HABITUAL SINS SEEM impossible to stop. I've been there many times. As is often the case, I stepped far outside morality while in active addiction—stealing money and medications from family and friends; using someone's bathroom only to raid their medicine cabinet. Victory came only after I turned to Jesus with an honest and willing spirit. …
Act Like Men: Part 1
BAD NEWS. MEN ARE IN TROUBLE. James MacDonald says the five main areas where men spend their money—electronics, sports, cars, gambling, and alcohol—are clues to a self-centered perspective on life (1). Jason Allen writes, "Not that long ago, the phrase man of God was a common and honored descriptor in the church, but today it …
2020 Drug Overdoses Were “Horrifying”
August 31, 2021 Dr. Nora Volkow, Executive DirectorNational Institute on Drug Abuse The provisional drug overdose death statistics for 2020 confirmed the addiction field’s worst fears. More people died of overdoses in the United States last year than in any other one-year period in our history. More than 93,000 people died. The increase from the …
Punishing Drug Use Heightens the Stigma of Addiction
From the Blog of Dr. Nora VolkowExecutive DirectorNATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE August 9, 2021 Our understanding of substance use disorders as chronic but treatable health conditions has come a long way since the dark days when they were thought of as character flaws — or worse. Yet our societal norms surrounding drug use and addiction continue …
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The Gluttony of Our Appetites: Part Two
Written by Steven Barto, B.S. Psy., M.A. Theology WHEN IT COMES TO appetites, we must be able to choose. To allow our appetites to choose for us is the hallmark of obsession and addiction. Mastery over our appetites is not out of reach, but it often feels that way while in the grips of an …
The Gluttony of Our Appetites Part One: Origin
Written by Steven Barto, B.S. Psy., M.A. Theology ALCOHOL. POWER. MONEY. FOOD. SEX. All of these are capable normal appetites which can morph into full-blown addictions. From a personal perspective, my desires were out of hand, and were causing ruin in my life. As hard as I struggled, getting my problem appetites under control had …
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A Most Vexing Problem
Written by Steven Barto, B.S., Psy., M.A. Theology FOR THE FOURTH TIME this newscast I grabbed for the remote and muted yet another 90-second commercial touting the glorious new activity of gambling online. Sexy young voluptuous blondes and brunettes with plunging necklines smile seductively and splay decks of cards, gesturing. These TV ads bear the …
Stigma and the Toll of Addiction
By Nora D. Volkow, M.D.Executive Director, National Institute on Drug Addiction Original Post April 20, 2020 Each day in 2018, an average of 185 people in the United States died from a drug overdose (1). In fact, recent declines in U.S. life expectancy are being attributed to direct and indirect effects of alcohol and drug …
NA Meetings Available on Zoom
It has been difficult during the pandemic to find NA Zoom meetings. I decided to compile a listing and post it on my blog, and provide a link to my friends who are participating in a drug treatment court program. Each of these meetings are sanctioned by Narcotics Anonymous and will count toward any weekly …
NIDA 2019 Achievements
From the Blog of Dr. Nora Volkow, Executive Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse Original Date January 24, 2020 As NIDA sets its sights on new goals and objectives for 2020 and beyond, I like to reflect on how far we have come in our research efforts, especially as they concern the opioid crisis, one …