBATE. While marijuana is known for not being as addictive, powerful, or harmful as other illicit substances (hence the push to legalize it), it can still cause addictions and have negative physical, … Read more

Delusional disorder, previously referred to as paranoid disorder, is a rare condition. Sufferers of delusional disorder experience delusions, but they do not hallucinate nor do they experience thought or mood disorders or other key symptoms of psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia. These delusions are a form of psychosis, and they typically involve a conviction that something … Read more

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by drug-seeking behavior in spite of the negative consequences associated with substance abuse.1 People often associate drug abuse and addiction with teens and young adults, especially as they enter high school and college. Drug abuse is no respecter of … Read more

The modern world is loaded with stressful situations, high conflict issues, and ongoing demands. For most, the occasional bad day or bad temper is expected and normal, but for others, the littlest thing sets off an angry explosion that can leave a ton of negative consequences in its stead. Things like being stressed out at … Read more

1. Dual diagnosis is not a rare phenomenon Some studies indicate that as many as half of those with a drug or alcohol addiction also have some form of mental illness 2. Dual diagnosis comes in many forms Any combination of mental illness (including anxiety disorder, depression, etc.) and addiction (alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, etc.) … Read more

 GRAVEREAUX BURIED AT ARLINGTON WASHINGTON, November 26, 1943 – Lieutenant Claude Gravereaux, a hero of the French Army before the fall of France, was buried today with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Lieutenant Gravereaux died November 21 at New York from complications of war wounds.  The recipient of a Croix de Guerre and … Read more

Often, substance users question how many others are struggling like they are to manage their drug or alcohol addiction. Results from 2010 government research notes that 23.5 million Americans are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.[1] You’re not alone, but illicit substances and depressants like alcohol can often make you feel like you are. It is human … Read more

Chapter 9 — Pharmacologic Management Pharmacologic Risk Factors Addiction is not a fixed and rigid event. Like psychiatric disorders, addiction is a dynamic process, with fluctuations in severity, rate of progression, and symptom manifestation and with differences in the speed of onset. Both disorders are greatly influenced by several factors, including genetic susceptibility, environment, and pharmacologic … Read more

Benzodiazepine medications are often prescribed to people who have symptoms of mental illness. The drugs take hold quickly, and they can work from the moment they hit the user’s body. Rather than waiting for days or even weeks for the drugs to build up to therapeutic levels within the user’s body, practitioners can provide benzodiazepine … Read more

Weekly Roundup – Grants to Russia, no-fly zones, telemedicine: the RAND Weekly Roundup We discuss how the West can help the Russians get accurate information about the war in Ukraine; why it would be a strategic mistake to discard a no-fly zone policy; assessing pain management in the military health system; questions about the quality … Read more

Tourism remains one of the world’s biggest industries. In 2011, international tourist receipts passed $1 trillion for the first time in history, signaling the revival of a robust and popular activity for hundreds of millions of people.[1] But there is another, more troubling side to these numbers: it’s how many people embark on drug tourism, a … Read more