MY FLESH WANTS WHAT it wants. It's that simple. It craves. Many needs of the flesh are acceptable; critical to survival. Absolutely necessary. The flesh craves water, food, warmth, air. It longs to be sustained; indeed, it is sustainable. It is a vessel. It is a portal. It can be a tool in God's hands …
Roadkill
Rain splashes down,mingling with tearsand blurring reality.I feel detached, buried beneath theremains of bad decisions.Disorder and distressnow the great clarioncall, I wear wearinesslike a wet cloak. I amsoaked to the core,shaky, weak, and tired. I learn to fly, soaring high above failure, somewhere over the horizon,far from from the stench of broken dreams and pathetic …
Integrative Perspectives on Psychology and Christian Counseling
IN THE PAST, Evangelical church leaders have notoriously denounced psychology, choosing to rely only on Christian doctrine and biblical principles when counseling individuals. Lately, there is an effort in play to integrate psychological principles and therapies with Christian theology. As a Christian, I remain committed to the spiritual truths of original sin, man's sin nature, …
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Drug Use Severity in Adolescence Affects Substance Use Disorder Risk in Adulthood
NIH-funded study shows screening for substance use disorder in teens may help predict adult prescription drug use and misuse and prevent overdose. April 1, 2022NIDA News Release People who reported multiple symptoms consistent with severe substance use disorder at age 18 exhibited two or more of these symptoms in adulthood, according to a new analysis …
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Making Addiction Treatment More Realistic and Pragmatic: The Perfect Should Not be the Enemy of the Good
From the blog of Dr. Nora VolkowJanuary 4, 2022 Last year saw drug overdose deaths in the U.S. surpass an unthinkable milestone: 100,000 deaths in a year. This is the highest number of drug overdoses in our country’s history, and the numbers are climbing every month. There is an urgent need for a nationwide, coordinated response that …
“A Letter From Your Disease”
Hello fellow addicts I am your disease,I will never let you sleep or put your mind at ease,I will always be here no matter where you go,I am smarter than you and I am in control,Family, friends, and loved ones they won't matter anymore,I'll take everything you got and still want something moreI was there …
To End the Drug Crisis Bring Addiction Out of the Shadows
From the Blog of Dr. Nora Volkow, Executive DirectorOriginal Date November 8, 2021 Far too often, shame and stigma fuel addiction and prevent treatment, argues Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. But replacing judgment with compassion can save lives. Science has shed much light on addiction. We now understand that …
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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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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 …