Biomarkers in Psychiatry: How Close Are We?
Biomarkers in psychiatry: how close are we?
Filed under: Addiction Rehab
Front Psychiatry. 2012; 3: 114
Kobeissy F, Alawieh A, Mondello S, Boustany RM, Gold MS
How Patients Recovering From Alcoholism Use a Smartphone Intervention.
Filed under: Addiction Rehab
J Dual Diagn. 2012; 8(4): 294-304
McTavish FM, Chih MY, Shah D, Gustafson DH
OBJECTIVE: Mobile technology has the potential to radically improve addiction treatment and continuing care by offering emotional and instrumental support anywhere and just in time. This is particularly important in addiction because timing is critical to preventing relapse. Although most experts consider alcoholism to be a chronic disease, providers do not typically offer ongoing support for relapse prevention after patients complete treatment, even though a central characteristic of alcoholism and other addictive behaviors is their chronically relapsing nature. A-CHESS is a smartphone-based system for preventing relapse to heavy drinking among people leaving active alcohol dependence treatment. A-CHESS is designed to improve competence, social relatedness, and motivation, the three tenets of Self-Determination Theory. This paper reports on the relative impact and use of A-CHESS four months after patients entered the study and discusses implications of the results on treating addiction and chronic diseases generally. METHODS: A total of 349 individuals with alcohol dependence leaving residential treatment were randomly assigned to either receive A-CHESS+Treatment as Usual or Treatment as Usual (standard aftercare). Patients came from two treatment agencies, one in the Midwest and one in the Northeast. Patients assigned to A-CHESS received a smartphone for 8 months and were followed for 12. The authors analyzed use patterns during the first 4 months of use by those receiving A-CHESS. RESULTS: Participants used A-CHESS heavily and sustained their use over time. Ninety-four percent of A-CHESS participants used the application during the first week after residential treatment. At week 16, almost 80% continued to access A-CHESS. Participants with alcohol and drug-dependence showed higher levels of system use than those with alcohol dependence only. Participants with a mental health diagnosis had slightly lower levels of use at the end of the intervention period (week 16), although more than 70% still accessed the system. CONCLUSIONS: These findings illustrate that patients with alcohol dependence, alcohol and drug dependence, and mental health issues will use smartphone applications such as A-CHESS for ongoing support, resources and information, thus extending patient care if given the opportunity. Further analysis is needed to determine if sustained A-CHESS use improves outcomes.
HubMed – addiction
Perinatal Addiction: Providing Compassionate and Competent Care.
Filed under: Addiction Rehab
Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Jan 9;
Hill PE
Perinatal addiction is being seen with increasing frequency and is a complex issue. It involves the patient, her environment, partner, prenatal care, labor, delivery, and neonatal time periods. There are no quick solutions. These patients do require compassionate and competent care regardless of how their care provider may feel about their particular situation. This article can assist the clinicians in managing and trying to understand the conditions of the patient who has been identified with addiction issues and needs help and support after delivery. The aim of the clinician must be to provide competent care with compassion and patience and to formulate a plan of care that will support and benefit the mother and her neonate.
HubMed – addiction
The Maternal, Fetal, and Neonatal Effects of Cocaine Exposure in Pregnancy.
Filed under: Addiction Rehab
Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Jan 9;
Cain MA, Bornick P, Whiteman V
Despite multiple efforts to reduce the use of illicit drugs, the epidemic of addiction continues to be a significant public health issue. Through its easy availability, the number of people afflicted with this addiction continues to rise, including women of childbearing age. Secondarily, any health care crisis that occurs in this age group of women will have potential implications in pregnancy, infancy, and childhood. The use of cocaine alone or in conjunction with other illicit drugs, combined with the normal physiological cardiovascular changes in pregnancy, leads to a myriad of pathophysiological changes, thereby placing the life of the pregnant cocaine user, as well as the health status of their unborn fetus and neonate at risk for adverse outcomes. As more data are available, the long-term physical, mental, and developmental sequelae for children exposed to cocaine in utero prove that this public health crisis has serious implications. The pregnancy-specific maternal, fetal, and neonatal risks of cocaine use during the antepartum period are reviewed.
HubMed – addiction
End Addiction FAQ 1. – End Addiction drugrehabus.org In this video I answer common questions about what addiction is. How it can be ended. What it is not. What you can do about it today. http
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