Somewhere between 4 and 10 percent of teens and young adults identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or other non-binary sexual or gender identity (LGBTQ), according to PFLAG of New York. While acceptance of LGBTQ identifications and behavior has grown dramatically in the past decade or longer, there are still many people of all…

Overview: The COVID pandemic has led to innovations in substance abuse recovery, including wider availability of telehealth visits, bridge clinics, and programs designed for harm reduction that make getting medications — including buprenorphine and naloxone — easier to get and use at home. The COVID pandemic has made the problem of substance abuse even worse than…

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in December 2020 that drug overdoses rose in the latest reporting period, with deaths hitting an all-time high of 81,230 for the 12 months ending May 2020, an 18.2 percent increase. While the reasoning for the increase in overdose deaths is not fully known, the CDC attributes at…

Highlights: Some LGBTQ people with internalized homophobia have negative feelings about their sexuality.  Internalized homophobia can lead to suicidality in older populations in cultures that are less accepting of LGBTQ people.  Suicidality because of internalized homophobia is something that substance abuse treatment professionals need to take into account when treating LGBTQ individuals. What Is Internalized…

Overview: Grief can lead to substance addiction for some people as they try to cope with loss by numbing their minds or distracting themselves from their feelings. Studies support this link. Substance use can prolong the grieving process and prevent people from learning better coping skills.  There Are Many Types of Grief The past year…

Many people who have substance use disorders experience social stigma caused by negative perceptions and misconceptions about substance abuse and rehabilitation. The social stigma may cause them to avoid treatment because they don’t want to be seen in a rehab center or to look their primary care physician in the eyes and tell them that…

No one wants to think that a family member or close friend is suffering from a substance use disorder. However, this is very much the reality for millions of Americans. And the sooner the problem is brought into the light, the sooner your loved one can start on the path toward recovery. Which begs the…

Members of the LGBTQ community face much higher rates of substance misuse and disorder than heterosexual individuals. While this fact is bad enough on its own, it’s compounded by the fact that they’re also at increased risk for minority-based mistreatment including discrimination and victimization, according to “Meeting the Needs of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients…

Addiction is complex and multi-factored. So is its treatment. One method often incorporated into the treatment plan for substance use disorder is experiential therapy. Here’s a closer look at this therapeutic technique and how it can fit into treatment and recovery. About Experiential Therapy Experiential therapy uses a variety of expressive tools that allow patients…

Knowledge about substance use disorder and its treatments is always advancing. Choosing a rehabilitation program that adheres to the latest and most effective treatment practices can lead to improved outcomes for people struggling with addiction and the people who love them. As part of its Evidence-Based Resource Guide Series, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health…