Addiction Alternatives

Michael Jackson's life might have been saved, according to Beverly Hills psychologist Marc F. Kern, by using a "Harm Reduction" based intervention, allowing for his secret drug use to be professionally supervised with his consent.

The U.S. government has announced newly revised guidelines about the consumption of alcohol with the launch of its “Rethinking Drinking” Website. The extensive site supports the concept of moderation management and the viability of non-12 Step programs to help people quit drinking.

Site on "Addictions, de-addiction, rehab info, addiction help, sober living, drug addiction, alcohol addiction."

"The four essential goals that I suggest should act as guideposts for moving from unhealthy habits to developing healthy habits are: Strive toward giving up dependent thinking and inaction. Always strive toward reducing the harm caused by your habit. Aim toward becoming comfortable with change and uncomfortable feelings. Establish a new lifestyle that is more rewarding than the old." Marc F. Kern, PhD

The physical health effects associated with alcohol consumption may include cirrhosis of the liver, pancreatitis, epilepsy, polyneuropathy, alcoholic dementia, heart disease, increased chance of cancer, nutritional deficiencies, sexual dysfunction, and death from many sources.

Electrolytes and minerals are involved in most cellular activities and assume a major role in metabolism. Alcohol consumption, both chronic and acute, has major effects on the absorption, elimination, and serum concentrations of many physiologically important electrolytes and minerals, including sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and selenium.

The Addiction Info site has a number of articles about the dangers of internet addiction, but also about online addiction recovery therapy and life skills counseling, plus many links to psychology-related information sites and psychotherapist websites.

High-risk drinking by teens is influenced by many factors, including the types of parties they attend, whether or not they go to college and give in to peer pressures such as fraternities, whether they have regular family meals, and how they cope with stress.

People turn to alcohol for a wide range of social, emotional and brain chemistry reasons and factors. Soldiers use alcohol when they return home to cope with the lingering stress of their combat experiences. Vulnerable children of alcoholics (COAs) seem to have difficulties processing emotional stimuli. There is an association of anxiety with increased alcohol use.

Some marijuana users will experience unusual or aberrant anxiety or depression, and they will find that marijuana provides short-term relief from these emotional problems. At the same time, when they use marijuana regularly in this fashion in response to emotional difficulties or stress, their reliance on marijuana to regulate their mood exacerbates these emotional problems.