Articles

ERIC J. NESTLER and ROBERT C. MALENKA study the molecular basis of drug addiction. Nestler, professor in and chair of the department of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 1998. Malenka, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, joined the faculty there after serving as director of the Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction at the Univers

"Dry drunk" is a term describing the state of the alcoholic who is uncomfortable when he is not drinking. "Dry" simply refers to the fact that there is abstinence, while "drunk" signifies a deeply pathological condition resulting from the use of alcohol in the past. The "dry drunk syndrome" is a group of symptoms that occur together and constitute an abnormality. Since the abnormality of the alcoholic's attitudes and behavior during his drinking career is generally recognized

By Teresa Palmer, Family Counselor Family members often question why they should become involved in the process of recovery. "I don't have the problem; he/she is the addict." Addiction is often referred to as a family disease. The family members living with an addicted person are affected by the addiction; as a result, the family itself becomes "sick." There exists a tug of war: The addicted person desperately clings to the addiction while the family tries to diminish or sto

"If I have too much to drink, I can drink a lot of coffee to sober up quickly. Right?" Ha. Tell us another one! Drinking a lot of coffee after drinking too much alcohol may, however, increase your discomfort through the need to use the bathroom while being transported to the jail on DUI charges. Only time reverses impairment. "Will eating breath mints after drinking fool a police 'breath test'?" Eating mints will not affect your BAC level since it isn't the smell of your brea

Ethics and Marketing in SUD Treatment OASAS licensed providers offer SUD treatment and support.  In so doing, providers must adhere to the highest levels of professionalism and ethical conduct through the entire continuum and spectrum of clinical and business services, including development and marketing, admissions, clinical treatment services, management, human resources, and relationships with the public, press, and policy makers.  To ensure that OASAS providers adhere to

At first glance, "detachment" is not an attractive word. It sounds cold and insensitive. But detachment is something the families of alcoholics must acquire if they are to recover from the family disease of alcoholism. Detachment is a valuable concept, necessary for the family’s good health. As individuals (through self-help or therapy) develop a healthier sense of their own identities, the concept of detachment serves to strengthen the family relationships. When you “detach