Process Addictions

The Promises of Alcoholics Anonymous

One morning I went to a place beyond dawn. A source of sweetness that flows and is never less. I have been shown a beauty that would confuse both worlds, but I won’t cause that uproar. – ‘Rumi No matter how we grow up -wealthy or poor, well loved or forsaken – we form a view of life. […]

The Importance of Trust and Curiosity In Treatment

Turns out that one of the most important aspects to addressing any emotional, mental health or addiction problem is learning to be curious.  Over the years, numerous studies of the application of different psychological theories have failed to show any factor about a particular theory which made the application of that psychological theory better than […]

There’s Happiness in Healthy Relationships

Recently social scientists have taken a look at the relationship between material well-being and emotional well-being or happiness.  For most of the world, greater levels of material wealth have led to greater levels of perceived emotional well-being, most everywhere, that is, but in the United States.  (The Atlantic, January/February 2003) In the United States, those defining […]

Addicted to Depression

We’ve all heard the phrase “dry drunk, ” referring to a person who is alcoholic and who has stopped drinking, but who has not done anything to address the underlying emotional and psychological issues, which his or her drinking medicated.  Recent experience suggests there may also be something similar for the person who suffers from […]

The Dangers of Anger

Tatum O’Neal. Britney Spears. Lindsay Lohan. Your dear sweet Aunt Mamie. Why do so many substance abusers keep getting sucked back into their addictions–just when you think they’ve bounced back for good? According to psychologists at the University of Wisconsin, it’s because these folks never deal with the original core substance responsible for their substance […]

The Overlooked Population: Women and Sexual Addiction

One by one, well-known individuals are putting a face on the problem of sexual addiction. Beginning with a United States President, who was never formally diagnosed but clearly showed signs of the disorder, to multiple politicians and religious leaders, to media personalities, the term “sex addict” conjures up a specific face for most people. Far […]

Malcolm’s Story: Tragedy in Early Recovery

I’m telling my story because it is an important story to tell. I came into the Gambler’s Anonymous (GA) 12-step program in March 1987, and since then I have attended thousands of meetings. I didn’t know what to expect when I went to my first meeting, but I knew I had gambled compulsively for 26 […]

Intervention: Give Voice to Silent Problems

It wasn’t too long ago that you saw him on television and read about him in the newspapers, as he spoke for his famous client. He relished the spotlight, the notoriety, and the money; and he seemed to be at the top of his career. Mike, a pugnacious lawyer, was short in stature but larger […]

Treating Addiction as a Chronic Condition

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) define addiction as a chronic tenacious pattern of substance use and related problems. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), drug addiction is similar to other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also shares many features with […]

Why the World Needs 12-Step Support Groups

My grandma was fond of saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is something that needs to be said to researchers from the Italian Agency for Public Health in Rome who recently reported there are no advantages to a 12 step intervention program. I don’t know why researchers felt the need to study […]

The Stigma of Addiction Is A Barrier to Recovery

In our society, there is a very negative and prevalent association with the words “addict” and “alcoholic.” This antiquated association was, and continues to be, born of ignorance and unhealthy shame, or stigma. Shame and the societal stigma that accompanies it are detrimental to understanding addiction, identifying those in need of treatment, and facilitating acceptance, […]

Gambling Addiction

We tend to respond to issues because of media attention to public figures.  Recently, William Bennett, former cabinet secretary and spokesman for virtue and morality, has come under fire because of reported eight million dollars in gambling losses at various casinos over the years.  But Bennett’s financial losses from gambling are part of a much […]