Comments on: Can medications solve the problem of addiction? http://addictionmanagement.org/2009/04/can-medications-solve-the-problem-of-addiction/ Solving the problem of addiction Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:50:07 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kelly L http://addictionmanagement.org/2009/04/can-medications-solve-the-problem-of-addiction/comment-page-1/#comment-382 Kelly L Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:16:15 +0000 http://addictionmanagement.org/?p=162#comment-382 I was surprised to hear in this CNN clip that only 1/10 addictions patients hear about medication! It makes me wonder how much higher rates of recovery would be if every patient that is treated for addictions had the information and resources to use addiction medication. I think success rates for recovery would be significantly higher. On the other hand, a concern I have is that the more our society used medication to treat addiction, the more we must be aware that this is not a viable replacement for individual therapy. Just because agencies may administer affective drugs, doesn't mean they should provide any less therapy to these patients. It seems like this could be a potential problem in the next few decades as people continue to replace human beings with objects, which often include drugs. There is less face to face interaction among individuals and communities, and more interactions with inanimate objects in our current technological revolution. These objects can include prescription drugs. Essentially, one could argue that we are just helping addicts replace objects with other “safer” objects. I was surprised to hear in this CNN clip that only 1/10 addictions patients hear about medication! It makes me wonder how much higher rates of recovery would be if every patient that is treated for addictions had the information and resources to use addiction medication. I think success rates for recovery would be significantly higher.

On the other hand, a concern I have is that the more our society used medication to treat addiction, the more we must be aware that this is not a viable replacement for individual therapy. Just because agencies may administer affective drugs, doesn’t mean they should provide any less therapy to these patients. It seems like this could be a potential problem in the next few decades as people continue to replace human beings with objects, which often include drugs. There is less face to face interaction among individuals and communities, and more interactions with inanimate objects in our current technological revolution. These objects can include prescription drugs. Essentially, one could argue that we are just helping addicts replace objects with other “safer” objects.

]]> By: admin http://addictionmanagement.org/2009/04/can-medications-solve-the-problem-of-addiction/comment-page-1/#comment-207 admin Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:55:05 +0000 http://addictionmanagement.org/?p=162#comment-207 Adam, thanks for the nice feedback. I find it a bit discouraging that so much of the recent brain research is aimed primarily at medication development. Even if we want to push addiction as a brain disease, it's important that we not lose sight of the important of human interaction. J Adam, thanks for the nice feedback. I find it a bit discouraging that so much of the recent brain research is aimed primarily at medication development. Even if we want to push addiction as a brain disease, it’s important that we not lose sight of the important of human interaction.

J

]]> By: Adam Haslam http://addictionmanagement.org/2009/04/can-medications-solve-the-problem-of-addiction/comment-page-1/#comment-205 Adam Haslam Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:01:03 +0000 http://addictionmanagement.org/?p=162#comment-205 What a powerful blog entry. I just read about 10 of your entries and they all are very insightful and intriguing . I just wanted to post a comment about this entry. All that extra hard work reading in the library paid off in this situation and I can guarantee that wasn't the first time that happened either. As you mentioned in the last few sentences, the drug itself is not enough to "defeat" addiction. It takes those important relationships and therapy to maintain the behavior and ultimately terminate it forever. I have enjoyed reading your blog. What a powerful blog entry. I just read about 10 of your entries and they all are very insightful and intriguing . I just wanted to post a comment about this entry. All that extra hard work reading in the library paid off in this situation and I can guarantee that wasn’t the first time that happened either. As you mentioned in the last few sentences, the drug itself is not enough to “defeat” addiction. It takes those important relationships and therapy to maintain the behavior and ultimately terminate it forever. I have enjoyed reading your blog.

]]> By: admin http://addictionmanagement.org/2009/04/can-medications-solve-the-problem-of-addiction/comment-page-1/#comment-23 admin Thu, 07 May 2009 12:55:18 +0000 http://addictionmanagement.org/?p=162#comment-23 Excellent! These medications can really be helpful for folks who continue to struggle despite multiple treatment attempts. Excellent! These medications can really be helpful for folks who continue to struggle despite multiple treatment attempts.

]]> By: alcohol treatment http://addictionmanagement.org/2009/04/can-medications-solve-the-problem-of-addiction/comment-page-1/#comment-17 alcohol treatment Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:23:55 +0000 http://addictionmanagement.org/?p=162#comment-17 Your post really encouraged me! I'm a CADCI and was totally unaware of this medication! I'm going to start researching some of this information. :) Your post really encouraged me! I’m a CADCI and was totally unaware of this medication! I’m going to start researching some of this information. :)

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