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Anatomy of Addiction Episode 1: Brain Science (101)

  We are inundated with information about the rise in alcohol sales during the pandemic. The opioid epidemic and drug overdose deaths are headline news. Likewise, there is breaking news daily about the co-occurrence of substance use disorders and anxiety.   Brain Science 101 But what exactly is addiction? How do you know if you […]

Announcing! Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders

  Announcing Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders! Sanford Addiction Treatment Centers has taken the next logical step in expanding treatment services in West Michigan by partnering with Gail Hall, LMSW, DCSW, CEDS-S, and her talented team at Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders (CTED).   When somebody is ready to engage in treatment and get […]

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Reduce your Risk of Cancer? Stop Drinking Alcohol

  By now, we have all read or heard that the pandemic has caused a surge in alcohol sales. We also know or intuit that misuse of alcohol can result in a substance use disorder. And after an overindulgence, we might begin to understand that alcohol touches and can damage every system in the body. […]

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Age, Mental Health & Alcohol Use During COVID-19

  Two new surveys by Preventive Medicine (Volume 145, April 2021, 106422), “aimed to examine whether age modified the association of anxiety and depressive symptoms with alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic”. Almost six-thousand people in the U.S. responded to their online questionnaires.   Age, Mental Health and Alcohol Use 29% of respondents said they […]

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Love, Positivity & Mindfulness: Best of Excursions!

  Let’s face it, times have been tough recently. And although we are beginning to see a light at the end of a long pandemic, we still need a dose of self-care to keep our spirits up. You have to practice positivity and remember to love yourself. Even when the going gets bumpy.   Love, […]

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Raising Awareness – Mental Health Disorders in the Workplace

  Feeling stress in the workplace since the pandemic began? You are not the only one. A recent Report from The Standard Insurance Company, says half of all workers are struggling with a mental health issue. And more than half say their mental health has been negatively affected during the pandemic.   Additionally, work from […]

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Breakthrough: Methamphetamine Use Disorder Medication

    The New England Journal of Medicine (January 2021) has published the results of a successful clinical trial, using two approved medications for the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder. There is currently no approved medication to treat addiction to methamphetamines. Behavioral interventions are the best available treatment at this time.   Pharmacotherapy Treatment for […]

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Continuum of Care, MAT, Telehealth: Limelight Interview

  The “continuum of care” in addiction treatment describes a system in which individuals enter treatment at a level appropriate to their needs. As monitoring progresses, they step up to more intense treatment or down to less intense treatment as needed. Care is individualized and incorporates the following, no matter the level in which a […]

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Mixing Medications With Alcohol? Harmful Interactions by NIH

  Since April of 2020 we have experienced a unique set of circumstances as relates to our physical and mental health. With the pandemic came physical distancing and isolation: a sense of being on our own to handle our problems. And with isolation came an increase in both the use of telehealth and the purchase […]

The (Sometimes Surprising) Milestones in Recovery

  When we have a loved one who begins treatment for a disease, it is normal to want to know what to expect. Can we look forward to a cure or are we just trying to get more quality time? Will it be something they live with forever? How will we assess the effectiveness of […]

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